The Azadi Project

The Azadi Project Providing mental health and psychosocial support to refugees globally.

Three weeks after the floods began, Assam is still dealing with flooding, displacement, damaged homes, disrupted livelih...
11/08/2026

Three weeks after the floods began, Assam is still dealing with flooding, displacement, damaged homes, disrupted livelihoods, and an uncertain road to recovery. As the news cycle moves on, the people affected cannot simply move on with it.

Severe flooding cannot become normal.

Rescue post-flooding saves lives, but long-term preparedness, climate-resilient planning, rehabilitation, and accountability are what can protect lives tomorrow.

As we talk about the upcoming Independence Day, let's also remember to include everyone in our news and narratives.

The Jharkhand protest isn't just about one examination. It's about the institutions that shape the futures of thousands ...
06/08/2026

The Jharkhand protest isn't just about one examination. It's about the institutions that shape the futures of thousands of young people. 
As thousands of aspirants in Jharkhand have now spent days on the streets demanding accountability from the state's recruitment system. Here's what the protest is about and why it's resonating with so many young people.

In the last few days we have heard a lot about the NSA Act from the student protests to individual activists... Preventi...
03/08/2026

In the last few days we have heard a lot about the NSA Act from the student protests to individual activists...

Preventive detention is one of the most extraordinary powers available to the Indian State.

Unlike ordinary criminal law, it allows a person to be detained not for what they have done, but for what authorities believe they may do to threaten public safety. It is a constitutional exception, designed for situations where preventing harm is considered more urgent than prosecuting it after the fact.

In recent years, even months, preventive detention laws have repeatedly entered public conversations during protests, student movements, labour actions, and political demonstrations. When these laws are invoked against activists, journalists, or protesters, questions inevitably arise about where the line lies between maintaining public order and restricting democratic dissent.

We are not arguing that preventive detention should never exist. Democracies face genuine security concerns. It is about understanding what preventive detention is, how laws like the National Security Act operate, and why their use attracts such close public and legal scrutiny.

Young people, like everyone else, should absolutely be held accountable when they reproduce/represent discrimination or ...
31/07/2026

Young people, like everyone else, should absolutely be held accountable when they reproduce/represent discrimination or cause harm. Criticism is an essential part of any healthy democratic culture.

That was the case since the end of the protests in India till last week. Now we have started seeing other very interesting takes on what a "good" youth looks and acts like. From verbal aggression from a politician to pages comparing youths at the protest versus someone getting an award, we see a new kind of narrative.

Over the past week, the conversation has increasingly moved beyond harmful behaviour toward policing tone, humour, aesthetics, and even who deserves to represent an entire generation.

When the "good youth" is always the one who is polite, non-questioning, and politically convenient, we should ask whether we are encouraging civic participation or simply rewarding conformity.

What does the "ideal" young citizen look like, and who gets to decide?

India is trying to position itself as a global AI leader. From national AI missions to the rapid expansion of data centr...
30/07/2026

India is trying to position itself as a global AI leader. From national AI missions to the rapid expansion of data centres, the country is investing heavily in the infrastructure that will power the next generation of technology.

But this transition also raises difficult questions. Who is forced to give up their land? Who loses access to clean drinking water? Who actually gains jobs from these data centres planned for India? How many more ecosystems will be destroyed to create these centres?

These are not necessarily anti-AI or anti-technology arguments; rather, people across the country are asking for accountability. As India builds its AI future, we need conversations that go beyond innovation and investment. We need to ask whether the systems we build are equitable, transparent, and designed to benefit everyone, not just those with the greatest access to power and resources.

Reservation is once again being framed as the enemy of merit.With the rapid rise of pages like "Reservation Hatao Andola...
29/07/2026

Reservation is once again being framed as the enemy of merit.

With the rapid rise of pages like "Reservation Hatao Andolan," with it's 6million plus followers, the conversation has shifted back to a familiar narrative: that reservations reward people at the cost of hard work.

But that argument only makes sense if we erase history. As we have historically seen, merit is not produced in isolation. It is built on generations of access, stability, safety, and opportunity. Ignoring those differences does not create a level playing field. It simply makes structural inequality invisible.

Reservation is not a perfect policy, and it should continue to be evaluated and strengthened where necessary. But reducing it to "anti-merit" ignores both the constitutional purpose it serves and the inequalities it seeks to address.

What does merit mean if the starting line has never been the same for everyone?

As Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey dominates conversations, perhaps it's worth returning to Homer's epic itself.The Odys...
28/07/2026

As Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey dominates conversations, perhaps it's worth returning to Homer's epic itself.

The Odyssey wasn't simply written as an adventure story. Scholars argue it emerged during a period of migration, colonisation, and rapid social change, asking questions about belonging, exile, and what it means to encounter strangers.

Throughout the poem, we accompany a man crossing unfamiliar places and islands till he finds his home. We hope those he meets offer him kindness, shelter, and safe passage. We celebrate his determination to return home.

Yet today, as anti-immigration politics gain ground across much of the world, hospitality has increasingly given way to hostility. Borders have become harder, refugees and migrants are often reduced to numbers, and those seeking safety are too often met with suspicion rather than compassion.

As we enjoy the movie in theatres, it's also a good time to revisit what we think about those escaping persecution and looking for a home even today.

Assam experiences floods every year. Every year, local communities are expected to rebuild their lives after the "severe...
27/07/2026

Assam experiences floods every year. Every year, local communities are expected to rebuild their lives after the "severe" monsoons pass.

Flooding is one of the most natural aspects of dynamic rivers like the Brahmaputra. This year's floods point toward extreme climate change and systemic failure. It's beyond being "normal". It is the lack of preparedness. And while rescue operations are undertaken on the ground. We need to shift from response-driven policy action to policies endorsing preparedness. We need accountability for deforestation and mining in such areas.

The conversation cannot end when the floodwaters recede, and the monsoons end. Demand long-term climate adaptation, ecological protection, and flood governance that puts people before short-term fixes

Books have always been more than books.They have documented histories that those in power tried to erase, challenged dom...
25/07/2026

Books have always been more than books.

They have documented histories that those in power tried to erase, challenged dominant narratives, imagined better futures, and given people the language to understand the world around them.

At a time when many of us are asking, "What more can I do?" reading can be one place to begin.

It won't replace action. But it can help us understand the systems we're resisting, recognise misinformation, have better conversations, and show up with greater empathy and conviction.

Here are a few books that have shaped the way we think about power, democracy, resistance, and justice. We hope they spark questions, conversations, and a deeper understanding of the moment we're living through.

As protesters gather across the country to ask for accountability we also ask all to take care. We are already showing u...
21/07/2026

As protesters gather across the country to ask for accountability we also ask all to take care. We are already showing up.

We just want to remind everyone to care for themselves and to care for communities. Stay safe!

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