Rita Farhad Mukand 

While I have always loved reading and writing, it was only in 2020 that my writing turned into a professional delight when someone reading my blog invited me to write for their news media. With Social Media turning diametrically toxic and communal, my writings gathered stormy winds, often with righteous indignation, I tapped on my keyboard whenever I perceived injustice. With many twists and turns in my life, a respected friend referred Awaz-The Voice to me and I e-mailed some of my articles to them and was glad when they accepted my work in October 2023.

Writing for Awaz-The Voice is an extraordinary experience for me! It had me striving to train my grey cells to think along new lines. Being so attuned to the cosmic conspiracy morphs and rage on Social Media, Awaz-The Voice took me through another route to scan my topography to hunt for positive and heart-stirring stories. I had to search for people who had positive stories to tell and I often felt like a secret detective because I had to do this very skillfully and delicately.

I found myself doing things I never dreamt of before, such as hopping on taxis, autos, and even a train scouting the land. I traveled down dusty village paths, speaking to strangers trying to tear down their resistant brick walls to get them to open up as they would initially eye me with suspicion.

I travelled to Naya Basti, a Muslim-dominated village to discover the peaceful coexistence of Muslims,Hindus and Christians collaboratively carving a purpose-driven life, interviewed powerful people,spotlighted women entrepreneurs, spoke with gifted shayaris, shared on the bright Diwali and joyous Christmas vibes, and visited the fruitful Gunjaria Villiage of Islampur which traces its history back sevenhundred years.

What I love about Awaz-The Voice is their noble purpose. While modern global journalism is becoming a prisoner to polarization, Awaz-The Voice aims to bring unity and harmony, highlighting the values of Indian syncretism and deep cultural roots of Indianness to find its expression in modern society. While communities seem to be crumbling under the hard story walls they built around themselves due to imaginary fears, Awaz-The Voice works to break down iron fortifications to let the world have a peep into the lives of simple people who have taken incredible steps to bring transformation. It is a difficult task because people have been conditioned to gravitate to negativities and polarities due to the never- ending cycle of hate and revenge. Someone has to break that cycle and Awaz-The Voice is doing it right now. It is now only their third year and they are ready to reach their One Billion Viewership mark!

Awaz-The Voice taught me how to take a step back, view situations objectively, turn away from subjective gusty clouds, focus on the sunlight and then write, allowing warm rays of words to soak into people’s angry and wounded hearts to heal society with the truth.