I had been waiting for some time to pass since the Gender Certificate Course in collaboration with the Human Development & Family Empowerment, Bharati College concluded, to write about my experience.
This course comprised 40 hours divided into 20 sessions about various aspects of gender. I remember the introductory session as if it had taken place yesterday. We played multiple activities trying to know each other better, and also to remember everyone's names. The participants constituted batches from two years, second year and third year. Since the students had also just gotten off from the virtual mode, not everyone was familiar with the names of their classmates. Nevertheless, as time progressed, we not only learnt the names, but also a lot about everyone.
We began the course by understanding gender, its role, its impact, discrimination, and violence. I was warmed by the enthusiasm and trust with which most of the participants participated in the activities, sharing their journeys and experiences. I vividly remember the day when we talked about Power Dynamics & The Role of Patriarchy in our lives, where the students confided in me with the secrets and pains they had been hiding for a long time! This session left me overwhelmed, and also made me realise that we are not alone!
Throughout the journey of these 20 sessions, I kept focussing on female solidarity, and female friendships, but as time progressed, I realized that these beautiful people knew the importance, and were also setting examples!
I met a girl named Alona, who would look out for her friends and make sure that nobody in her vicinity feels dejected. I witnessed the friendship between Kashish and Sakshi, Rupal and Akanksha, and Saubhagya-Lovely-Eram, etc who love each other with so much warmth. I, myself experienced an abundance of love that these lovelies showered on me. The farewell was emotional, yes! With Kashish dancing for me to my favourite songs (with killer expressions and gestures, I blushed, I giggled, I cried a little)! Khushi and her group, Mridang singing songs to me, and Uzma, Pratistha, Sargam, Inza, etc sharing their experience and their journeys with me and FIFE. It was heartwarming, emotional, and very special. But, I kept experiencing perpetual love with this group throughout. Akansha Tanwar’s punctuality in every session, and making sure that the system is working was the language of love and respect for me! Nitika and Khushi documenting the session and sharing the content immediately was the language of respect for me. Sargam, making sure that I understood how much the course meant to her, meant so much to me. Khushbu, Saubhagya, Anjali and Eram putting on me their trust was the language of love for me. Seeing Lovely & Inza grow from distant participants to two of my closest pals, was a pure journey. Soni’s and Saubhagya’s lovely letters are the language of love for me, and the old-school in me cried a bit! Uzma’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge inspired me so much to never give up and keep on learning. And, Yashika and Kajal, who I didn’t even know did not belong to the batch because they were always present, always punctual, and always participated!
As the journey was coming closer to the farewell, I told some of the students how they all had made me feel, especially towards the end with their beautiful words and gesture, and the farewell has actually brought an (I hope, temporary) void in my life.
Thank you Khushi for spreading melodiousness with your sweet voice, Muskan for your energetic dances that made me want to break into dance every time, Sakshi for the amazing commentary, and everyone for just being you!!
Thank you professors cool, Kamini ma’am, Swati ma’am, and Preeti ma’am.
I shall forever and ever remember each one of you. All the very best, you all!
