Smita Sahay Editor-in-Chief

    Editorial

    Dear Readers,

    As we welcome you to the latest issue of Usawa, we invite you to meditate on the theme of ‘kindness’. What does it mean to you? Is it an act or emotion? Is it activism or self-care? Is it compassion or generosity?
    How does it show up in our lives, how does it enrich our everyday?

    This is your issue, every piece is an ode to your love and kindness. We hope the pieces live with you in your homes, under your pillows, as bookmarks, that they travel with you tucked in your socks, nestling in your pockets close to your hearts.

    I’m very happy to announce a new section, Features, where writers respond to events in the news, such as Annie Ernaux’s winning the Nobel prize in literature, the tragic passing of the wonderful writer, Temsüla Ao, and the thought provoking art-exhibition, Woman is as Woman Does curated by the academic and writer, Nancy Adajania.

    A heartfelt congratulations to our Poetry Editor, Vinita Agrawal for the publication of her award winning collection of poetry, The Natural Language of Grief , and our Translations Editor, K. Srilata for the publication of the timely and thoughtful volume, This Kind of Child.

    We happily welcome the writer, poet, and research scholar, Ankush Banerjee as our Books Editor. Do check our forthcoming issues for reviews and book recommendations for more.

    As the year comes to a close, the Usawa family is thrilled for the wonderful achievements and publications of all our contributors and editors.

    Wish you all happy holidays. Do be kind, especially to yourselves.

    With love,
    Smita

    Subscribe to our newsletter To Recieve Updates

      The Latest
      • Note to Readers by Babitha Marina Justin Poetry Editor

        Memory becomes voice; silence becomes ritual, return, and witness

      • Non-Fiction : Becoming in Translation

        Translators inhabit margins—bridging loss, longing, and legacy

      • Three Poems

        Boundaries blur—grief, love, and struggle make us one

      • A Glimpse of My Life

        A family's survival through famine, caste, and perseverance

      You May Also Like
      • “A Way of Life”, a short story by Poomani, translated from the Tamil by Padma Narayanan

        They decided to do just that The three rolled on the ground by the shadow

      • Celebrating Cancer By Vibha Rani

        Women, whether literate or not, run straight to a gynecologist—“lady doctor,” as

      • Night Song (An excerpt from Cast Out and Other Stories)by Sucharita Dutta-Asane

        ‘Raater moton kaalo’ Black as the night Your father welcomed you into the world

      • Two Poems By Alka Balain

        The Wardrobe Talk A shorts, a dress, a burqa, sportswear and a salwar suit