About Me — Debarati S Sen

Trying to unpack the many selves behind the byline

On a cruise to Flåm, Norway (Photo: Author’s own)

A few years ago, at an art event in the Nehru Center Art Gallery in Mumbai, I found myself cornered by a chirpy RJ with a microphone. He said he was conducting random interviews and requested me for a brief introduction, followed up with what I thought of the art exhibition.

I was a tad nervous, because as a journalist, I’d always been on the other side of the mic, never the interviewee. Going behind the mic, addressing a faceless audience (except for the ‘expectantly waiting for me talk’, RJ) seemed tough at that point.
I began by stating the obvious:

‘I am Debarati S Sen’

The RJ said, “But that’s just your name, not who you are.” (Wow, that was deep. I was flustered and moved to the next obvious box: career.)

“I am a journalist with The Times Of India Group. I work with Bombay Times,” with a confident smile.

He shook his head and said, “That is just your career. Tell us who you are Debarati.” And that is when the impromptu interview turned into a TED Talk I definitely hadn’t signed up for.

So, Who Am I?

Well, dear reader, I am Debarati S Sen (Yes, starting with the name again but this…