Indrani Ganguly

Is Barbie a good role model?

I was invited to be on the negative team at a debate on ‘Is Barbie a Good Role Model’ hosted by the Lyceum Club on 22 September 2020. My team leader was Di Fingleton, Queensland’s first ever female Chief Magistrate. This was my take on the debate which I thought I’d share with SWWQ members.Continue reading “Is Barbie a good role model?”

Poppies, Marigolds or Hibiscus? How should India remember its forgotten soldiers?

Remembrance Day is commemorated on November 11th each year and marks the end of World War I in 1918. The intention of the day is to remember the fallen on both sides in the ‘Great War’. Remembrance Day has evolved in different ways around the world. Depending on where you are in the world, itContinue reading “Poppies, Marigolds or Hibiscus? How should India remember its forgotten soldiers?”

Creativity Building Resilience

On October 10 2020, the Fellowship of Australian Writers Queensland (FAWQ) and USC Moreton Bay hosted Creativity Building Resilience, a panel of writers, creators and academics discussing how writing can improve mental health. You can watch Indrani Ganguly’s pre-event interview here: https://buff.ly/2GNGGFP

Cross-Cultural Capers: Cinemas Creating Connections

When we think of cultural interactions between India and Australia, the two things that spring immediately to mind are cricket and curries. Few people know of the connections created through cinema. Concrete partnerships and projects between the Indian and Australian film industries began in the late 1990s, and included films, music videos, and TV commercialsContinue reading “Cross-Cultural Capers: Cinemas Creating Connections”

Female characters in historical fiction

Protecting Children is Everyone’s Business

For dads everywhere in 2020……. “Child abuse and neglect is preventable. If we all work together as a community, we can create an Australia where all children can grow up safe and well. What role can you play in supporting children and their families?” -Richard Cooke, CEO, NAPCAN The National Child Protection Week campaign wasContinue reading “Protecting Children is Everyone’s Business”

The Longest Story in the World

Once upon a time there was a king. He was a very good king. There was just one problem with him: he loved hearing stories. And it had to be a new story every night. One day his story-tellers said: ‘Your majesty, we’ve run out of stories. You’ll have to listen to the old onesContinue reading “The Longest Story in the World”

Cross-Cultural Capers: Cops, Corona and CoVidiots

The corona virus pandemic has created new challenges for policemen and women across the world. Punitive methods such as fines, force and detention are commonly used to deal with those who flout Covid restrictions in their area. We see footage of American police using lung and eye irritants and rough treatment even of journalists, IndianContinue reading “Cross-Cultural Capers: Cops, Corona and CoVidiots”

From the power of one to the power of many-Nek Chand’s Rock Garden in Chandigarh

The world is full of woe. Yet every so often I come across a person who shows that the human spirit is indomitable … I first heard about the Rock Garden of Chandigarh around 2011 when I inadvertently switched on to the ABC and found it was telecasting a BBC program Around the World inContinue reading “From the power of one to the power of many-Nek Chand’s Rock Garden in Chandigarh”

Women and the bhakti movement in India

The Bhakti Movement has been a most important social movement in India. Bhakti means devotion and surrender. It originated in South India in the 7th century. The movement brought religion and spirituality to many marginalized groups, particularly women whose religious expression was restricted in many ways. The women, or Bhaktins, challenged the established social order throughContinue reading “Women and the bhakti movement in India”