From RTI protests to Ramadan at Khushwant Singh's home: Syeda Saiyidain Hameed shares intriguing life stories in her new memoir 'A Drop in the Ocean'
Activist-author Syeda Saiyidain Hameed ’s memoir ‘ A Drop in the Ocean ’ was launched at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on November 6, 2024. The launch was followed by a discussion between the author, social activist Aruna Roy , and Amitabh Behar. The book launch and discussion was not just a celebration of her work, but also her life and the power and influence of a woman’s story.
The book was officially released by Aruna Roy, who also shared instances and incidents about Syeda's remarkable life, her achievements, and the inspirations that shaped her.
Opening the event, Aruna Roy introduced ‘A Drop in the Ocean’ as an emotional, heartfelt memoir that speaks volumes about Syeda’s work, life, and her journey. She talked about how women’s memoirs are deeply influential and almost transformative in the journey.
She recalled her olden days about the protests for the Right to Information Act , where Syeda had stood by her side, undaunted. She also described Syeda’s book as poetic and lyrical, and a story that touches readers’ hearts.
The discussion then continued with Amitabh Behar inviting Syeda to read a passage from her book. She shared a story of her upbringing, where her understanding of faith was more than just religion and communal rifts. She talked about how despite growing up between stories of mass killings and riots, friendships blossomed between children of different backgrounds, erasing the biases.
She also fondly remembered sharing Ramadan and iftar in Hindu households and her close bond with Khushwant Singh , who kept a special mat for her and hosted iftar gatherings for her.
Taking over the stage, Amitabh noted how reading ‘A Drop in the Ocean’ felt like a personal conversation with Syeda. He was also full of admiration about how the book blurred the line between the personal and political and gave a wholehearted review of its beauty.
Following this Syeda discussed her father's forward-thinking which was unfortunately often met with resistance. Elaborating on the political and personal merging, she recalled how she hushed her identity as a Muslim girl for a long time.
Turning the conversation into a light-hearted one again, Syeda laughed and shared with the audience her stories from her time in Miranda House, where she earned the nickname ‘Ms. Miranda Number 4’, and how she was teased at her home about it.
Following the topic of her charm, Amitabh asked Syeda about her debating days at Patiala Engineering College and the events that followed after. She warmly recalled how she was received by students of the college, and how the boys from PEC were smitten over the ‘Miranda beauties’.
Syeda also shared her fondness for Amitabh Bachchan, whom she would occasionally see on Delhi University’s U-Special bus, and the time she ran for the City Council, in Alberta, Canada.
Moving on, the conversation turned serious as she told people about her work with the National Commission for Women and the Planning Commission, and the difficult encounters she faced with honour killings and prejudice against women. Through her work, she witnessed both the resilience of women and the deep-rooted biases in society.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where Syeda expressed her gratitude to the audience for their presence.
The book launch and discussion was hosted by Speaking Tiger Publications.
The book was officially released by Aruna Roy, who also shared instances and incidents about Syeda's remarkable life, her achievements, and the inspirations that shaped her.
Opening the event, Aruna Roy introduced ‘A Drop in the Ocean’ as an emotional, heartfelt memoir that speaks volumes about Syeda’s work, life, and her journey. She talked about how women’s memoirs are deeply influential and almost transformative in the journey.
She recalled her olden days about the protests for the Right to Information Act , where Syeda had stood by her side, undaunted. She also described Syeda’s book as poetic and lyrical, and a story that touches readers’ hearts.
The discussion then continued with Amitabh Behar inviting Syeda to read a passage from her book. She shared a story of her upbringing, where her understanding of faith was more than just religion and communal rifts. She talked about how despite growing up between stories of mass killings and riots, friendships blossomed between children of different backgrounds, erasing the biases.
She also fondly remembered sharing Ramadan and iftar in Hindu households and her close bond with Khushwant Singh , who kept a special mat for her and hosted iftar gatherings for her.
Taking over the stage, Amitabh noted how reading ‘A Drop in the Ocean’ felt like a personal conversation with Syeda. He was also full of admiration about how the book blurred the line between the personal and political and gave a wholehearted review of its beauty.
Following this Syeda discussed her father's forward-thinking which was unfortunately often met with resistance. Elaborating on the political and personal merging, she recalled how she hushed her identity as a Muslim girl for a long time.
Turning the conversation into a light-hearted one again, Syeda laughed and shared with the audience her stories from her time in Miranda House, where she earned the nickname ‘Ms. Miranda Number 4’, and how she was teased at her home about it.
Following the topic of her charm, Amitabh asked Syeda about her debating days at Patiala Engineering College and the events that followed after. She warmly recalled how she was received by students of the college, and how the boys from PEC were smitten over the ‘Miranda beauties’.
Syeda also shared her fondness for Amitabh Bachchan, whom she would occasionally see on Delhi University’s U-Special bus, and the time she ran for the City Council, in Alberta, Canada.
Moving on, the conversation turned serious as she told people about her work with the National Commission for Women and the Planning Commission, and the difficult encounters she faced with honour killings and prejudice against women. Through her work, she witnessed both the resilience of women and the deep-rooted biases in society.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where Syeda expressed her gratitude to the audience for their presence.
The book launch and discussion was hosted by Speaking Tiger Publications.
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