21st January, 2026 : A book discussion on ‘UNSILENCED: The Jail Diary of an Activist’ by Seema Azad

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Dhwani organised a public book discussion on the memoir, based on a jail diary written by Seema Azad titled "Unsilenced".

Seema pried open India’s carceral labyrinth, insect ridden food, dilapidated barracks, deep rooted caste and gender hierarchies, and the ceaseless indignities of a system built on bribes and exploitation.

She shared that the reality are the unforgettable stories of the women prisoners she met, a majority of them Dalit, Adivasi, Muslim and the children who have never seen the outside world, all navigating a system designed to crush them. Against this backdrop of shared struggle, Azad explained how she chronicled her own legal battle through courtroom farces and media vilification, culminating in a life sentence and, finally, an unexpected release.

Unsilenced is a personal, political, and lyrical testament to courage and the stubborn power of the written word. Translated from the Hindi original, Zindan Nama, this is a searing, eye-opening account of conviction and compassion in the face of injustice.

The evening was quite engaging and it ended with a meaningful message of resilience and immense strength from within that one has to believe in.