Saumya Srivastava

I did my MBA in finance and was part of the corporate world of market research for 5.5 years (on and off). I'm a mother of a beautiful and demanding baby girl. I'm a traveler in a day, and writer by night. I love to share my own experiences and listen from others. Routine repels me and I aim to explore each day.

Voice of Saumya Srivastava

Model
I’m Applauding My Daughter Standing Tall Against Bullying Because She Learnt It Early!

I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry if you know me – I love dramas. And the best way for a drama to be executed is when it builds a point.

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7 Years Ago, After The Birth Of My Daughter, I Learnt Some Important Lessons About My Mind And Body

After my daughter was born, I went through a lot - mentally and physically. But I came out of it, stronger and with newer life lessons!

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Khuda Hafiz, Abba! Virtual Goodbyes Are Hard

A woman recalls the demise of her father-in-law and how she and her husband coped with the grief in the lockdown from miles apart.

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Lessons I Learnt After Almost Losing Precious Old Emails I’d Sent My Husband

Losing emails exchanges with my husband since 2002 and later a draft of my book made me realise the importance of having a digital backup.

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high heels
I Can’t Walk In High Heels But My FIL Still Pampered Me With A 4-Inch Pair As I Felt Beautiful In Them!

My only pair of high heels make my feet hurt and I rarely wear them. But I love them simply because my father-in-law pampered me with them!

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An Off-Beat Setting And Meeting The In-Laws For The First Time, A Lot DID Happen Over A Coffee!

I reminisce about the first meet with my in-laws. The setting was off-beat but there could not be a perfect metaphor for my marriage.

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My Struggle With, And Acceptance Of Ramadan, After 10 Yrs With A Believer In Practising Gratitude

Being born in one religion and married to another was part of my destiny. Diwali became a part of my existence at birth; Karma gifted Ramadan to me.

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Online School During COVID-19 Gave Me A Privileged Peek Into My Daughter’s Everyday World

What will happen when the world gets back to 'normal'? Or is this the new normal? A mother peeks into her daughter's school world.

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How I Picked Up A New, Unfamiliar Love To Be Mastered In 2020

Last year I rekindled my long lost relationship with driving. Knowing that it was an absolute necessity, I gave my heart to it. The driving wheel accepted my persistence and we bonded, much like Ikran and Jake in the Avatar movie. Year Old Alliance Now It has been a year-old alliance and we are now […]

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Shhh… Slow Down! Mother Earth Is Rebooting While We Isolate Ourselves And Realise What Really Matters

We're in the middle of a pandemic, realising how vulnerable we are to a small particle, and how much we have messed with our world. Let's help it heal.

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When The C-Word Strikes A Family, There Are F-Words Too. FIGHT! FAITH!

Often you come across five-word horror stories with knocking mirrors and drifting blankets but these five-words break the sanest of minds: “Yes! He has terminal cancer.”

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Despite Shifting 3 Schools In A Year, My 5 y.o. Made Me Proud At Her PTA Meeting

I am more concerned about how my child handles social situations and relationships, and her progress at school in this, instead of just her academics.

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‘Mitti Ki Khushboo’ – How Can We Forget The Fragrance Of Home Even When In A Foreign Land?

Saumya Srivastava writes a heartfelt ode to the power of family ties, and how her little one learnt from her parents to be connected to those we love.

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How My 4 Year Old Pushed Me To Conquer My Fear Of Taking The Wheel

I had learnt to drive as an 18 year old, but crazy traffic put me off, until being a mom in a country where cars were essential to everyday life made it absolutely necessary that I drive.

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A Tale Of Three Countries And A Dream Come True

I've always wanted to travel the world, a little of which we've done as a couple. And it has been a great journey so far - the US, the UK, and Australia.

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When My 4 y.o Knew She Must Staunchly Support Her 6 y.o Cousin -“Because We’re Family”

My 4 year old daughter and her 6 year old boy cousin do not share parents, but as they say, blood is thicker than water. 

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How We Came Together As A Family To Stay Positive When Papa Grew A Tumour

When my father was diagnosed with a tumour in his chest, which thankfully turned out to be benign, we rallied together as a family and pulled each other up with positivity. 

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Fly High My Child! You Are Ready, But I May Never Be

A poignant post about a mother who is happy to see her toddler grow into a confident child. She wonders if she will ever be ready to let her little bundle of joy explore the world on her own.

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the pen
I Indulge In My Long Standing Love Affair With The Pen When I Write Notes To My Husband

I began my writing life with the pencil, but the pen has my heart, and holds it even today, when I write more often on my laptop, typing away.

