Up Against Darkness

Girish, Prajakta and their countless lieutenants have willingly torn apart the silky case of their life’s cocoon and thrown themselves into treacherous social battlefields to help thousands of people over the years. Whether it is rescuing trafficked people sold to brothels, rehabilitating rape survivors, sheltering and educating orphaned children, helping HIV/AIDS patients in need or safeguarding neglected and abandoned children, Snehalaya has done it all. Up Against Darkness not only documents the various lives that have been transformed by the work that Snehalaya does but also shares a glimpse of everything that goes into running an organisation that primarily deals with the marginalised.

Reviews :-
"Up Against Darkness is a very well-researched book and the way Girishda and Prajakta have started their work despite odds gives us hope that if the intentions are good then anything is possible. Medha, you have woven the entire journey of their work in a seamless and intriguing manner."
- Anshu Gupta (Founder, Goonj)

“‘Hands which help them are holier than lips that pray’. Anti-trafficking efforts through the helping hands of Girish Kulkarni and his teams are very well narrated in this book…”
-Mahesh M. Bhagwat, IPS (Addl DGP, CID, Telangana)

“Powerful, inspirational and a must-read. …You will never look down on a sex worker after reading this gut-wrenching book.”
-Rashmi Bansal (Author of ten bestselling books on entrepreneurship and a mentor to students and entrepreneurs)

“Mrs. Medha Bhaskaran is a prolific writer who loves to write on very bold and untouched subjects and aspects in a lucid and realistic manner.”
-Ranjan Kumar Sharma, IPS (Addl Commissioner of Police, East Region, Pune City)

“… book tells us this riveting story that will move and inspire anyone who aspires for a better world.”
-Satyajit Bhatkal ( Director of Satyamev Jayate, CEO, Paani Foundation)

About the Author :

Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran is the author of Chhatrapati Shivaji's bestselling biography, Challenging Destiny (2016, The Write Place). It was nominated in two categories at the Raymond Crossword Book Awards 2017 and has been translated into Marathi (Zunz Niyatishi) and Hindi (Niyati ko Chunauti). Her book on the sensational world of pharmaceuticals and medicines, based on her personal experiences, Prescription of Life (The Write Place), was launched in 2018. Her other books include Frontiers-a Relentless Battle between Aurangzeb and Shivaji (2018. Penguin Random House) and Life and Death of Sambhaji (2021, Penguin Random House). Frontiers has been translated in Marathi (Ranasangram). Life and Death of Sambhaji has been translated into Hindi (Shivaji Maharaj Ke Suputra ki Shouryagatha). Challenging Destiny and Life and Death of Sambhaji are available as audiobooks.

Medha is a microbiologist and has worked for food and pharmaceutical companies in marketing as well as business development in countries like Germany, India and the United Arab Emirates. From a young age, she has dabbled in poetry in Marathi and English. Medha has written articles on a variety of subjects for leading newspapers in India (Indian Express) as well as in the Gulf (Khaleej Times and Gulf News). She currently lives in Bengaluru, India.