Dear readers

Welcome to the eleventh issue of Eyra!

As we inch closer towards the first anniversary of Eyra, it was time for us to sit down and look back at ourselves and pose a few questions. How successful have we been? What exactly is empowerment? How important is an encouraging environment?

One thing that clearly shaped up is that empowerment is internal! Unless a woman feels the power within her, she is never going to feel true empowerment. Whether it is with respect to her health, her beauty, her struggles, her achievements or whatsoever, she has to feel powerful within.

And if she finds help in the form of woman(en) around her, then there is no stopping her. That is the power of sisterhood.

This time around, we bring you the stories of self-support and sisterhood, beginning with an inspiring Achiever – Jhilmil Breckenridge – who, having gone through the worst situations that one can fathom, has fought it out entirely on her own and has emerged as a successful poet, writer, and a mental health activist. Her story should act as an inspiration to women who are being wronged but do not know how to fight it.

Another inspiring woman who is taking us all back to the drawing board and redefining ‘beauty’ is Sonali Bendre. We chronicle her life through her Instagram posts which she has aptly tags as #switchonthesunshine, and show our readers the true spirit of a woman who is fighting and how!

The #metoo movement is still on, yet getting transformed into various shapes, getting misinterpreted and even debunked. But amidst all the associated drama, let us not forget the core issue. To give a different perspective, this time around we spoke to a few men and heard their views. Do read to get a holistic take on this movement.

There is always a first time for everything. And we, the women of today, must acknowledge and thank many a woman before us who paved the way and made it easy for us. We bring to you the story of the first woman pilot of our country – Captain Prem Mathur.

Last, but not the least, we bring you a piece on the immense power of sisterhood by citing the story line of a 2009 book – The Help by Kathryn Stockett which was subsequently made into a movie. While the world appreciated the book and the movie for showcasing the prevalent racial nuances with a finesse, for us it was the story of three women who got together and brought in a wave of change for themselves as well as their entire community! Do not miss reading the book, or catch the movie.

Well, winter is here and it is time to sip in some hot tea/coffee, dip into some crunchies, soak in the winter sun and enjoy the chill in the air.

Happy Winters!

Swapna Narayanan

Chief Editor, Eyra