On Friday April 22nd, 2022, the South Asia Center convened its first in-person event in over two years: a discussion with Shobha Rao, author of An Unrestored Woman and the novel Girls Burn Brighter, facilitated by UW-Bothell School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Associate Teaching Professor Alka Kurian. The discussion centered on themes of gender politics in South Asia and the diaspora such as domestic abuse, human trafficking, immigration, and mass displacement moving beyond the subcontinent. Kurian and Rao discussed how her work showcased female friendship and creative resilience as ways to combat these forces, and how Rao came to be a writer. After the discussion, there was some time for attendee questions. The lecture was attended by South Asia faculty and students, as well as other UW community members.
