Soumya Gupta at the EBD for “Bharat Bluff”

Most of us believe we're too careful to get scammed and we know not to click suspicious links, share OTPs, or trust strangers on the internet. We tell ourselves that scams happen to people who aren't familiar with tech or who simply weren't paying attention but, somewhere thats what makes us vulnerable. That was one of the things that came up while speaking with Soumya Gupta, author of Bharat Bluff, at the English Book Depot today. 

Published by Roli Books, as she spoke about the book, it became clear that Bharat Bluff isn't just about scams but also about the way they work, why people fall for them, and why none of us are as immune as we'd like to believe. 

One observation she shared was particularly striking that we often assume scams happen only through technology and mostly target older people who aren't digitally savvy but that's no longer true. Today's scams are designed for everyone, a convincing message that appears to come from your bank, a fake investment opportunity, or someone posing as a trusted official, they can happen to anyone, anyone can be deceived. 

Sometimes all it takes is catching someone at the right moment with the right amount of urgency, pressure or trust. And the book, Bharat Bluff explores the world of scams and fraud through real experiences, including incidents that Saumya and her husband encountered themselves and which is why meeting an author is always interesting,hearing the experiences that shaped a book adds another layer to the reading experience. It reminds us that behind every published work is a person who has observed, experienced, and chosen to turn those moments into something others can learn from. 

Thanks to Bookstores, they often introduce us to new books, stories and people.

Perhaps that's the biggest takeaway from today's meet and greet - Awareness isn't about being suspicious of everything. It's about knowing that anyone can be caught off guard and that staying informed is one of the simplest ways to protect ourselves. 

 -Sneha

Long Live Books - Sneha

Books have had countless opportunities to become irrelevant, and yet, they haven’t.

What makes this interesting is not simply that books survived technological change, but that they survived cultural change. We live in a time shaped by speed. Everything around us is optimized to be faster, shorter, easier. Attention is fragmented into seconds. We are constantly encouraged to move on to the next thing.

Books resist this. A book does not adjust itself to your impatience. It does not become shorter because you are distracted. It does not compete aggressively for your attention. It simply exists, waiting. And that makes books strangely radical.

Most modern systems are built around engagement. They want to hold your attention, predict your preferences, and reduce the time between desire and satisfaction. Books ask for your time, attention, and patience. Reading is one of the few experiences left where progress cannot be outsourced. No one can read on your behalf, and no shortcut can replace the act itself. 

Perhaps that is also what makes bookstores so interesting. A bookstore is a strangely defiant space; people walk in without certainty. They browse without urgency, they pick up books they may never buy, read a few lines, and move to another.

From a transactional point of view, this makes little sense, and yet, it happens every day because bookstores do not only facilitate purchase; they facilitate consideration, and consideration is becoming rare. To consider something means to pause long enough for curiosity to form. 

Books ask for that pause. Bookstores protect it, and working at The English Book Depot, I get to witness this often.

People still walk in, they still browse, they still pause at shelves longer than they planned to. Books endure not because they keep up with the world, but because they refuse to. 

Long live books.

Every Thursday, We Read Together

Every Thursday at 5:30 p.m., a meaningful reading session takes place, open to all. Narrated by Brinda ma’am, we come together to read Every Last Girl by Safeena Husain. These sessions are not merely about reading a text, but about collectively engaging with ideas, emotions, and lived realities.

Last week, we began with Part 1: Antimbala’s World, and one particular aspect left a lasting impression on me.

The name “Antimbala” itself carries a depth that I had not initially noticed. While reading the chapter independently, it appeared as just a name. However, hearing it articulated during the session brought out its layered meaning. “Bala” can be understood as a girl, but it may also signify a burden or weight. When combined with “Antim,” meaning “last,” the name takes on a more profound meaning.

