In April, Mumbai’s literary and social impact scene witnessed a powerful moment at the release of Apna Time Aayega, a compelling anthology curated by 16-year-old bestselling author Aaditya Sengupta Dhar in collaboration with the Udaan India Foundation and published by Anecdote Publishing. The event was an emotional and inspiring celebration of resilience, hope, and the indomitable spirit of youth from Mumbai’s underserved communities. As young adults whose stories feature in the book took the stage to read their open letters aloud, their voices resonated with raw honesty and unwavering ambition, moving the audience to tears and applause. Leading the gathering in a rallying cry of “Apna time aayega!” (Our time will come), Aaditya encapsulated the book’s core message: that every young Indian deserves a chance to dream and succeed regardless of their circumstances.

Apna Time Aayega is more than a book-it’s a movement. Conceived through Aaditya’s Project Kahaani, a teen-led initiative to empower marginalized youth with storytelling and communication skills, the anthology amplifies the voices of young adults from low-income communities, often referred to as India’s “other India.” These are the 70% of Mumbai’s population living in slums and tenements, whose stories of struggle and aspiration rarely make it to mainstream narratives. Through heartfelt open letters, the book shares the journeys of teens like Dhananjay, who rose from a construction site to pursue civil services; Aayushi, a budding engineer overcoming academic pressures; and Shalini, the first Chartered Accountant in her family. Each narrative is a testament to the power of determination in the face of systemic challenges, from inadequate education systems to financial hardship and societal biases.