Literature is not just a flight of imagination, it is a document of society – sometimes a scream, sometimes a call, and sometimes the first voice of revolution. Nonfiction is that form of this document in which the trinity of truth, logic and experience is found. This writing highlights the reality of society which is often ignored or unheard.

I, Laxmi Jaiswal, a writer, as a social thinker, believe that as long as the purpose of writing is limited to entertainment, it is difficult to bring about change in society. The roots of my writing are irrigated by experience, study and the pain of society. My nonfiction writing has mainly focused on those subjects which are generally sidelined by considering them ‘taboo’, ‘complex’ or ‘irrelevant’ – like Sati Pratha, casteism in education, transgender rights.

Writing is not just an art for me, it is a duty. This feeling is inspiring me to submit this article for the “Best Nonfiction Author” award of Literature Chronicle.

My inspiration: Vision from my mother

Every writer’s journey has a silent beginning. Mine began in the lap of my mother, Usha Devi Jaiswal. As a strong but struggling woman, she taught me that life is not just for living, but for understanding and changing.

Whenever I saw tears in her eyes for the pain of others and a smile suppressing her own pain, I understood that a woman’s struggle is not only personal, it is social. This became the first lesson of my writing. My mother gave me the foundation of self-respect, sensitivity and woman consciousness. She taught me the art of looking within myself – and this is what I want to reflect in every page of mine.

My first call: “Mujhe Pahchano Ek Vishleshan ”

▪︎ Subject and context:

The first book of my writing journey was “Recognise me: An analysis”, which was based on the historical crime of Sati Pratha in India. This subject was not just a research project for me, but a reiteration of a social pain. It was difficult to understand that for centuries, a woman was called a ‘goddess’ and her life was sacrificed.

In this book, I not only did a deep analysis of historical facts, but also tried to show from a contemporary perspective that superstitions like Sati Pratha are still alive in mental and cultural form – in the silence of a woman, in her sacrificial image, and in the system that teaches her to sacrifice in the name of tolerance.

The style of this book was analytical and discursive. I raised questions – on the need for balance between religion versus humanity, tradition versus consciousness, and woman versus society. Many times while writing I was afraid that I would be labelled as ‘anti-tradition’ or ‘anti-religion’, but it was my responsibility to tell the truth.

Casteism and Moral Degradation in Education: “Ek Or Dronacharya: Ek Mulyakan”

“Education is the lamp that illuminates the dark alleys of society.”

But when this lamp itself is afflicted with bias, corruption and casteism, it does not give direction to society, but confuses it.

My second book “Ek Or Dronacharya: Ek Mulyakan” is based on this irony. Guru Dronacharya of Mahabharata is a symbol of that historical moment where the moral responsibility of education was defeated by political dominance. I connected this historical context with the caste discrimination, inequality of opportunity and unethical behavior between teacher and student prevalent in today’s educational institutions.

This was the essence of this book – a teacher should not only be a knowledge provider, but also a judge.

I wrote – “History considered Dronacharya to be an ideal, but if he had boosted Eklavya’s confidence instead of cutting his finger, then perhaps today we would not have considered education to be a service, but a business.”

Flight of transgender rights and identity: “Dr. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi – Hausle Ki Udaan”

This book is the most sensitive, challenging and humane work of my writing career.

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, in whose name this book is, is India’s most prominent transgender social activist, artist and spiritual thinker. Seeing him, I realized for the first time that the struggle for truth is not only from the outside world, but also from within oneself.

▪︎ Background of topic selection:

The transgender community in India has been neglected and excluded for centuries with words like ‘Hijra’, ‘Kinnar’. They have been looked at only with humour, fear or pity. Society does not create a platform for them – they create their own platform.

Laxmi ji’s autobiography “Main Hijra, Main Laxmi” shook me and I decided that there should be a detailed socio-humanistic study on this subject.

▪︎ Writing Process:

I listened to the stories of Laxmi Narayan Tripathi movements for months,

I tried to understand the conditions of the transgender community from legal, social and psychological perspectives.

This book is not just a biography, it is the voice of an entire community.

▪︎ Writing Features:

I have started each chapter with a poem dedicated to Laxmi ji.

It is a combination of interview style and social analysis.

I have also included the Trans Act 2019, Supreme Court judgment, and international perspectives.

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Each of my nonfiction works is an attempt to present the truth of society fearlessly.

I present facts with sensitivity, not just as statistics.

My writing is a confluence of research, experience and thought.