Bringing hidden narratives to the forefront, The Write Circle Bengaluru presented an evening of candid conversation with author and distinguished bureaucrat Swati Pandey. In dialogue with Divya Purnaiya, Ehsaas Woman of Bengaluru, she reflected on the experiences that informed her work and the urgent need to view marginalised communities through a lens of empathy, dignity, and understanding.
The evening began with a warm welcome by Revathi Raju, Ehsaas Woman of Bengaluru. Through an engaging and deeply moving dialogue, Pandey reflected on her experiences working closely with vulnerable communities and the journey that led to the writing of her debut book, Invisible in Plain Sight. The conversation shed light on the lives of women in Mumbai’s Kamathipura, encouraging audiences to look beyond stereotypes and engage with issues of social exclusion through a lens of compassion and understanding.
Swati Pandey is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Maharashtra Airport Development Company and a distinguished career bureaucrat with nearly three decades of service across aviation, infrastructure, public policy, and financial inclusion. During her tenure as Postmaster General of India Post, Mumbai Region, she spearheaded several transformative initiatives, including Project Kamathipura, which later became a Harvard-published case study. Her debut book, Invisible in Plain Sight, draws upon these experiences to present an empathetic and nuanced portrait of the lives of commercial sex workers. A National Award-winning filmmaker for Elephants Do Remember and a TEDx speaker, Pandey continues to champion social equity, cultural preservation, and meaningful public policy reform.
An engaging audience Q&A added further depth and vibrancy to the evening, fostering thoughtful discussion and reflection. The interaction between the author and attendees transformed the session into a meaningful space for dialogue, awareness, and shared learning.
A gracious vote of thanks was delivered by Vatsala Bagla, Ehsaas Woman of Bengaluru, while Anil Kathotia felicitated the author with handcrafted terracotta artefacts.
The evening concluded with a warm book-signing session and personal interactions, leaving attendees with a deeper appreciation of the power of storytelling to illuminate overlooked realities and inspire change.
This event was organized with the support of the Ehsaas Women of Bengaluru