The lives we lead today are often influenced by the women we grew up around. From our aunts’ bold cadence to our mothers’ quiet strength, they shape our perception of what’s possible.

These women become the embodiment of courage and possibility. At first, we witness representation in the anecdotes shared by our aunts and mothers, and then, in narratives depicted by media. 

At DD, we believe that these stories hold immense power. They are the architects of change. And thus, we want to play a small role in bringing these stories to light. Stories that rewrite narratives, challenge stereotypes and inspire fellow sisters to speak up. 

💄 Why now?

In the past year, we’ve led mumbles about equality, leadership and women’s issues into loud, proud conversations. These have allowed us to step outside the urban bubbles and understand the world through every woman’s lens. 

But, Until today, these were written through the lens of two 22-year-olds. And while we try to do justice to these experiences, we can only go so far.

And so, introducing DD’s digital vertical that features your story, in your words.

💄 What can you write about?

The short answer – everything! But if we were to list down a few keywords for how the pieces must make people feel, these would be:

Inspired.
Moved.
Capable.

To make this a good exercise for both of us, we will also list down some themes that can get you started. At Decoding Draupadi, we cover:

1/ Women and Money
2/ Relationships (with self, family, friends, and those around us)
3/ Workplace Dynamics
4/ Women’s Health

💄 As for the format, we’re inviting two kinds of articles:

Feature Stories – These would include cultural pieces about women in India. Think of articles that do a deep dive into a certain topic. For instance, an article about why Indian families are looking for educated daughters-in-law. While these would involve personal anecdotes or those of others, they would primarily focus on sharing a general overview of the topic.

Personal Stories – This is YOUR story to tell. Think of this category as a column filled with experiences of being a brown woman. Again, it would be ideal for these to follow a certain theme (mentioned above). But we are open to receiving stories outside of that as well.

💄 FAQs

1/ Where do these pieces go? On Decoding Draupadi’s website, LinkedIn page, Instagram, and X.

2/ What can be included? Quotes, real personal experiences, data and facts (both global and Indian)

3/ What should be avoided: rants, made-up experiences, bashing of any other gender, naming and shaming any person

4/ What tone should you follow? In case you are doubtful about the writing style/tonality, go back to the three keywords: inspiring, moving, and evoking a sense of endless possibilities. If you believe your piece has the power to inspire a fellow sister or provoke a thought in people’s minds, you are on the right track!