Kavita Puri, an esteemed journalist, executive producer, and broadcaster at the BBC, has garnered acclaim for her work across various mediums. Notably, she is the author of the highly praised book "Partition Voices: Untold British Stories."
In her latest endeavour, Puri presents the documentary "Three Million," delving into the harrowing tale of the Bengal famine of 1943. This groundbreaking narrative is recounted firsthand by individuals who experienced it firsthand and features testimony that has never before been broadcasted, offering a fresh and illuminating perspective on this historical event. "Three Million" is a collaborative effort co-commissioned by BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service, available for streaming on BBC Sounds.
Here, she talks about the documentary and shares a special message for women across the world.
What inspired you to create the BBC documentary 'Three Million'?
The deaths of at least three million people in the Bengal famine in British colonial India is not well remembered. There is no memorial, museum or even a plaque anywhere in the world to the people who perished in the middle of World War 2. It's over 80 years on, and I was very aware that the moment to capture - through first-hand testimony - eyewitness and survivor testimonies would soon no longer be possible. So there was a real urgency to capture these experiences before it is too late.
How did you approach the topic of the wartime famine in Bengal, considering its historical and emotional weight?
You are absolutely right, the Bengal famine is a hugely emotional topic. It is also massively contested - the causes and where culpability lies. So much of the debate has been about that and these are of course important questions to discuss. I wanted to do something different, shift the lens, and focus on the lived experience, to understand what it was like to live through and survive this humanitarian catastrophe, as well as what it was like - in all walks of life - to live through. I also wanted to explore how the decisions of everyday people could make the difference between life and death. I of course give the broader context of war, empire and the decision-makers in Calcutta, Delhi and London, but the heart of the series are the people who were there at the time, in their voice, which has never been done before.
How do you hope your documentary will contribute to the understanding and remembrance of this tragic event?
At least three million people died, an overwhelming number. But behind every number is a story, and I wanted to give a sense of that. While millions died, millions survived, and the Bengal famine continued to shape their lives. In Britain, this is a story that is not well known. The people who died were Indians, but British subjects in British India. This is British history and part of the war experience - and I hope it will be seen as that. I also hope we can find a language to talk about the Bengal famine in a civil way, to understand what happened.
What do you think are the lessons that today's generation can learn from the experiences recounted in 'Three Million'?
Having interviewed so many people it never ceases to amaze me the clarity with which people can recall traumatic events from so long ago. Nothing is forgotten. The trauma can also be passed down the generations in different ways. Starvation is horrific, inhumane and there is so much shame around it. In the Bengal famine, the people who starved were fishermen, agricultural workers, artisans, and so many mothers and children. They weren't beggars, they were people who could no longer access rice (the staple food) or afford it. But it's not history, tragically we are still seeing starvation today.
As we commemorate International Women’s Day, what message do you have for women across the world?
I would say, dream big and don't let anything stop you if there's something you want to do. Live the life you want, you only have one shot at it. Sometimes, when things don't work out, other good things can come out of it. There is no one way of doing things. Find your allies - and support them - they will be with you through the ups and downs.
