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If 2016 was the year of celebrity deaths, then 2017 definitely marked the death of incredulity. From the get-go we were hammered with news, some good some bad but all of which left us slack-jawed and wondering what just hit us.
Though it would be easier to cherry pick the number of horrendous headlines that graced our lives and lay them out as a reminder of the year behind us (and we did exactly that, here) we wanted to take a moment in the spirit of Yuletide to remember the moments that we actually felt blessed (#blessed?) to still be on this planet. In India itself, we’ve seen some huge advances in government policies, technological spaces and gender equality all of which hopefully herald a greater change in the offing. So if you’re approaching the New Year wondering whether humanity still has the capability for greatness, then hopefully this will give you hope for the next 365 days that lie ahead.
I. Triple Talaq
The process of uttering ‘Talaq’ three times and escaping the bonds of marriage may sound good to anyone who’s been through the lengthy process of divorce but for Muslim women across the world it was a nightmare. The fact that it goes against India’s constitutional nature is one thing but the idea that you can be left destitute in seconds with three little words is a fear no one should have to live with. In August the Supreme Court submitted a draft bill that proposed that triple talaq would become a congnisable offence and that men attempting to do so in any form may be jailed for up to 3 years and subject to a fine. Uttar Pradesh has already put this into effect and hopefully more states will follow the lead.
II. Transgender Model To Walk The Ramp
India’s fashion industry has taken huge leaps towards inclusivity be it including plus-size models or simply expanding their definition of a ‘model’. When transgender model, Anjali Lama took to the ramp at Lakme’s Fashion Week this year it marked yet another first. The Nepali model has in the past graced the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and other elite publications but this was the first time the LGBTQ community was represented on the runway, something we hope to see more of in the years to come.
III. Trash Satellite
How do you measure a city’s pollution, record its temperature levels and recycle waste, all at once? 22-year old Suraj Kumar Jana achieved this seemingly impossible feat. Opencube Labs is an organisation established by Suraj that uses aluminium cans to create mini satellites that are able to record information about the city, acting as a database for the a number of the city’s parameters, including air and water quality, traffic congestion levels and ultra-violet penetration. A sustainable approach to tech is something that rarely gets the attention it deserves but they’re proving that not only is it possible, it’s profitable.
IV. Transgender Rights
Since 2016’s controversial Transgender Person’s Bill, the country’s trans community has really come into their own. With more workplaces and professions becoming LGBTQ friendly we’ve seen revolutionary changes in the legal sphere. Whether it was police constables or mayoral positions, these individuals have managed to transcend gender and represent their community from positions of power.
V. #MeToo Movement
Though its existence in the first place may be cause for sadness, the fact that women finally had a platform to step up and address their harassers was a monumental move for India. For so long women had suffered silently and dealt with the normalisation of sexual harassment in every sphere of life that it had become an insidious disease. Breaking the silence made us all realise what a widespread problem we were dealing with and suddenly people realised that they were not alone.
VI. ISRO
Trying to name all the amazing things ISRO has done over the last year would be impossible. India’s Space Program is really coming into its own on a national and international platform. From their 20 satellite launch in February, the longest PSLV flight recorded, their announcement of the first electric car or their fire-proof house technology, they’re constantly working towards a new goal each one more impressive than the last.
For a compilation of the other side of this coin, here are 2017’s biggest disappointments.
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