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The Hatred That Killed The Child From Kathua? It Didn’t Rise Up In One Day…

This needs to be said: in this country, we, the so-called ‘educated crowd’ have normalised communal hatred. The brunt was borne by an innocent child. In December 2012, my husband and I came back from a year stint in London. We were given a temporary accommodation at the Infosys campus where he was working then. […]

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having a kid
A Tale Of 5 Women: Is Having A Baby The Solution To All Your Problems? Think

Consciously planning for a baby is crucial in a society that thinks having a kid is a solution for most problems... Hello! Do you realise what you are doing?

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love doesn't fade
Love Doesn’t Fade, It Only Gets Hidden Until Something Unexpected Lights It Up! My Story

Love doesn't fade away if it is nurtured, even if it seems to. It just remains hidden, and dazzles you at the most unexpected moments. #MyTrueStory

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The Ex-Files: When I Lost love, But Found Hope

This bittersweet note to an old boyfriend will have you looking back at your own loves nostalgically. Here's to love - and learning from love.

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one Indian girl
Dear India, Let’s Talk… Love, One Indian Girl

A brutally honest letter from one Indian girl to the country, telling it as it is, and demanding her autonomy and due respect from a patriarchal nation.

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becoming a mother
And I Realised The Truth Of My Mom’s Words: “Jab Khud Ma Banogi, Tab Pata Chalega!”

This is my story of becoming a mother, a story of insecurity, faith, and love. And it is not easy, never easy - something we understand only after giving birth.

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grandfather
When My Grandfather Began His Stories With “Beta Hamare Zamane Mein Toh…” – It Was Magic!

The author speaks of her childhood memories of a loved grandfather, a man in his 90s today, who has stories to tell -- “Beta hamare zamane mein toh…”

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normal delivery
#MyPregnancyStory: I Battled. I Delivered. I Survived. I Brought Forth A New Life

What goes through a woman's mind as she gives birth? Read this true first person account of a normal delivery, and you'll know the strength of a woman.

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my pregnancy
#MyPregnancyStory: Alive And Kicking, Month By Month

A gorgeous daughter was born to us 3 years ago, and this is my pregnancy story. A story of growing as a mother through the pregnancy

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the case for justice
The Case For Justice [#ShortStory]

“If only you had taught Rohit to respect a woman and her decisions. I am sure your parents did not give you that liberty, but you had the privilege to right a wrong.”

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Diwali is about family
Why Diwali Means A Lot More Than The Lights And The Festive Food To Me

Diwali is about the festivities, the food, and the lights, yes. But more than anything, Diwali is about family - getting together and feeling that love in the very air.

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Bado ka aashirwad
No Cash As “Bado Ka Aashirwad” Please – Let’s Make Family Get-Togethers About Family Time Only!

The 'bado ka aashirwad' that is given in large amounts of cash at family get-togethers - can't love be expressed without these cash heavy gifts?

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What Children Get, Adults Don’t. Who Will Do The Learning?

What children get instinctively - acceptance - is sorely lacking in adults. Is it too late to learn?

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the decision
The Decision [#ShortStory]

In order to kill time and hunger, we ordered rupees 25/plate of chola-bhatura along with a mineral water. We looked the same silly people we were when we met at the age of 17 and 18.

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to be strong for your child
No Matter How Difficult The Situation, You Need To Be Strong For Your Child. They Bank On You

"You need to be strong for your child, even if you are hurting inside," says the author in this intensely personal account of inner strength.

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male privilege
Will A Feminist Man Be Ready To Let Go Of His Male Privilege?

Because men are born with privilege – male privilege – while women are still fighting for their version of any privilege!

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My Mother Taught Me The Spirit Of Motherhood, But So Did My Husband!

A beautiful note on the spirit of motherhood: Motherhood is about nurturing, and sometimes, a mother emerges from a place that one doesn't expect.

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I am not a quitter
I Am Not A Quitter! [#ShortStory]

“I may not succeed but it will kill me to think I didn’t even try. If anything, I am not a quitter, Shaan. That’s not what my child will learn from me.”

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identity of a woman
Newsflash! Marriage Doesn’t Change A Woman’s Identity And Shouldn’t Make Her Dependent On Others

Why should the identity of a woman be dependent on her marital status? Can't she be her own person who can decide things for herself?

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Inside Story: “Why Did You Leave Your Job?” #MomShaming

"Why did you leave your job?" The dismissiveness that accompanies this question to mothers who choose to leave paid work is disheartening.

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