On 15th August 2025, while the whole nation celebrated Independence Day, I celebrated another kind of freedom — the launch of my 11th book, Savitri and Her Sketchbook of Freedom. This book, for me, is not just about pages and words. It is about a journey, a responsibility, and a promise.
My Journey to This Book
When I look back, it feels like I have been writing all my life. I began with short stories in Hindi, and slowly my words took the shape of novels. Smriti and A Beautiful Mess became turning points for me, while Hindi stories and my poetry collections kept me rooted in expression. I also wrote Saptamoksha, a book close to my heart, where I explored the seven moments of liberation.
After ten books, I found myself asking: What next? I had written for adults, for readers who understood pain, love, loss, and hope. But somewhere inside me, there was a voice telling me that children also needed these stories. Children deserved to know what history had hidden.
During my degree in Women and Gender Studies, this thought grew even stronger. The more I studied, the more I realised how deliberately women had been removed from history. It wasn’t an accident. It was a silence imposed upon them. That silence disturbed me deeply. I began reading more, researching more, hunting for names and stories that had slipped away from memory.
That is how the idea of Savitri and Her Sketchbook of Freedom was born. The idea was simple — an 11-year-old girl, Savitri, who keeps asking questions. But the execution was hard. I had to read extensively, search deeply, add names, delete some, verify facts, and balance history with storytelling. I wanted it to be beautiful yet authentic. I discussed it at length with Mr. Uma Shankar Yadav, my publisher at Serene Publishers, who stood with me as always, patient and encouraging, helping me give shape to this dream.
One day gave me the final push. It was 19th April, at Darpana’s annual day, where the theme was Haan Ladki Hoon. Young girls narrated their struggles and journeys in the most powerful way. They had achieved so much, yet they were hardly remembered. Sitting there, I felt a lump in my throat. I knew then and there: This book has to come out now.
Months of work, reading, and writing finally came alive on 15th August 2025, at the Renaissance Circle. I was hesitant at first to approach Dr. Mallika Sarabhai to launch the book. Would she agree? But in her usual generous way, she not only agreed, she came before time. She stood by me, smiled with me, and with her words, gave my effort a meaning larger than I had imagined.
Her words — “I am proud of Shraddha” — and her hug will remain etched in my heart forever. When she told my children, “you have a wonderful mother”, I could not hold back my tears. That, to me, was the greatest award.
The event was graced by Mr. Uma Shankar Yadav, who has always believed in me and my ideas, and Mr. Rohit Bajpayee, General Manager of Renaissance Circle, who extended his wholehearted support. The programme was moderated beautifully by Mr. Aarsh Agarwal, Marketing Manager of Renaissance Circle, who carried the flow with warmth and dignity.
But what made the event truly mine was my family. From the smallest details to the biggest arrangements, they were on their toes, making sure everything was perfect. My friends and students were there too — Saba, Ruchi, Smita, Sakshi, Punit ji, Preeti, Neena, Ishmeet, Anjali, Sandhya, Prasun, Leena, Mamta, Khyati, Shubha, Pruthvi, Kartar, Pranav, Meena — each one a pillar of support, reminding me that no writer ever walks alone.
And in a poetic way, the youngest guest at the event was little Serene, the true founder of Serene Publishers, completing the circle of creation.
Through Savitri’s eyes, I have tried to bring alive the forgotten voices of women freedom fighters — Savitribai Phule, Usha Mehta, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Kanaklata Barua, Aruna Asaf Ali, Bhikaji Cama and many others. This book is my attempt to tell children that freedom was not a gift delivered by a few names in their textbooks. It was a collective struggle, and women were at the heart of it.
This is not just a children’s book. It is a responsibility. It is a promise.
As I look back, I don’t see the stage or the lights. I see a circle. A circle of history, of women’s voices, of blessings, of friendships, of my family, of my students, of every person who has held my hand in this journey. I see Savitri, that little girl, smiling with her sketchbook, asking her endless questions.
On this Independence Day, I did not just launch a book. I launched a reminder. A reminder that as long as I write, forgotten voices will find their way back into the world.
And for me, that is freedom.