It can be interpreted as “the last girl,” but also, more poignantly, as the “final burden” associated with the birth of a girl child in certain societal contexts. This dual meaning transforms the name into a reflection of deeply rooted social attitudes.

This realisation was significant for me not only for its meaning, but also for how it emerged. It made me understand the importance of shared reading. Listening to the narration, observing the nuances of pronunciation, and collectively experiencing the text added a dimension that solitary reading might not have.

It highlighted how literature is not only read but also heard, interpreted, and felt. Through this, a chapter extends beyond its pages and begins to resonate with real-life perspectives and social realities.

A fellow participant, Akanksha Rai, shared a similar sense of connection. She reflected on how listening to the narration made the stories feel more real, emphasising the power of voice and the comfort of a shared space. She also noted that the reading highlighted the weight of illiteracy and the importance of not taking education for granted.

Reading helps us understand,

But reading together helps us feel.

See you again, Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Copies of Every Last Girl are available at English Book Depot, Dehradun.

Sneha
The English Book Depot

Everyone Must Read

 

Read And Lead

To launch a new “Everyone Must Read” session, reading *Every Last Girl*.

Key Takeaways

• New Format Launched: “Brewing Knowledge Thursday” is a pure reading session, distinct from the Sunday discussion format. The goal is to encourage reading for its own sake.

• Book’s Core Strategy: Every Last Girl details Educate Girls’ “curb cut effect” strategy: designing for the most marginalised girl (“Antimbala”) creates benefits for all children, including boys.

• Founder’s Motivation: Safeena Hussain’s mission is rooted in her own childhood trauma and a 3-year education gap. A 2004 trip to a Himalayan village—where women pitied her father for having only a daughter—was the catalyst.

• Proven Impact: Educate Girls has mobilised over 2 million out-of-school girls and supported learning for 2.4 million children, demonstrating the power of community and government partnerships.

Topics

The Problem: India’s Educational Dichotomy

• India presents a stark contrast: world-class institutions (IITs/IIMs) alongside one of the largest populations of out-of-school children.

• This book focuses on remote areas where girls are denied education, a problem exacerbated by gender-based discrimination.

• Example: The story of Nitin, a bright tribal boy, highlights how poverty affects boys too, forcing them into child labour.

The Solution: The “Curb Cut Effect”

• Educate Girls’ strategy is to design for the most marginalised girl (“Antimbala”).

• Rationale: This approach creates universal benefits, mirroring the “curb cut effect,” in which ramps built for wheelchairs also help parents with strollers and delivery drivers.

• Application: Educate Girls’ programs, like foundational learning in grades 3-5, are open to all children, but the design lens remains on the “Antimbala” to ensure no one is left behind.

The Founder’s Journey: From Trauma to Mission

• Safeena Hussain’s personal story is the foundation of Educate Girls.

• Childhood Trauma: A 3-year education gap due to family hardship and violence.

• Catalyst: A 2004 trip to a Himalayan village, where women pitied her father for having only a daughter, revealed the deep-seated social pressures facing girls.

• Path to LSE: A family friend provided stability and support, enabling her to return to school and study at the London School of Economics.

• Career Shift: After working in the social sector in the US, she returned to India in 2005 to found Educate Girls.

The Movement: Partnerships & Impact

• Educate Girls’ success is a collaborative effort, not solely attributable to the founder.

• Key Partnerships:

  • Government: 30+ partnership agreements provide legitimacy and scale.

  • Funders: A “modest group of bold funders” provides essential capital and thought partnership.

  • Community: Tens of thousands of village-based gender champions drive grassroots change.

• Impact (18 years):

  • Mobilised>2 million out-of-school girls.

  • Supported learning outcomes for 2.4 million children (boys and girls).

Next Steps

• Brinda: Continue reading Every Last Girl next Thursday, starting with Chapter 1.

• All Participants: Spread the word about the “Everyone Must Read” session to encourage more attendees.
  
  Notes courtesy FATHOM AI, please read with care.