Distraught at the birth of yet another girl child, her father abandoned them soon after Kankana was born. Her mother had worked two shifts and yet not let her children feel the absence of a father.

Take the effort to really understand your mother, like they take the effort for you. Buy or do for mothers things that they crave or need, without them having to actually ask, sometimes, at least!

From picking up toys or handling doctors appointments or responding to emergency calls from school or managing birthday party invites or navigating exam schedules - it all falls on the mother.

What would my mother write if she had money and a room of her own she would have written about all of this, without worrying...

With all the stress haunting me each moment, with no hope in sight, and with my dreams all crushed to pieces, I gave up the thought of bringing another life into my world.