People First

'Meet The Quintessential Bookseller | Inside Delhi's Oldest Book Shop | People First | India 365'

'Delhi is dotted with history and culture. Almost every shop has a story, and every story at the heart of it has historical importance. Like the oldest shop of Khan Market; FaQirchand Bookstore – the hole in the wall bookstore, filled up to the seams with books, is one of the most iconic installments of the popular market. The owner – Anoop Kumar says that the store started in Peshawar in 1931 and post partition in 1951 shifted to Delhi. And since then, Kumar says he hasn’t changed the layout even a bit' Read more

'The Woman Who Gave Millions Of Girls In India A Law To Fight For Their Safety | Bhanwari Devi'

'Before the Nirbhaya movement, before the MeToo Campaign, before most of us even had the basic awareness of our rights as women, there was Bhanwari Devi. Bhanwari Devi has spent 30 years seeking a conviction for the men who raped her. For raising her voice, she was pushed to the edge of her village, denied access to water from the village well and socially ostracized. What many of us do not know is Bhanwari never got justice for herself but it is her personal courage that has birthed the sexual harassment guidelines that protect millions of women at the work place.' Read more

'People First | Danish Khan'

'Have you ever had Mohabbat Ka Sharbat? A literal saccharine, sweet drink made with love, or of love? Well, if you haven’t, then look no further than Danish Khan’s shop near Jama Masjid in Delhi – a shop that has been standing tall since 1901! His beverages ranging from a modest Rs. 30 go up till Rs. 80, per him are not just any other juices, but are agents of mohabbat. As he says “hum mohabbat ka sharbat pilate hai, mohabbat baant te hai”. And the recipients of this mohabbat include politicians such as Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal who have been to this quaint shop!' Read more

'Meet Bela Sharma | A Story Of Independence, Courage, And Aching For Femininity | People First'

'They dropped out of school at the age of 14, and today they create skill development programs for transgenders. Bela Sharma was the first resident of “Garima Grah” an initiative by the Central Govt for transgenders. Bela’s story is one of resilience, courage, and self-love. Even as they dropped out of school, they went back to academics, and became independent. They say that their self-love came from her wanting to do Shringar, realising that they identify as a woman, and how that was their strength.' Read more

'People First | Meet The Smiling Shoe Shiner Who Has Been Polishing Shoes In Delhi For 3 Decades'

'Shiv Charan is emblematic of big cities; at once, the most unreal things happen to people here alongside some of the most heartbreaking things. Shiv Charan has been polishing shoes at Delhi’s popular market – Janpath, for 3 decades now. He came from Uttar Pradesh in search of a better livelihood; the creases on his face speak for a man who has worked tirelessly his whole life. But within all the hard work, there have been moments of pure surprise for him, like the time the cast of the very successful show CID came to get their shoe polished in between a shoot! His only regret though is that before people wore more leather shoes, and now it’s all about sports shoes which hurts his business. His benevolent smile says that shoe polishing is not just a menial job for him but so much more.' Read more

'Sukanya Ramgopal | A Woman Ghatam Artiste Whose Fingers March To Their Own Beat | People First'

'It is often said that a woman’s fingers are too delicate, not made for the roughness of the world; Sukanya Ramgopal quashes that stereotype and how. India’s first woman Ghatam artiste, her fingers much like herself march to their own beat. She has received several awards including the very prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Her passion and her power are both exemplary as she says… “If musicians don’t want to see a female player, it's their problem”. Today Sukkanya has her own all- women's ensemble called Stree Thaal Tharang' Read more

'From A 10 Year Old Helping Out His Father At The Thela To Today Owning A Full Shop'

'Naseeruddin is 65, and he has been working at this there since he was 10 years old. He says thela almost to hold on to the quaint simplicity of it all because for now, the thela that his father started is a whole shop! This shop is his sweets shop. Something he has had throughout his life, except during the emergency when he wasn’t allowed to put it up. However, in an interesting turn of events his favourite political leader Indira Gandhi – said that there has been no one like her. It's shops like these that have witnessed living history, change of guard, and how time flies when we are doing what we love!' Read more

'The Retired Squadron Leader Who Gave Wings To Those Who Most Needed Them | People First'

'From being an IAF officer full of grit and valour to starting a unique drone academy that teaches differently-abled students how to operate a drone – Retired Squadron Leader Varsha Kukreti is a champion of inclusivity, especially using on how to use technology to further access for all. From being a female Air Force officer to teaching deaf & mute kids about drones – Squadron Leader Kukreti sure knows how to encourage a change in the mindset of people!' Read more

'The Man Who Gave Dignity In Death To Thousands Who Perished In COVID | Meet Jitender Shunty'

'India was hit terribly by the second COVID wave, the fatal Delta Wave. There were several fatalities, and the contagion was ever more powerful. In such a scenario, loved ones couldn't even properly bid goodbye to those they lost. Jitender Singh Shunty shone as a COVID warrior then, cremating several of those who were isolated even in their last moments.' Read more

'Meet Reshma Pathan | Fierce, Feisty, Fabulous | The Leading Lady For All Leading Ladies'

'“Teri Shaadi Nahin Hogi Shaadi kisko karni hai?” The spunky and fierce Reshma Pathan is a force on and off the screen. Besides being India’s first stunt woman, she exemplifies what happens when you stand your ground and fight for your rights. She joined the industry when she was 14 and has had an illustrious career doing stunts for even Hema Malini in the epic movie Sholay. Her father was initially against her choice of career, but she fought hard for it, and today, she has worked in 400 movies!' Read more

'Meet Abdul Gaffar | A Record-Breaking Flag Maker Whose Own Life Is No Less Than Extraordinary'

'Abdul Gaffar Jhandewala started his Tiranga journey during the Emergency. The time he says was tense, and shopkeepers wanted to protest the emergency by putting a tiranga jhanda outside their shops. Abdul Gaffar learnt tailoring when he was a child to help his father out a bit, and today he sports the record of making 1000 flags in a day! But what he fondly remembers still are the 500 rupees he made 60 years ago when he had just started making flags!' Read more