On chair with: Mridula Ghai Sr. Bureaucrat & a Poetess !

By Jaspreet Singh  The Writers Write Interview with Mridula Ghai

Poetess  : Mridula Ghai
Place of Birth : New Delhi India

Schooling  : St. Mary's School, Delhi
Graduation : Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University

Post-Graduation : M Phil in International Relations (Political Science),Delhi University.

Position held :
Additional CPF Commissioner Headquarters, EPFO, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.

Vice Chairperson 
Technical Commission on Social Security Policy Analysis and Research ,
International Social Security Association ,
International Labour Organization
Director
Pandit Deendayal Upadhayay National Academy on Social Security 

Poems : Mother – Maa, Desh ka patarkar & many more…

Indian women Sr. Bureaucrat, activist, and poet Mridula Ghai was a key figure in India’s struggle from upliftment for the girl child and social welfare for women in New Digital India, as well as a proponent of civil rights and women’s emancipation. Ghai made use of vivid sensory language in her poetry. She is the author of many collections:

 Mother- Maa, Desh ka Patarkar & many more. She is a rising star soon to be called “Indian Grosbeak ” through her work.

1 List three things nobody knows about you.
I’m an excellent cook. I’m writing English poetry too. I have a strong urge to learn pottery making.

2 A relationship rule you always follow?
Keep giving pure unconditional love and sharing your darkest thoughts unedited. One day the other person will respond with the same purity and intensity.

3 Describe yourself in a hashtag!
#connectedtoeverybleedingheart

4 A habit you have developed recently?
Earlier if I could not help someone I used to withdraw due to a feeling of helplessness. Of late I have developed the habit of giving a patient hearing and just being there by the side of a person in distress even when I cannot help them. I have realized that this can also be very supportive and is a minimal humane response.

5 What inspired you to write poetry on Journalist?
Someone shared a list of an Indian journalist who died in this pandemic. It made me think about the challenges the journalists face day after day and the countless sacrifices that they make. Hindi patrakarita divas on 30th May seemed a good time to pay tribute to these frontline warriors.

6 Your favorite female poetess?
Amrita Pritam. I love her simple, honest, impactful, and hard-hitting style.

7 Your own first poetry?
A very old female neighbor's children have settled abroad and she stayed alone in her bungalow. The police took her body out after 2 days of her dying alone. I wrote a poem in English called 'Mother' on that day to ease out the deep pain I felt.

8 Your first recognition as a poetess?
I started trying to publish my poems in newspapers about 3 months back. Though I have in this short span been published several times in Rashtriya Sahara, Amar Ujjala, Veer Arjun, The Daily Milap, Dainik Bhaskar, and many others, I got truly recognized when my poem on journalists called  'Desh ke Patrakar' went viral on social media. It has been published about 25 times and latest yesterday in Rajasthan Patrika. My interview on red FM made my poem 'Sach ' written on the status of women much popular with about 2800 likes on the Facebook page of the famous poet Arun Gemini.

9 Who do you admires most and why?
Mother Teresa, she could give so much love and care without expecting.

10 What makes you feel accomplished?
Writing a poem on issues that impact women, society, and the privileged. I do a lot of research to correctly reflect the issues and lives of the suffering people. To write a poem. on the life of weavers, I watched about 100 documentaries, YouTube videos and read articles for about 6 weeks. When I put their story to poetry in simple touching words I felt accomplished.

11 What’s your favorite book/movie/poem of all time and why did it speak to you so much?
A very old movie, 'New Delhi Times' is my all-time favorite. It taught me to trust people enough to give them a hearing even when all facts and shreds of evidence are against them. Compassion is very important and no innocent person must be punished.

12 What’s been your biggest mistake so far in life and what did you learn from it?

To have waited so long to take up poetry seriously. This has taught me that there is no perfect and completely free time to follow your passion. This has to go hand in hand with other professional and personal responsibilities.

13 What’s your favorite hobby to do alone!
To try playing the piano.

14 What is your favorite travel destination!

Vienna 

15 Any motivational message to youngsters?

Being educated, well placed and vocal is still a privilege in our country. If God has given you these, you must give back to society in ways you can. To create awareness on issues and improve the lives of people especially women and the downtrodden is my mission. Society has given me a lot. I was not killed in the womb, was given the best possible education, and am very well placed. It is giving back to society time for me and I do it with my pen.

English Poem
MOTHER

You began to grow in my womb
As My dream, My world My hope My existence
There was nothing beyond you but the desire to see you 

Enter this world to touch you with warmth
To hold you in my arms See you evolve
From my extension to your own being
As you crawled into my life

My flight stalled My ambitions crashed
To keep pace with your race
To gain strength by and by
Soon you could Walk run & fly

At the fag end of my life
As I began to crumble
I thought of The moments
Of joy When I played with you, my toy
I looked at Life’s maze with longing gaze

Hoping you would Slow down pace
To hold my hand Help me stand
But I Could not help cry
As you flew by You broke
My last hope but you 
Could not rope The desire
of a mother to beget a child
And await him to be by her side!!!