Self-love in New York City is a topic of conversation as though it were a way of life—something to make a decision and follow it through. We are also advised to draw limits, select ourselves, leave, shine up, and move. But what I am observing in my labor informs me quite to the contrary. Self-love…

Organizations like International Women Day are effective. They confirm narratives that were once suppressed, raise voices that were once unheard, and grant long-neglected journeys the recognition they deserve for resilience, courage, and contribution. I have stood on a few of these platforms - internationally, publicly, and visibly - and I have profound respect for what…

Something is strong when women come together without competition. Listening rather than proving. Observing rather than making comparisons. Healing rather than performance. This fact was realised to me in Jalandhar, as Love That Was Meant for Me was first presented in Punjab, and it happened in The Bookworms, which is a women-run book club that…

My name is Shalini Chuganee, an Influential Woman, and I recently wrote about betrayal for Mumbai Mirror, a piece that sparked powerful conversations far beyond India, including with many of my clients in New York City. In a world obsessed with headlines, gossip, and social-media debates about “who cheated on whom,” I want to take…

When individuals mention Nari Shakti, they tend to envision everything but a woman who is not well-put together, who does not fall, who does not lose confidence in herself. This has been quite a different reality of mine. My strength was honed in the intimate situations when I would choose to find the strength to…

When a book is put on Goodreads, it is not just a name on the shelf. It appears in conversations, reading lists, and reviews composed in the middle of the night, and silent times when a person finds out that something he or she has said is awkwardly true. Love That Was Meant For Me:…

My name is Shalini Chuganee, an Influential Woman, and I recently wrote about betrayal for Mumbai Mirror, a piece that sparked powerful conversations far beyond India, including with many of my clients in New York City. In a world obsessed with headlines, gossip, and social-media debates about “who cheated on whom,” I want to take…