'Second Breath: A Memoir'
Creative Writing:
• Creative piece published in 2019 on this blog entitled, ‘Aching to be Set Free on the Streets of Berkeley’
Summary: A fictionalized reading of the tenor saxophonist, Mark Turner’s jazz track “Berkeley Street” depicting the protagonist, Aria, as she listens to the music and feels inspired to write a story based on the narrative she hears in the saxophone’s melody. She imagines Turner’s soul yearning for freedom, and sees a contrast between his reserved character, and the vivaciousness of his saxophone. Aria considers the complexity of the music as intellectual yet enjoyable and attempts to decode Turner’s character through his playing.
• “Creative Chronicles” Substack
Writing on Personal Recovery from Accident: (2012-2020)
- • Writings on recovery blog, ‘Post TBI Musings’
• The latest article on the blog is titled ‘Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do’ also published by Yale at https://som.yale.edu/blog/dreams-don-t-work-unless-you-do
Summary: The article is a personal reflection by Tarini on her experience of recovering from a traumatic brain injury and enrolling at Yale School of Management for her MBA. She recounts the challenges she faced, including physical therapy, chronic pain, and speech difficulties, and her doubts and insecurities about her ability to pursue a graduate degree. She credits the support of her family and friends, as well as the enabling system of American universities, for allowing her to transform her life and pursue her dreams.
As you scroll down, the first article in the blog, titled, ‘Because accidents don’t happen only to others’ also published by the Indian Express – http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/because-accidents-don-t-happen-only-to-others/965070/
Summary: An article in the Indian Express advocates for a Helmet Law for all in New Delhi. The author was prompted to write this article after her own accident in Uganda upon learning the law for helmets in her home city of New Delhi applied only to men upon her return there.
Development Sector Writing on Agricultural Development, Ebola Response, Education, and Disability Rights
• Article written in personal capacity in 2024, titled ‘If Fatehpur Sikri can be made wheelchair accessible, why not our public spaces?”
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/accessibleindia-can-mughal-history-inspire-modern-inclusion-9162126/
Summary: The article advocates for prioritizing accessibility and inclusion for persons with disabilities in India as a national mission. The author, a wheelchair user, contrasts the accessibility of the 16th-century Fatehpur Sikri with the inaccessibility prevalent in most public spaces and transport. It calls for addressing the three pillars of accessibility: built environment, public transport, and ICT. The author questions India’s disability data accuracy and emphasizes involving end-users in designing accessible infrastructure to enable full participation of all citizens in civic and socio-economic life, regardless of abilities.
• Article written in my capacity as Project Manager at Central Square Foundation (CSF) published in their newsletter The Edge titled ‘Way Forward for School Education in India After Budget 2022-23.’
https://www.centralsquarefoundation.org/articles/the-way-forward-for-school-education-in-india-after-budget-2022-23
Summary: Article on India’s Union Budget 2022-23, which focuses on addressing the learning loss caused by school closures during the pandemic. The budget emphasizes Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), recognizes the importance of EdTech, and aims to ensure that every child gains basic skills in reading, writing, and numeracy by grade 3 through the National Initiative for Proficiency in reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat.
• Article on National Education Policy 2020 written in personal capacity.
‘Knowledge of English is Not Intelligence. The NEP Recognises This.’ https://thewire.in/education/knowledge-of-english-is-not-intelligence-the-nep-recognises-this
Summary: The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 in India mandates the medium of instruction in primary schools be changed to the child’s home language. Learning in the home language vs. an alien language promotes better understanding, and improves learning outcomes. Once literacy skills are developed, schools can devise a bridge course to help the students transition to English-medium instruction.
• Summer Internship at the Gates Foundation: Summer, 2017. Article entitled, A Field of Her Own. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-women-farmers-agriculture-sector-patriarchy-land-ownership-4781311/
Summary: about Indian women’s land rights as a gateway to a host of additional rights
• While working at BRAC as Program Advisor: (2012-2016) Article title, One Small Step for Me Can Be a Giant Leap for Another.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/brac/one-small-step-for-me-can_b_6534536.html
Summary: Raising funds for an orphan whose parents were credit officers, and died in the Ebola epidemic. The parents worked at the nonprofit, BRAC, where the author was also employed-
• While working at BRAC as Program Advisor on BRAC’s Ebola response: (2012-2016) Article entitled, No Peace of Mind in Liberia.
http://news.trust.org/item/20160608163646-ew1tl/
Summary: On mental health in Liberia post the Ebola epidemic.
• While working at BRAC as Program Advisor: (2011-2016): Article on food security and nutrition, entitled, Helping Smallholder Farmers Grow a Pharmacy on their Farms. https://nextbillion.net/helping-smallholders-grow-a-pharmacy-on-their-farms/
Summary: On the importance of biofortified crops for nutrition for people living in poverty, written wrt BRAC’s work in Sub-Saharan Africa
While working at BRAC as Program Advisor: (2011-2016): Article on empowering women farmers, entitled Does Your Organization Actually Empower Women? https://nextbillion.net/does-your-organization-actually-empower-women/
Summary: The author, Tarini, explores the concept of women’s empowerment and offers a framework for assessing whether an organization’s programs and practices truly empower women.
While working at BRAC as Program Advisor: (2011-2016): Article on farmers organizations, entitled, Power in Numbers: How organizing, even informally, benefits smallholder farmers. https://nextbillion.net/informal-farmer-organizations/
Summary: Tarini discusses the importance of informal farmer organizations (IFOs) in developing countries. IFOs help smallholder farmers access markets, finance, and information, and provide a platform for collective action to advocate for their rights. However, IFOs often face challenges such as lack of resources and weak governance structures.
