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“Me, The Change” by The Quint Celebrates India’s First-time Women Voters
MUMBAI: With 10 incredible women taking center stage at Delhi's Pullman Hotel in Aerocity, The Quint's “Me, The Change” event, presented by Facebook India, was an evening exemplifying the spunk and grit of India's first-time women voters. Acclaimed actor Taapsee Pannu felicitated women achievers from across India — a Santhali RJ, an international rugby player, a female dhol player from Punjab, and a wrestler from Delhi. In her interactions with them, she learnt their path-breaking stories, and even a few tricks of the trade, such as a wrestling move by Dangal-Queen Divya Kakran.
The evening started off with a conversation between Taapsee Pannu and Raghav Bahl, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Quint. Taapsee said, "I was delighted to receive so many fan mails from women after Marmaziyaan, for portraying a 'bindaas' girl who was confident about her sexuality, and accepting of her flaws. Why should women have to regulate what they think?" She also added, “You know yourself better than anyone else who tells you what you can or cannot do.”
Wrestler Divya Kakran too had something to say about breaking stereotypes, divulging, "Earlier, people had a lot of extremely nasty things to say about me to my parents. For instance, they would ask, will you get her to do anything for money? Now the same people ask for my autographs! When I needed help, no one offered any. Now, everyone comes to take credit and congratulate me for my medals."
Not caring about “log kya kahenge” was the constant essence of the evening. Mariam Rauf, a child safety educator in Kerala and a child sexual abuse survivor, questioned why she should be ashamed about her experience. "When I finally confessed to my mother about the sexual abuse I had faced, instead of saying “log kya kahenge”, she told me to “go tell whoever you want.””
Not only have the 10 achievers completely changed their worlds, but through their achievements, they have proven themselves to be an inspiration for so many other young women. Shikha Mandi, the only woman Santhali RJ in India, said, "Women from my area are asking me if they too can be RJs. They are thinking beyond sarkari naukris. They now feel that they too can pursue their “mann ki naukri!””
Requesting the Government to support acid attack survivors so that they can live an independent life, Anshu Rajput spoke about how she was attacked with acid when she was 15 years old, stating, "Face har kisi ke paas hota hai, lekin dil sirf kuch kuch logo ke paas hota hai."
Punjab’s Jahan Geet Singh, India's youngest female dhol player, spoke of how she decided to take up 'dhol' playing. She mentioned that playing ‘dhol’ had its own stigma. Because of its weight, society has always maintained that only men “dhol bajaa sakte hai.”
Nirbhaya's mother, Asha Devi, was also present at the event, providing the young achievers with inspiration through her story of struggle and perseverance. She said, "Haq se maangna aur milna bahut alag hai. It’s been 6 years since the incident. Abhi bhi insaaf nahi mila. I'm still stuck in 2012, waiting for when justice will prevail for my daughter."
Speaking at the event, Shelley Thakral, Head of Policy Programs, India, South Asia, and Central Asia, Facebook, said, "Facebook has tremendous potential to become a tool for democracy. More than ever, women are an important voice in the 2019 elections. Facebook is doing everything it can to build integrity.”
Ms. Ritu Kapur, CEO, The Quint, said, “The Quint’s Me The Change event was a celebration of the gumption and audacity of India’s first time woman voter. The feisty young women spoke their mind and demanded that they be facilitated in order to realise their dreams. It was a charged evening – with wrestler Divya Kakran bringing the house down when she lifted Taapsee Pannu on her shoulders to young rugby player, Shweta Shahi announcing that her video on the Quint had led to her being invited by World Rugby Meet in London. I have to say that I am extremely impressed and moved by Taapsee’s absolute investment in the initiative and the warmth and encouragement she extended to the Me The Change achievers.”
The evening ended with a dhol performance by Jahan Geet Singh, with all the other achievers dancing to the beats. As the girls danced with abandon, with a delighted audience cheering them on, the dhol beats heralded the arrival of the first-time woman voter. She's ready to change India; are we ready for her?
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Sleepwell unveils nationwide sleep study on World Sleep Day
79 per cent use screens before bed, 36 per cent of 18–25-year-olds sleep ≤5 hours.
MUMBAI: Sleepwell just dropped the pillow truth bomb because when India’s sleeping less and scrolling more, even the mattress wants to stage an intervention. On World Sleep Day 2026, Sleepwell released its nationwide Sleep Study, painting a stark picture of India’s escalating sleep crisis. The findings show that 79% of Indians use screens right before bed, fuelling restless nights and drowsy days. Alarmingly, 36% of young adults aged 18–25 sleep five hours or less making them the country’s most sleep-deprived group.
The study also busts the myth of “catch-up sleep”, 65% of respondents actually sleep even later on weekends, pointing to increasingly irregular patterns that spill fatigue into the working week. Mattress discomfort emerged as a frequently overlooked culprit behind late-night wake-ups and constant leak-anxiety checks.
To drive the message home, Sleepwell’s CMO Puneet Gulati appeared on Zee Business, stressing that quality sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s foundational health. He highlighted how the right mattress can transform restless nights into restorative ones.
The brand doubled down with clever late-night activations, partnering with a quick-commerce platform to serve contextual ads between 11 pm and 3 am, gently nudging bleary-eyed scrollers to consider mattress discomfort as the reason they’re still awake and pointing them to the nearest Sleepwell store. Digital influencers and creators also shared relatable stories of how poor sleep fuels impulsive late-night behaviour.
In a nation that celebrates hustle but quietly pays for it in lost rest, Sleepwell isn’t just selling mattresses, it’s selling the radical idea that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is close your eyes and actually sleep well.
