Name : Rhiti Chatterjee Bose

Birthdate: 13^th April 1979

ACADEMICS:M.A in English from University of Madras, in 2012

-Diploma in Child Psychology// Psychotherapy and Counselling from The School of Natural Health Sciences, London, UK in 2004
-PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) in Teacher training (Secondary geography) (With 2 excellent passes) in 2004 from The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
-B.Sc in Geography (Hon) from University of Calcutta/ UK NARIC in 2001

Hobbies: Madhubani Painting, Travelling to new places, Meeting new people, Hearing stories and so on…

1. Your journey as a writer... 

My journey as a writer began when I used to write little notes for my friends in crumpled papers and passed them around underneath the desks in school. It began when I used to pen down my thoughts in my diary. It began when I used to write my own stories and essays in the exam, whatever came to my mind, instead of memorising the ones given by the teacher in our language class. The journey began deep down, within, without even me knowing.

But the serious conscious pursuit began about four years ago, when I realised there was nothing else I wanted to become in the world, apart from a writer.

2. What motivates you to write and just keep writing?

I love stories, all forms, in real life, in the movies, while travelling in the bus, while doing my laundry, while I am out with my friends, I always live in the world of stories. I actively seek stories out from everything. It is my escape route from reality. Reality scares me, stories soothe me.

And when a certain story touches me deep within my soul, I write it down. Not all stories in my head take the shape of words, but I am always full of them. So to put it simply, the stories that I see every day around me, motivates me to just keep writing.

3. For a writer, how important it is to be a good reader? 

Oh, It is as important as knowing how to chop vegetables if you want to be a chef!!!

Jokes apart, Writing is a journey, it is not a destination that we reach and stop. Throughout this journey we need to keep learning and evolving. Reading is one such thing that helps you evolve as a writer, it helps you to learn new things.

To every writer out there, I would suggest, read everything, from Whatsapp messages to advertisements on the road, from Kafka to an unknown author, from your bills to your old diaries… read everything…

4. What are your views on social media?

Social Media is an extremely important tool in today’s day and age.

5. Why do we need to sensationalize the concept of feminism? What is feminism for you? 

Whoever sensationalizes Feminism, has no concept of feminism. So I fail to see the need to sensationalize it.

Feminism means only one thing to me, equality, in all aspects.

6.Tell us about your book/s. 

Part of multiple anthologies of short stories and poems, some of them are, An Atlas of love,  published by Rupa, Kaafiyaana and When They Spoke, by Readomania, Umbilical Chords: An Anthology on Parents Remembered.

Curator and Co-Editor of Defiant Dreams: Tales of everyday Divas published by Readomania.

I am also the Founder and Editor in Chief of Incredible Women of India, where we document real life inspirational stories of women.