HYDERABAD: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, in collaboration with Shaheen Women Resources and Welfare Association, released Urdu and Telugu translations of the comic book Raindrop in the Drought: Godavari Dange at Urdu Ghar, Moghalpura.
The protagonist of the book, Godavari Dange is a grassroots leader and agro-entrepreneur from Osmanabad, Maharashtra. She works in the field of climate-resilient agriculture and has helped develop and spread the one-acre farming model in association with Swayam Shikshan Prayog. She is the Secretary of Sakhi Federation in Maharashtra and the Director of Vijaya Lakshmi Farmer Producer Company.
The book, written by Reetika Revathy Subramanian and illustrated by Maitri Dore, is based on Godavari Dange’s story and was developed as part of ‘Movements and Moments - Feminist Generations’, an initiative of Goethe-Institut Indonesien. The book was published in English, Marathi and Hindi languages in 2021 and was also presented at Hyderabad Literary Festival, 2023.
A gathering of more than 150 girls was addressed by Asha Latha, a social activist, who talked about the struggle of women in Maharashtra, specifically widows of farmers who died by suicides. The other guests were Amita Desai, Executive Director, Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad; Jameela Nishat,Chief Functionary of Shaheen Foundation and Urdu translator and Sharayu Gureye, Telugu translator of the book.
The guests, through their speeches and inspiring stories, encouraged women to stand up for themselves and seek help in times of struggles. The audience sang Hum Honge Kamyab and heard the story of Godavari Dange digitally.The writer of the book, Reetika Revathy Subramanian is a journalist from Mumbai. Maitri Dore is an architect and an illustrator.