Podcast Summary: All Of It – “A Twelve-Year-Old Girl Seeks a New Life In New Novel”

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Ruchira Gupta, author, activist, and founder of Apne Aap
Date: August 27, 2025
Episode Focus: Exploring the new novel The Freedom Seeker, which follows a 12-year-old Indian girl, Simi, as she and her mother journey from Punjab, India to the U.S., escaping religious intolerance.

Overview

This All Of It episode centers on Ruchira Gupta's debut middle-grade novel The Freedom Seeker. The story follows Simi, a brave 12-year-old girl forced to flee her home in India with her Muslim mother after their interfaith family becomes the target of political vigilantes. Mixing adventure and social justice themes, Gupta’s book personalizes the immigrant child experience and the trauma of border crossings, encouraging empathy and awareness among young readers and adults alike.

Key Discussion Points

1. Simi’s Origins and Characterization

• Gupta’s Inspiration: Simi is a composite of Gupta’s personal history and her decades of advocacy for girls born into brothels in red-light districts.

  • “I have seen their trauma but I've also seen their courage and resilience. So the character of Simi is sometimes based on those girls… but also I have myself been part of a very loving family influenced by Gandhi… Simi is a composite character of the girls that I've dealt with overcoming big odds. And also… some things from my own childhood.” (02:23, Ruchira Gupta)

• Writing for All Ages: Though branded middle grade, the book is intended to resonate with ages “eight to 800.”

  • “Eight to 800.” (02:34, Alison Stewart & Ruchira Gupta, lighthearted exchange)

2. Immigrant Children’s Fears and Social Climate

• Why Write from a Child’s View? Gupta emphasizes the importance of portraying migration and family separation from the perspective of youth, echoing the fears faced by millions of American children today.

  • “There are 18 million children in the United States right now who are living with one immigrant parent and they're really scared… this is a quarter of American children, one in four children… I felt that we need something to talk, talk to kids about what's going on to kids their age.” (03:00, Ruchira Gupta)

• Secrecy and Truth: Gupta advocates for open discussion with children to prevent them from being preyed upon due to ignorance, but insists stories remain accessible and hopeful.

3. Depiction of Contemporary India

• Polarization and Loss of Unity: Gupta laments the loss of India’s ethos of “unity in diversity,” highlighting rising fault lines across religion, caste, and region, now exploited for political gain.

  • “Now… you're being forced to stick to your lane. And the idea of shared spaces is disappearing… Simi is growing up in Chandigarh in Punjab, just in that period when vigilantes are attacking people who are of interfaith marriages…” (04:22, Ruchira Gupta)

• Plot Catalyst: Simi’s family is targeted by vigilantes for being interfaith; after her father is assaulted, he flees to the U.S. where he finds work as a taxi driver. Simi and her mother’s attempt to join him legally fails—forcing them to rely on traffickers to cross the border.

4. Bullying and “Otherness”

• Moments of Bullying: The book includes scenes where Simi is bullied for her mixed heritage.

  • “A class friend bullies her because she's half Muslim. And he says that you belong to a different country, Pakistan. And she says, no, my family has lived here for seven generations…” (07:00, Ruchira Gupta)

• Universal and Local: Gupta believes good literature can make local struggles universal, helping all readers relate to Simi’s experiences.

5. Preserving Innocence and Finding Resilience

• Innocence as Strength: Simi’s innocence, contrasted with harsh realities, raises the emotional stakes but also allows her to discover resilience.

  • “Her innocence makes the stakes higher… you have to find courage and resilience in spite of the innocence to survive. And Simi does exactly that. You know, her time as a hockey captain, probably her leadership ability, her love from her grandparents teaches her about community and forming alliances and trust.” (08:12, Ruchira Gupta)

• Alliances: Simi befriends Jose, a migrant from Honduras, and together they undertake the perilous border crossing and detention journey.

Memorable Segment: Detention Center Scene (Book Reading)

[09:55-15:32]

• Gupta reads a vivid excerpt where Simi, separated from her mother, endures harsh conditions in a U.S. detention facility.

• Simi fakes a lice infestation to try to see her friend Jose. She is cared for by a volunteer who, upon hearing Simi’s story, promises to help look for her mother.

• The passage highlights the cruelty of family separation policies and the resilience of children even in dehumanizing conditions.

• Notable Quote (Ruchira Gupta as Simi):

  • “As politely as I can, I say, I don't care if Ami and I are sent back to India. All I want to know is if she's alive. I just need someone to help me look her up.” (14:30)

• Thematic Reflection:

  • “Gandhi Ji had said an unjust law is itself a species of violence and that it should be resisted by nonviolent gentle acts. She is standing up for right and justice in her small way. Perhaps she has heard of Gandhiji after all.” (Book excerpt, 15:20)

Broader Implications: U.S. Policy and Childhood

• Connection to Reality: Gupta references her Time Magazine op-ed linking immigration policy to the psychological toll on children.
  • “If one in four children are living in fear that they might be deported or their parents are being deported and they are scared that they cannot play in a park or go to school, can you imagine the mental health consequences on those children?” (15:46, Ruchira Gupta)
  • Ripple effects hurt not only children of immigrants but the broader community.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Secrets are not good for kids. You know, people can prey upon their lack of knowledge, but of course, it has to be told in a very accessible way, based on truth, but hopeful.” (03:38, Ruchira Gupta)

• “[On family and pluralism:] In Calcutta, I was born in a Hindu family, but my school prayer was Buddhist. And when my family had to mark a milestone… we'd send a check to Mother Teresa. And we didn't think she was a Christian nun, but somebody just doing good.” (04:45, Ruchira Gupta)

• “Eight to 800.” (02:34, Ruchira Gupta, affirming universal appeal of the book)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:09] — Episode and guest introduction
• [02:25] — Discussion of Simi’s character and universality of her appeal
• [03:43] — Rationale for a middle-grade protagonist
• [04:22] — Explanation of India’s changing political and social climate
• [07:00] — Bullying for religious heritage, local and universal connection
• [08:12] — Discussion on innocence and resilience
• [09:55-15:32] — Freedom Seeker book reading (detention center scene)
• [15:46] — Broader societal impact of U.S. immigration policy on children

Conclusion

Ruchira Gupta’s The Freedom Seeker is a powerful entry point for discussing migration, identity, and resilience with children and adults alike. The novel goes beyond one family’s story, tying personal experiences to broader questions of community, justice, and belonging—in both India and the U.S. Gupta’s interview underscores literature’s role in cultivating empathy by illuminating the daily, lived realities behind headlines and policies.

Guest's final words:
“Thank you Alison. This was wonderful.” (16:35, Ruchira Gupta)