Book Reading Session by Ruchira Gupta

Loreto College, Kolkata presented a Book Reading Session by Emmy award winning journalist and author Ms. Ruchira Gupta on January 17, 2024. The session began with the author introducing her work on the establishment of her NGO Apne Aap, which helps to rescue women who are victims of sex trafficking. She read out an excerpt from her newly released book I Kick and I Fly. This was followed by an interactive session with Dr. Sukanya Mitra, Assistant Professor, Department of History.

Ms. Gupta described how she stumbled upon the women of the Nat tribe in Forbesganj, Bihar, where she had spent her childhood, and how her work as a journalist helped her to find out more about these women and their surroundings. She went on to speak about how she made an Emmy award winning documentary, The Selling of Innocents, and helped to pass anti-trafficking laws in the U.S. Senate such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Ms. Gupta stated that her book was the result of the experiences that she had while working with victims of trafficking. The protagonist Heera is able to overcome the grim circumstances of her life by learning martial arts. Ms. Gupta elaborated on the arcs of the different characters in her book and the motivations behind their actions. She also discussed the reasons for writing a work of fiction instead of an academic work based on her experiences. The floor was then opened for questions from the students. The session ended with Ms. Gupta signing several copies of her books for the eager students.