1. Tell us more about yourself and your life.
My name is Shradha Malik. I live in Vikas Puri, New Delhi. I have just passed my 12th with 88.7 percentage. I am the youngest child of my parents. Being the younger one I was always pampered. I am an introvert. I like to spend my time reading a novel or by painting some stuff. My life is simple. There are many ups and downs but somehow I find a way to overcome them.
I was an average student in school. I am very competitive. I was not at all into sports until I joined Mamta Modern. Someone said rightly, you start having interest in things you are surrounded by. By being s sportsperson you not only learn that specific sport. There comes many things along with it, most importantly, discipline.
Till the time you are not disciplined in your life your life cannot be easy. I was not at all disciplined till 10th but here comes a period in everyone’s life when they realise the importance of having a purpose in their life. I am a carefree girl who doesn’t care about what people think. All I know is you gotta do things you like, not what people like. We have only one life and we should live it to the fullest.
2. What led you into social activism?
I always had that thing in mind where I wanted to bring a change in society and in the mindset of people. Listening to news and hearing all about rape, life of farmers, poverty and so many things. I had keen interest in knowing these things. I opted humanities as my stream in 12th in which I had a subject ' sociology' in which it explained about society in detail.
From there I learned so many unfair things that are still present in our society. It also inspired me to do something in that case. There were so many that great leaders took in order to stop the injustice happening to lower caste people. I got inspired for how selfless deed they did for our country and still our country is unable to overcome them.
You can’t level up the injustice happened to the lower caste by giving them reservations because of corruption only the creamy layer is taking advantage of it and they are still suffering. So I actually wanted to help people not by words but by actions.
3. What is that one cause you care deeply about and why?
“EQUALITY “. Nowadays people have a different version of equality . According to them equality means giving girls a position superior to boys. It’s wrong equality means giving everyone an equal position in society . No doubt there are many injustice happening to girls but everyone is suffering in their own way.
Giving girls right does not mean that girl are correct in every scenario . There are so many cases where a girl has put false allegations on a boy and till the time no proof is there a boy is being criticised as if he is at fault. Supporting girls and being a feminist is one's choice but considering all the boys at fault every time is where the society is going wrong.
Don’t create a society where at some point of time men will fear to speak in front of women just because she will be considered right in every scenario. In some colleges, 3 percent relaxation is given to girls. Why not boys? Yeah there are many cases where girls are not sent to school considering that they are meant to handle house but same applies for boys too.
There are so many cases where boys are not sent to school instead they are asked to continue their fathers work irrespective of their wish. So, we should consider everybody equal in every scenario.
4. If one wants to contribute and make a difference in social causes, how can one do it?
According to me one can contribute and make a difference with more actions and less words. Just by sitting at place and thinking that our society is wrong won’t change the society. By doing and working In respect to that will help to bring to about a change in society. We have to change the mindset of people by proving people where they misjudge people.
Start doing a good deed daily and you will notice positive things around you. Each day make a change in society and society itself will change. A social work just requires time. Even an hour given to a social work can bring a glimpse of change in society. There are so many ways in which people can contribute. Like there are so many societies you can join where you can help to raise voice against issues.
You can do campaigns to raise your voice about certain issues and so that it can reach to the government.
5. Who is your role model and why?
My grandmother is my role model. She is my model not because she is my grandmother but because I love her attitude towards life which inspires me a lot. Even after seeing so many obstacles in her life she still has a pretty smile on her face always. Her positive attitude towards life gives me a positive energy to fight with the bad days.
Her hard-working nature inspires me in a way that when I am about to give up, all I remember is how she had her confidence in one hand while facing so many problems. Ever since her marriage she worked hard to raise her children in best possible way. She worked hard so that her children can get education. My grandfather was in bad health for 11 years so she probably raised children on her own.
Along with that she took take care of her husband for 11 years without giving up. My parents being working she also raised us so well. Till today we appreciate what good deed she did to us. Whenever I am in a tough situation, she always tells me that you can solve any problem no matter how big or serious it is by remaining positive in that case. She is my role model because I want to have the same attitude towards life just as she has.
6. What are some of challenges and roadblocks you have faced along your journey?
Being a younger one in the family I was always pampered. My elder sister is very intelligent and hard working while I was not into studies that much. My mother is also a government teacher but still I was more into other things like singing and dancing rather than studies. People always used to compare me with my sister.
As a child it never occurred to me but while I was growing up those things started to affect me. We were in the same school so even teachers used to say like look at your sister and you that were so heartbreaking for me. In my childhood I used to be very sick. I didn’t have a strong grasping power and hence was not into studies. After 8th class I realised the importance of marks.
I realised people judge you on the basis of your studies. They don’t judge you for the person you are but for the marks you get in your exams or in the class. Then I started to study but got only 55.7 in class 9th. In class 11th, teachers started to believe in me which was a turning point in my life. I started to believe in myself and moreover my perspective towards studies changed. Some obstacles are meant to fall in your way to make your life smooth.
7. Your opinion about social media activism.
According to me spreading awareness about new issues occurring is a good thing. Nowadays social media has become a platform where most of the people read and come to know about what is happening in our society. People are much interested in seeing the news from sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter rather than seeing the news channel.
It’s a good way to share your emotions and opinions on social media platforms on certain issues. But still the words alone cannot change the society. There is a need to take some actions to make our voices reach to the government and then the strict action is taken. By posting things on social media more people come to know about the issue and more support is gathered from there.
Many campaigns start from a page and then through social media they start gathering and raise a voice against an issue. So, according to me social media activism is a good thing because the more people read, they’ll be encouraged to stand for the issue.
Interview By - Sonam
Social