Reclaiming the nights and their rights
© Navkiran Natt
Author Name: Navkiran Natt
Author Location: Delhi, India
Author Background: Navkiran Natt is a student-youth activist and researcher who works between Punjab and Delhi. She is trained as a dentist and later completed her Masters in Film Studies from Ambedkar University, Delhi. She works on transnational Punjabi migration and its reflections in Punjabi popular culture. She also did a podcast series on the health implications of the Green revolution in Punjab. She loves to capture some moments in time and is an inspiring documentary filmmaker. Currently, she is an editorial team member of Trolley Times, a newsletter which started from within the farmers' movement.
The women protestors sitting in a Trolley, parked on the national highway approaching Delhi, during the on-going Farmers' movement in India. It was December, 2020 when the temperature in this region falls down up to Zero degree Celsius at night. Indian farmers are resisting the three anti-farmer laws passed by the Indian government in 2020 and the women protesters became the backbone of this movement. Thousands of farmers are sitting on the national highways approaching Delhi from last more than 9 months now.
Submission Statement: The ongoing farmers’ protest in India is being hailed as ‘the biggest ever people’s protest in the history of the country. The protest has created a worldwide audience and rekindled the hope for a mass movement to bring about progressive change in India. In the last decade, we have witnessed many mass movements across the country, but none of this scale and none on the issue of land. The farmers' strike began on November 26, 2020, with farmers marching towards the national capital of Delhi. They were met with brute force at the borders of Delhi but they stayed firm in their determination to peacefully protest and blocked the national highways that surround the city. This strike has seen the participation of 250 million people. These numbers tell the story of the deep crisis and mass rage reaching boiling point in India. There has been much written about the movement from various perspectives. But through my work, I want to highlight the gender aspect of this mass movement led by farmers. The sheer number of women protestors and the way they led this movement and made it stronger make us believe that definitely the Women Build a Better World.
Comments from the Judges:
Karen Dias: “This image invokes a sense of solidarity and camaraderie with the women huddled together in the tent. The lighting and the nighttime setting add a sense of warmth and community.”
Katie Jett Walls: “Excellent framing and rich colors draw the viewer into the clear visual details that convey exactly what we need to understand. Excellent caption compliments and deepens the viewing of the image. Well done.”
Molly Roberts: “The composition and the colors in addition to the content make this image intriguing and add to the impact of this photograph.”
