I have spent time volunteering in Nepal and the family I lived with had a little servant girl they called Kalli. I only found out much later that her given name was Ambika. She decided to start going by that when I introduced her to the woman I was helping, a teacher who ran a daily class for working children, and she was invited along (she was 13 and had been with the family already for a few years).

I also travelled in South India and saw skin whitening listed as a service in the beauty parlours. It felt so sad that white skin was so idolised.

Great piece, June!