Stories that changed India

What would India be without the Bofors scandal being brought to life? How would the stock market survive if there Harshad Mehta still controlled the Dalal Street? And how would we know that there were stories in the roots and not just in the heart of the country? These are all cases that were revealed by women journalists and they are the types of story who painted the story of India. Dishya Sharma takes you on a trip through time. 

Women are often humoured that they do better investigation in comparison to CBI. Well Chitra Subramaniam proved the point right by unleashing the truth of Rajiv Gandhi and his brigade in the year 1986 when Gandhi signed a deal with a Swedish Arms company. She had shifted to Sweden in the same year as the deal was sealed to work as a UN correspondent. It was one morning that she heard the Sweden state radio channel proclaiming that the ministers in India were bribed into signing the deal. This is where she, though working with the UN started her investigation in Sweden and followed the trail she found. It was her articles in The Hindu for a period of two years that was bringing light to Indians and investigation agencies in both the countries that raised the curtain behind which this political play was being directed. But she was stopped from writing in The Hindu when the paper started facing political pressure. She still didn’t stop. Her tools where to completely worn out. The Statesman and The Indian Express formed her shield as she continued her contribution to the case. Today, after 25 years of the case, the Swedish government handed over the paper regarding the illegal payments in April 2012. The case is still going on and names closely related to the Gandhi family have sprung from time to time. After Bofors story, Subramniam didn’t stop writing. She has written many articles on trade and disarmament, on the CTBT. Yet this case acted as a backbone for many aspiring journalists in the field of investigative journalism.

Business tactics, stock market ranges, investments and funds are words that only a man would use is a myth. There was a woman who not only understood the business game but also went on to reveal one of the earliest scams of the 1990’s. Following the footsteps of Subraminiam, a business journalist unveiled the face of business in India in the year 1992. Sucheta Dalal, a financial journalist in one of the leading newspaper organisation cracked opened the Securities Scam which shocked the nation. Dalal had a close eye on the reports that suggested that the mind behind the master scam of the decade, Harshad Mehta had only one dream of making the middle class richer, says Dalal in her blog as she referred to the death of Mehta. Dalal took leads from the press releases and followed the trails to the face of the scam. The scam proved to be the one of the most scandalous event of the decade which proved to be a kick start for women in business journalism. This case is still referred to aspiring journalists.

The facets of India are not just divided into politically or financially phases. There is more to India and this was brought out by two stories that emotionally moved the nation. This is where the women found their pens writing those flawed sides of the country flawlessly that brought the nation to tears. These two stories have one similarity; they both are bringing the eastern side of the nation to the centre. The first dates back to the year 2006 when a middle aged lady laying in a bed with tubes running through her body to support her life and no one in this busy world noticed her silent protest which longed for more than 12 years now who has not had a single drop of water or food since 2000. When Shoma Chaudhury, a social journalist came across the story of her struggle and decided to meet her in Manipur. Iron Sharmila was a story about a revolutionist who took a stand on the Armed Forced Special Power Act, and her struggle that not many Indians knew. Chaudhury explains in her article “Irom and the Iron India’s Soul” published in Tehelka, the journey of Sharmila was elaborated with such intensity that it inspired so many souls in the country to support the issue. This was the power of a woman journalist who could express the feelings of a soul in pain. This case brought out the intense passion of a woman towards her work. There have been many more stories of such kinds but this was one of its kinds.

The pen is a mighty sword and in the past, women have proved that they have the right holding the pen and can hold it much better than men. There have been development cases done by women as compared to men. Though most cases are solved by men, it’s seen that most of the cases come to light and proved to be a milestone change in the country’s face.