Complex Realities

My fellowship in Bhavnagar, Gujarat taught me many important lessons; some (as often happens with life) did not make themselves obvious to me until I returned and reflected on the eventful year. I departed for India a few months after finishing my undergraduate education to work with adolescent girls in the pursuit of alternative vocational opportunities. The work often brought me at the intersection of education and gender inequality, caste and other dividing lines, and the impact of poor public policies on a rights-deprived community.

In the midst of the year, I often struggled to reconcile these issues with my own liberal perception of how the world “should be.” As I interacted with the communities in Khumbarwada, the slum area of Bhavnagar and the geographical focus of my project, I was not bound by caste, religion, or class. Looking back at the year and piecing together these interactions, I realize now that the world is not black and white; the assumptions I make about the world are always vulnerable to a more complicated reality.

My experience with Indicorps, Sonal Shah, and her siblings taught me the value of action over words. While I speak of “change” and “crossing lines,” they are actually doing so on a daily basis, both professionally and personally. While in Gujarat, I was miles and worlds away from my philosophizing undergraduate classrooms; I was in the thick of reality. And reality involved having chai with a group of Muslim girls in their neighborhood, riding my bike a few streets down, and sharing laughs with another group that carry Dalit backgrounds while exploring ways that they could generate income for themselves and their families.

Through conversations, direct observations, and building relationships, I slowly learned that there is no one answer or explanation for the complex issues facing my communities. The human faces and life stories behind buzzwords (empowerment; tolerance; inclusion) that I so easily tossed around brought me to the inconvenient - but stirring - truth that if I am to truly follow through on the values and issues I believe in, then I must translate this into positive, constructive action. My complaints and denouncements are not enough; I must roll up my sleeves and work toward offering a viable alternative. This is the path that Indicorps and Sonal Shah have set before me, and I look forward to rising above this challenge as we continue to join hands with fellow Indians to evolve new answers to the issues of our time.

Shital Shah
Indicorps Fellow 2005-2006