Mumbai-based Chintan Girish Modi is a Modi of a different kind, who has started an online initiative where Indians and Pakistanis talk about their friendships, leading to an intimacy that dissolves borders
The shadow of Partition stills looms large in today’s politics. However, ignoring the highbrow talk of the boardrooms, humble folk of both the countries are taking it upon themselves to make inroads into each other’s hearts. After all, love conquers all.
Saaz Aggarwal from Pune with her friend Rumana Husain from Karachi
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Fuelling this desire, social activist and writer, Mumbai-based Chintan Girish Modi has launched Friendships Across Borders: Aao Dosti Karein, a unique initiative that leverages the power of World Wide Web, a virtual reality of the times that has no borders to restrict people.
Modi also conducts workshops in schools, colleges and universities
The initiative went online on Valentine’s Day and is redefining valentine as people take to narrating their real-life events, “Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, Indians and Pakistanis are now able to talk to real individuals, instead of being informed only by the stereotypes circulated through history textbooks, media reports and political rhetoric.
I have been to Pakistan twice, and it feels empowering to know that I can stay connected with them online. There are some who I’ve never met but we’ve had rich, moving, meaningful conversations online,” said Modi.
Antidote to hate
As opposed to hate groups and disconcerting occurrences such as the recent violence towards Kashmiri students for allegedly supporting the Pakistani team, Modi has taken it upon himself to sensitise the youth.
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| Aao Dosti Karein founder Chintan Girish Modi |
“There is this thirst to engage with the other. I wanted to build on that. There is great value in personal friendships and can help a great deal in terms of helping people overcoming prejudices,” remarks the St Xavier’s College graduate. All one needs to do is share a story about their friend across the border on the popular social networking site.
Eight stories have been shared until now where the writers have come from all sorts of backgrounds — entrepreneur, consultant, humour columnist and financial transaction advisor.
Having launched the idea single-handedly yet supported by Citizens Archive of Pakistan, Roots 2 Routes, Aman Ki Asha, The Red Elephant Foundation and innumerable other organisations of the same nature, we asked if there is a print version anticipated.
“One friend in Delhi has volunteered to help set up a blog. Another friend in Lahore has offered to translate the stories into Urdu and Punjabi. Bengali translations are also in the pipeline,” informs Modi who has won several fellowships including one from Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Modi has also made it a point to conduct workshops in schools, colleges and universities. He tells us that a book would be ideal later, but when we pose what is the culminating point of this initiative, he concludes, “as long as it is needed.”
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