KYA MARD KO DARD NAHIN HOTA? Deconstructing the notions of masculinity... “Be a man!”; “Grow some balls!”; “Real Men don't cry!”; “Boys will be boys.” Quite unquestionably, these statements are part of our cultural scripts and are thus, used frequently without much reflection on the underlying socio-psychological aspects. The notion of gender and patriarchal practices have been woven so finely into the fabric of our psyche that it forms the very foundation of our social existence. In such a system, we fail to acknowledge the trials and tribulations of men and forget that even a man might be a victim. Since time immemorial, masculinity has been associated with virility, domination and aggression. The measures of manliness ultimately boil down to possessing sexual prowess, 6pack abs and an appropriate penis size. Slightest hints of feminine tendencies in a man are met with raised eyebrows and scornful glances. Such a man is usually labelled as “gay”, “namard”, “chakkha” etc., and once labelled; it’s hard for him to prove otherwise. Furthermore, various issues experienced by men remain sidelined and are not usually addressed. Reports on male abduction for sexual abuse, prostitution, forceful marriage, among others are simply relegated to the hem of news. Moreover, the policies and the laws in our country reinforce the established masculine stereotypes; for example, the laws discourage child adoption by single males, the provision of child care leave for a man is virtually nonexistent, (after all a 'real man' is not seen as a nurturing figure!). Also, a number of laws on sexual harassment, domestic violence and marital issues are sometimes misused, implicating men in potentially dire ways. Has the notion of “Asli Mard” been blown out of proportion? If yes, then how does this impact the lived realities of men? Will men forever remain bound by the shackles of gender stereotypes or will they ever be able to break-free? At our annual meet - Manovriti 2015, we aim to deconstruct the notions of masculinity, examine its unexplored aspects and the impact of gendered stereotypes on the male psyche. In the process, we also hope to create awareness, thus balancing out the academic discourse on gender issues.