Thought Lantern recently organized its first Blog Writing Competition, and the topic for this competition was Her Voice Matters. Once again, our winners have shown why it is necessary to blend talent together and create a spark in front of the world.
Here are some of the best blogs by our winners.
1st Winner - Dr. Arwa Saifi.
For years, women have been told to lower their voices, to fit into spaces that were never designed for them. But the world is slowly learning that silence is not strength - expression is. Her voice matters because it carries stories untold, emotions unspoken, and dreams that deserve wings. It matters when she questions what’s unfair, when she stands up for herself, and when she says “no” without guilt. Her voice matters not only in the boardroom or the courtroom, but in her home, her classroom, her art, and her laughter.
When a woman speaks, she doesn’t just speak for herself - she speaks for every girl who once thought her words didn’t count. Her courage echoes through generations, inspiring others to rise, speak, and believe.
So today, I write for every woman who’s been told she’s “too loud” or “too emotional.” Speak anyway. The world needs your words, your wisdom, your warmth.
Let us listen, truly listen, to her voice - whether it trembles or roars. For in her words lie the power to heal, to challenge, and to change the world.
Her voice is not just a sound.
It’s a revolution waiting to be heard.
2nd Winner - Kadambari Gupta.
She, in this society ruled by norms of Patriarchy, exists along with him,
Yet her voice, opinions are often pressed down under the name of being polite.
Respectful and well-behaved girl as the onus of keeping the name, respect, and tradition,
The family alive rests upon her two shoulders.
She has seen how her mother was timid and submissive, how her eyes were shown when wrong,
It has been pointed out and said you are born only to obey and not to question and argue decisions taken.
By Men of the house, every her of the family will have a story, a tale when she heard or saw this visual being,
Played each day as a repeat telecast.
Whenever a stare at her is being revolting, blame comes back, how was she dressed, why a step from within the,
Four walls of this house were taken by the stare of the unwanted touch at inappropriate places, those fingers around her,
Body left her in fear, traumatized and shaken, yet her story is not heard, her voice is silenced once again.
Her voice will have an audience, but only these patterns of her upbringing are broken; she stands for herself.
3rd Winner Sujata Maggoo.
A woman's voice isn't just sound; it's a heartbeat that transcends generations, from the quiet resolve of a mother to the fearless words of a leader. Her voice has shaped home, classroom, and nation alike. Still, she is told far too often to keep quiet. Often, people seem to forget that "silence is not always golden; sometimes it's just unspoken strength."
When Malala spoke for girls' education, the world listened. When Maya Angelou said, "I rise," every woman found her wings. Even inside families, a mother's tranquil advice or a daughter's frank opinion can direct hearts toward compassion. Proverbs remind us: "A gentle tongue is a tree of life." Her words can nurture, heal, and inspire change.
Let every woman speak in boardrooms, classrooms, and at kitchen tables-not in echo but in essence. For it is when she is valued that humanity finds its harmony!
Her voice is soft, and yet mountains move.
It weaves the world with threads of truth.
Unheard, unseen — but always near, Her whisper flowers in the hearts that listen.
4th Winner - Janaki.
She walked into her new home in a new city. She was the eldest daughter-in-law in a joint family; a family of 6 sisters and 4 brothers, most of them unmarried. Obviously, she became a mother figure for them, too. Gosh, another item added to the never-ending list of to-do. Shree didn’t quite understand if she should be excited or nervous as she looked down at her new job profile that she wrote for herself when she got to know more about her new family through her then fianće, Veer.
The next day began unceremoniously as Shree stepped into the kitchen, making a note of all that she had to do, as her mother-in-law called out instructions one after the other. By the time she could sit with her cup of chai, it was almost 9 a.m., and as she sipped her tea, flipping through the pages of the new book she was reading, the maid entered the room to sweep. Since all in the family had gone about their work and Mummyji was busy doing pooja, the maid Kusum sat down to chat with the new bahu.
“Didi, how was day 1?” she asked casually. Shree nodded, not sure if she could divulge more. “Didi, can I tell you something, if you don’t mind?” she asked, looking intently at Shree. “Go on,” said Shree and put her book down, looking at her carefully.
“Didi, you look highly qualified and yet, you got married into a joint family, taking up all the work from day 1. Set up your boundaries from this day, else, you will be caught in a whirlpool from where you can never come back,” said Kusum casually as she went about her work, lest Mummyji notices that she has been chatting.
Shree was surprised because even when she left home to arrive here, her mother hadn’t advised her about boundaries. After all, her mother knew nothing about it herself. And here, of all the family members around, it is Kusum who treated her as her own, even though they were neither related nor on the same level. Why did she say that, wondered Shree and got back to her phone.
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Three decades later, as Shree played back the same scene in her mind again, she knew how right Kusum was. Her voice DID matter, but Shree hadn’t cared to bother about it. It took her years to come out of that toxic environment, and it was painful as the nightmares continued to haunt her. She worked hard to be seen and heard, but even her husband refused to side with her. All that was left now was a bag full of negativity, failed opportunities, frustration, and anger. Sometimes, we don’t hear the voices we should, letting them trail away to oblivion, and we continue to pay the price for years together. Thank God, times have changed, thought Shree. Women now have a voice and one THAT WILL BE HEARD. Her daughter will never go through what she had to years ago. What a relief! That one act of moving out made all the difference that she had taken so long to see.
Do comment down your favorite and support us for more such competitions and events.
At Thought Lantern, Stories find their place.
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