In most Indian households, the phrase “samaj kya kahega” is more powerful than any law of the land. Daughters are raised to be obedient, selfless, and ever-sacrificing—upholding the family’s izzat even at the cost of their own dreams. In her powerful new book I Choose Me, Dr. Jyoti Sinsinwar dares to question this conditioning and asks: what happens when love becomes control, and care becomes a cage?
The book reads like both a memoir and a mirror. Dr. Jyoti traces the suffocating journey of the “good daughter” who studies hard, obeys silently, sacrifices constantly, and yet finds her individuality erased. From academic pressure to relationship betrayals, from parental surveillance to social timelines of marriage and career—she exposes how cultural expectations often disguise themselves as protection. She also underlines how controlling parenting seeps into every aspect of life, affecting confidence in decision-making—whether in personal relationships, career choices, or even daily life.
But this is not just a lament. It is a story of rebellion, quiet but firm. The author writes with raw honesty about breaking away from toxic patterns and learning that self-worth does not come from how much you sacrifice for others. Instead, she argues, real strength lies in setting boundaries, rejecting guilt, and reclaiming the right to one’s own timeline.
The beauty of I Choose Me lies in its simplicity. Dr. Jyoti does not hide behind jargon; her words carry the familiarity of lived experience. Every Indian woman who has ever been told to “adjust,” “compromise,” or “think of the family first” will find echoes of her own life in these pages. At the same time, the book speaks universally—to anyone suffocated by expectations dressed as duty.
Importantly, the book doesn’t demonise love or family. Instead, it challenges the idea that care must come with control. It insists that choosing yourself is not an act of rebellion against your family, but an act of survival for your soul.
I Choose Me is more than a personal journey—it is a cultural critique and a handbook for liberation. In a society where women are still told that their worth lies in sacrifice, Dr. Jyoti Sinsinwar’s voice rises like a quiet revolution. For every daughter who has ever felt trapped between “samaj” and self, this book is a lifeline.
Timesrelease