A new book compiling the letters, essays and photographs of jailed student activist Umar Khalid offers a glimpse into his five-year incarceration as he faces trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), with themes of hope, resistance and the value of dissent at the fore.
The collection features contributions from various personalities including historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha, activist Anand Teltumbe and comedian Kunal Kamra. (PTI)Title “Umar Khalid and His World”the volume was edited by researcher and activist Anirban Bhattacharya, artist Shuddhabrata Sengupta and writer and Omar’s partner Banjyotsna Lahiri, who describes herself in the book as his “soul mate”.
“This book bears Omar’s name as an addressee, but in reality, it is for every person, young or old, who is behind bars, or at risk of being incarcerated, for aspiring, dreaming and daring to act for a better future,” the editors wrote in their foreword.
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Former research scholar Dr Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Khalid was arrested in 2020 in connection with the February riots in Northeast Delhi. Khalid has been granted bail several times.
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The book opens with two unpublished letters written by Khalid from prison. In one, he reflects on what he calls the rise of “21st-century Indian fascism” and argues that the lived experience of many Indians is inconsistent with the Constitution’s promises of liberty, equality and fraternity. “We have seen how a democratic republic committed to the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity has been hollowed out from within,” he wrote.
The collection includes contributions from various public figures, including historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha, activist Anand Teltumbe and comedian Kunal Kamra
Thapar, professor emerita at JNU, whose speech appears in the book Changing Interpretations of History, revealed how words like “Azadi” and “Inkilab Zindabad” were the foundation of the freedom movement. “Yet, there are enough people today who – oddly enough – consider these words ‘anti-national’ when used today,” he wrote.
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The book brings together speeches, poems and letters from activists and scholars, including Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Natasha Narwal, among Khalid’s co-accused.
It ends with a handwritten note addressed to Mayor Khalid of New York Zohran Mamdani: “I often think of your words about bitterness, and the importance of not letting it consume you. It was a pleasure meeting your parents. We are all thinking of you.”
