Natasha Malpani Oswala's first book captures her journey, of studying and working in the West to heading a storytelling platform in India, through poetry
Cover illustration by Benjamin Bauchau
I change very quickly," Natasha Malpani Oswal says. And having read her soon-to-release poetry book, we agree with that statement. There's a reason it's titled Boundless.
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Oswal, 30, wears many hats (collected at Oxbridge and Ivy League universities). After having spent 20 years in Mumbai, she stepped out of Oxford and Cambridge as a scientist and then headed to Stanford for its MBA programme. Then, after 10 years of being away from India, she came back to the city last September to head Dice Media, a digital media start-up and storytelling platform.
Poetry artwork created by Vincent Bekong
But what her adventures in an analytical background don't reveal is Oswal's love for poetry and reading, which started when she was nine. "I started a library for my friends based out of my home. I was an obsessive reader and I love EE Cummings and Sylvia Plath. I started writing poetry when I was 18 but I never thought of putting it into a book and publishing it," she shares. That's why while we talk to Oswal, the only words we find to describe the collection of poems that will release on March 7 is "raw". Only later into the conversation do we realise that the word mirrors her process.
"I wrote the poems in London on my phone just before I started a job. It took me three months to write them. The act of writing was a relief. I was scared to move back to India because I felt like I would forget all my experiences here. Therefore, the poetry just flowed," she says. The short poems are organised into themes such as falling, recovery, belonging, escape, and discovery — each is an exploration of home and identity accompanied by illustrations that Oswal has conceptualised. Additionally, all proceeds from the book will go towards causes that support women empowerment.
"My friends and family were surprised when I came out with this book. It was their way of understanding my adjustments; that it can be hard to balance work, family and personal life. They're from a different generation but I appreciate their open-mindedness," she tells us, adding that creativity and business are often seen as mutually exclusive. "Unless you're working in narrow profiles like a coder or data analyst, you need to think out of the box. That's why I took up this job. Why separate the business and creative world when you can marry the two?" she questions.
Natasha Malpani Oswal. PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI
Homecoming, one of her favourites, highlights her personal journey in becoming more assertive — a message she feels more women need to hear. "When I was younger, I was quite a perfectionist. My priority was to stand first in school and I was constantly finding ways to please everyone. When I went abroad, I realised you need to find your own voice before you please others."
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