Between Brahmaputra and Mahanadi

Anika Saikia is a girl from Assam, growing up in a traditional, patriarchal society. Opportunities for girls are limited where she lives, but luckily, her parents allowed her to continue her studies a privilege for that time, accurately 1982.

Shantanu Patnaik is a bright, confident boy from Odisha, studying at the well-known Ravenshaw Boys School. He comes from a more open environment and is curious about the world beyond textbooks.

Through a National Pen Friend Program, these two very different individuals were paired as pen pals.

What began as a formal exchange of letters slowly grew into a friendship. They started sharing their thoughts, dreams, and personal struggles, things they couldn't always say out loud in their own lives.

But now the question remains, can a connection formed through letters turn into something deeper? Will they ever meet in real life, or is this just a rare and special friendship that lives only on paper?

Read to find out