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Six months down the road and I was back in the Kolkata; this time for one day rather than for one year. So much had changed yet so much was still the same in the City of Joy. The flyover construction was still underway – causing more traffic than ever before; the city was still slathered in blue paint – this time with the added bonus of Rabindra Sangeet at every intersection. I never thought I would be back in India so soon after leaving it, let alone back in Kolkata, visiting Anudip where I had the privilege of working as an AIF Clinton Fellow for ten months last year.
I am currently pursuing my master’s in Development Management at the London School of Economics and was traveling to Assam to do fieldwork for a class consulting project. There was no way I was going to go to Northeast India without making a stop in Kolkata to visit my friends and colleagues! So, I routed my flight through Netaji Subhas Chadra Bose Airport and was warmly welcomed into this year’s AIF Fellows’ flat. On Saturday, January 5th, I once again boarded the Kolkata metro and took two autos to get to Salt Lake. I first went to iMerit’s new office where I was impressed by all the new desktops and office setup and also startled by the motivational poster on the wall with a picture of me swinging at (and missing) a cricket bowl! I then proceeded to the Anudip office in FD Block where I was lucky to find all the MAST trainers gathered for their staff meeting.
Amidst the hugs and the “how are yous” and cups of strong coffee (that Swapanda and Naiyada were kind enough to remember!), I reminisced and felt nostalgic of my times working with the committed staff of Anudip. From the trainers who spend their days in the field, to the office administrators who keep track of all the moving parts, to the support staff who feed us and bring us chai – every single member of the Anudip and iMerit families is extremely dedicated to the work they do. It was energizing being surrounded by this sort of passion again. It reminded me of why I chose to study international development and brought my London student life into perspective again. It was surreal being back at Anudip – in some regards it felt like I had never left and in other ways, so many things had changed and progressed that it was almost unrecognizable.
My last stop was in Metiabruz, one of the iMerit centers on the outskirts of Kolkata. I used to co-teach an English and leadership development class for the women of Metiabruz twice a week for about four months and was extremely sad to leave when I did. It was amazing to be back there with the women again – greeted by their smiling faces, hugs and “hello ma’ams.” In a way, the Anudip and iMerit family is a microcosm of Kolkata – so much change yet so much still the same. There were office upgrades, new projects, new faces, and more impact, but their spirit and tenacity were still very much the same and driving the organization forward.
About the author
Krupa Asher was born in Tanzania where she lived for eleven years before moving to San Diego, California. She attended college Northeastern University in Boston where she got a BA in International Affairs and Human Services. While in university, Krupa spent two months in Bandung, Indonesia with the Freeman Indonesia Nonprofit Internship Program where she worked with a small-business advancement organization. After graduating 2011, she moved to Kolkata for ten months to work with Anudip Foundation through the AIF Clinton Fellowship for Service. Krupa is more than halfway through with her master’s at the London School of Economics. When she is not spending time with the Queen, she is busy attending classes, preparing for exams, and working on two consultancy projects (her clients are Rickshaw Bank in Assam and GIZ – the German Development Agency). She will graduate this August with an MSc in Development Management.
