Actor-activist Nandita Das is on a self-educational trip. She has just returned from a 10-day course at the Harvard Kennedy School and will now be heading for a fellowship to Yale.

When at Harvard she left behind her little son for Harvard but refuses to do the same again when she heads for Yale.

Says the concerned mother, `I've never left him for more than two days before this and this time it was three weeks! During the first-half of the trip I had speaking engagements on my directorial debut Firaaq and then a key-note speech on art and social change at Brown University .Then I had to speak on inclusion matters at World Bank in Washington DC, and on films and social work at Hunter College in NY, among others.`

And then Nandita undertook the 10 day super-intensive course at the Harvard Kennedy School. `I haven't been a student for a long time and didn't study in one these high profiled campuses. I had studied in Delhi University . At Harvard I couldn't help marveling at the kind of preparation the faculty does for each and every class. The course was titled 'Global Leadership and Public Policy'.`

So was this in preparation for a career in politics?

Nandita protests, `I don't perceive myself as a leader at all and didn't ever think of doing such a course. Contrary to some perceptions, I am not planning any political leadership role! I just want to learn how one can be more influential in one's work. The World Economic Forum nominates Youth Global Leaders(YGL) for 5 years and this is my 4th year and I haven't done much in this community, so when they asked me if would apply for this Harvard Module, I thought it would be an interesting experience.`

Nandita says she has come away enriched from the Harvard experience. ` I was glad to be selected as I knew that apart from a fabulous faculty, the peers would be all very special. And I have to say, lot of my learning has been from the other YGLs, who are all exceptional people from different walks of life. There were 68 of us from different parts of the world. Their experiences, struggles, achievements, stories were all a big learning experience.`

A few months ago Nandita received an email from Yale asking me if she was interested in applying for the World Yale Fellowship, which was for 4 months.

Nandita was initially reluctant. `I promptly declined as I couldn't imagine leaving Vihaan, my 3 1/2 yr old son behind for so long. But when they told me that I could bring him and a caretaker and that he could join a kindergarden there, I thought wow, mama and baby will study together in Yale!`


Nandita considers herself lucky to be thus chosen. `When I got to know that only 16 were chosen out of approx 4000 applicants, I didnt think this would happen. I got the news when I was in the US and after my conversation with the Yale Fellowship team, I am truly excited, as it allows me to take various classes of interest other than the fabulous course and faculty that will be assigned to us.`

In Yale Nandita will also be working on her next script. `The Fellows also get time to further their own projects, so this will allow me head space and peace of mind to finally start working on my next film script.I can't tell you what my next film is about right now, but it is quite an incredible story!`

Incidentally Nandita's first directorial venture Firaaq was about the 2002 communal genocide in Gujarat. Nandita and Narendra Modi have not seen eye-eye-eye since then.

Nandita cautions the electorate about whom to cast their vote for. `I think in times where packaging has become more important than what is inside, we are choosing leaders for what they are saying as opposed to what they are doing. Also the common man and woman has been so disfranchised that it is fertile land for identity politics to thrive, to give them something to latch onto. But this is the time to think wisely of the consequences of a divisive ideology. For me our diversity is truly our strength and anything that threatens that is a sure no no for me.`