Introduction

In this Episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal, Founder of Myntra & Cult.Fit is in conversation with Shrayana Bhattacharya, economist and author of "Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh”. Join us as we explore Shrayana’s valuable insights into the lives of resilient women facing societal norms and economic challenges. From discussing the struggles of working women in India to emphasising collective action and societal cohesion to address systemic problems, Shrayana highlights the shared responsibility in tackling gender inequality. She calls for breaking away from privileged perspectives, advocating for diversity, inclusion, and the inclusion of fresh voices to pave the way for genuine progress. Shrayana also gives us a sneak peek of her vision for her next book, "Tyranny of the Indian Uncle," which focuses on Indian men in their 50s, exploring the privileges and challenges of being a man in today’s society. Chapters: 00:00:00 - 00:00:49 Coming up! 00:00:49 - 00:01:00 Opening theme 00:01:00 - 00:14:17 “Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh”– the story and process behind writing the book 00:14:17 - 00:20:15 Shrayana discusses factors contributing to decade-long research 00:20:15 - 00:25:11 Shrayana shares empowering women’s stories that are close to her heart 00:25:11 - 00:27:53 How can we encourage more research-based non-fiction books? 00:27:53 - 00:33:52 Shrayana recounts her experiences and interactions in the villages during her research 00:33:52 - 00:47:38 Low female employment rates: Statistics, Causes and Measures 00:47:38 - 00:55:55 How can we, as a collective, enact measures to attain economic equality in employment opportunities across all work sectors? 00:55:55 - 01:04:30 Shrayana's professional journey, the scope and insights her work uncovers 01:04:30 - 01:06:28 Tyranny of the Indian Uncles: Shrayana on her next book 01:06:28 - 01:12:31 Shrayana talks about her writing process and approach Resources: 1. Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA): https://www.sewa.org/ 2. More about Nobel Prize Winner, Claudia Goldin: https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/20... 3. Periodic Labour Force Survey: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframe... 4. For the 2022 Labour Force Participation Rates: https://dge.gov.in/dge/sites/default/... 5."Indian men are bottom five in helping in housework" find the data for this on page 45 of the Annexure: https://www.ilo.org/global/publicatio... 6. Global Gender Gap Report 2023: https://www.weforum.org/publications/... (You can find date that supports the statement, "India is bottom five when it comes to economic participation" in Table 1.2, Page 17 of annexures) 7. Some women writers to explore - Claudia Goldin - Ashwini Deshpande - Naila Kabeer 8. The Tyranny of the Indian Uncle: https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/b... 9. The Secondary Market: https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/b...