5 September, Teachers’ Day, is a day that’s always been close to our hearts because it’s our teachers — educators, therapists, mentors – who carry our work forward every single day. This year, the day carried an added joy: the launch of Moy Moy’s Circle: A True Story of Love, Disability and the World We Can Build Together by Suchitra Shenoy.
Six years in the making, the book tells the story of an American woman in India, Jo Chopra McGowan (yes, our Jo!), who adopted baby Moy Moy (our very own!) with her husband Ravi. Born with multiple disabilities and given little chance of survival, Moy defied every expectation. Over the years, what began as one family’s journey soon grew into something far bigger – Latika, our community, our work, our vision.
Suchitra Shenoy, the acclaimed non-fiction writer and teacher in the Buddhist tradition, brings the story alive with depth and clarity. Her earlier works, Mindful Parenting: The First One Thousand Days and Infinite Vision: How Aravind Became the World’s Largest Business Case for Compassion, are both highly regarded in their fields. With Moy Moy’s Circle, she captures the essence of what Latika stands for: courage in care, dignity as a universal right, and the power of persistence and hope to change the world.
Of course the first unveiling of the book took place at the Doon Library and Research Centre, in front of our staff, many of whom appear in its pages, and what better occasion than on the day we celebrate them. Each received an autographed copy, making the event as personal as it was historic. Our first public launch followed soon after, where over a hundred people gathered for a reading and conversation with the author, moderated by our board member Jyotsana Brar, former Headmistress of Welham Girls’ School. The evening closed with questions from the audience, book signing, tea and conversation.
At just over 200 pages, Moy Moy’s Circle is hard to put down. Deeply personal, it’s also universal in its message. It’s a great read for anyone curious about what love, disability, and community can build together, and a reminder that one life can spark a movement with the power to change us all.
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