Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence

by Shrayana Bhattacharya

We women are the opposite—all our successes, however small, surprise us. I remember on my first day, I kept wondering if my work was okay. The men around me would make fun of how unsure I felt, joking that I was constantly seeking praise. It was my first time working in government as a full-time officer, so I needed to build my confidence. The men around me always looked confident. Give an Indian man a good exam score, a good degree and a good job and he thinks he is God (apne aap ko sakshat bhagwan samajhtein hain).’