Manju Seal · Women's Rights and Economic Development Expert

Recently, well-known Indian fashion designer, J J Valaya’s MAGIC Foundation donated Narika – a CA-based non profit – a part of the proceeds from their fashion show. My thoughts highlighting Narika’s work that night are below.
– Manju Seal, President, Board of Directors for Narika, Nov 15, 2009

“It gives me great pleasure to be here tonight amidst such a distinguished audience including the Consul-General Sushmita Thomas, JJ Valaya, Maninder Kaur and many others. I would like to congratulate the Valaya MAGIC Foundation & esp. Sheetal Ohri for putting together this awesome event that b…

2009 marks the 100th birthday of Bimal Roy, one of India’s foremost filmmakers, whose avant-garde movie-making techniques and themes of social justice remain an inspiration to filmmakers worldwide.

Recently, a book of essays was published written by 36 authors from around the world, honoring his contributions to cinema -
“The Man Who Spoke in Pictures: Bimal Roy: A Centenary Tribute,” edited by his daughter Rinki Roy Bhattacharya. Penguin India. July 2009.

The following is an excerpt from Manju Seal’s essay in the book titled “Bringing Renaissance to Bollywood.”

On a hot November…

If you have read my blogs on the 85 Broads website, you have heard me say that we are living, as Charles Dickens would say, in The Best of Times and the Worst of Times. We are going through a tremendously, changing and powerful time in this nation’s history. In the decades to follow, we will have to look back and say – how did we come through as a nation or a community or individually? Did we do the right things? Did we think the right way? Did we sculpt the right public policies? Were we selfless to a certain extent always keeping the bigger picture in mind? Did we connect the dots?…