From Academics to Activism (Alumna-Interaction) Ms. Garima Poonia (Class of 2014)

On May 18, 2020, the third alumna- interaction in the series was organised by the Department of English for its Undergraduate and Postgraduate students. The invited speaker for the session was Ms. Garima Poonia, from the class of 2012 (BA Eng. Hons.), who is now a waste-management professional and currently working on a project in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Ms. Poonia was awarded the prestigious Young India Fellowship, after her Masters in Eng. Lit. from Fergusson College, Pune, where she found her passion for doing her bit for the marginalised women workforce in the country, especially the domestic waste-pickers. She further acquainted the students with her journey from academics to activism; how she identifies herself as a feminist; and, the fact that she was always interested in working for women's rights.

Ms. Poonia also gave an account of her stint in SEWA, where she realised that she wanted to specifically work in the waste management sector. Not only that, but she also gave solid evidence of the harm that we continue to cause to the environment; something that can be prevented if we only start by simply segregating our waste and reducing our  carbon footprint, among other such.

Very few people actually practice what they preach, but Ms. Poonia stands apart in this respect for she has inculcated in her life, practices that she understands as crucial for bringing about a positive long-term change. Her very interesting and thought-provoking talk gave way to a keen dialogue with the students which was then followed by a round of Q & A, thus bringing the interactive session to a close.