Always believed I'd sing on stage one day: Ranu Mondal
Mumbai, Sep 11: Internet sensation Ranu Mondal on Wednesday said even though life is full of ups and downs, she had faith that she would one day be singing on stage.
Mondal became a popular name after her video, singing "Ek pyaar ka naghma hai", at a railway platform, went viral.
Impressed with her talent, music composer-singer Himesh Reshammiya recorded two songs with her for his upcoming film "Happy Hardy and Heer".
At the launch of the song "Teri Meri Kahani" from the movie, Mondal said she was blessed to receive this opportunity.
"I am grateful for the love of people. They have given me immense love and I got a chance to sing. Himesh ji gave me this big chance, relying solely on my voice. I'm so grateful," she told reporters.
"If I didn't have the love, I maybe wouldn't have been able to sing songs. I have God's love, which is why I could sing," Mondal added.
The 58-year-old singer from West Bengal said she never lost hope.
"When I used to sing, I didn't realise (this day would come), but I had faith in my voice. I was initially inspired by Lata (Mangeshkar) ji's voice and used to sing as a child. Even in the future I'll continue to sing.
"I never lost hope. Yes, the magnitude of the stage given to me by Himesh ji, is something that may be I didn't anticipate. I had earlier performed on stage but there was a gap of few years in between," she added.
Mondal said the distance between the stage and her could never end her bond with music.
"I never stopped listening to songs. I used to listen to songs of Rafi, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar, Lata ji, Kumar Sanu and Sonu Nigam. I used to listen to them on cassettes and learn continuously," she added.
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Women journalists face doubling of online abuse since 2020, AI intensifies harassment: report
New Delhi: Incidents of online violence against women journalists have doubled since 2020, with growing use of artificial intelligence intensifying the scale and impact of abuse, according to a new report released ahead of World Press Freedom Day.
The study is titled “Tipping point: Online violence impacts, manifestations and redress in the AI age.” It is published by UN Women and its partners and highlights how digital harassment has become more invasive and technologically sophisticated.
The study is based on a 2025 global survey covering 641 respondents across 119 countries. The report found that women journalists and media workers are increasingly resorting to self-censorship due to online abuse. Around 45 per cent said they avoid expressing themselves on social media, which is a sharp rise from 2020. Nearly 22 per cent reported limiting their professional work for similar reasons.
The findings also indicate that 12 per cent of respondents have experienced non-consensual sharing of personal images, including intimate content, and six per cent reported being targeted by AI-generated “deepfakes.” One in three said they had received unsolicited sexual advances online.
The report highlights the psychological toll of such harassment, noting that nearly a quarter of women journalists surveyed had been diagnosed with anxiety or depression, while about 13 per cent reported post-traumatic stress disorder.
An environmental journalist from India, quoted in the report, described how coordinated online attacks and misinformation campaigns had led to fear and withdrawal from investigative reporting, and the repercussions extending to family members.
However, as the abuse has increased, so too has the number of women journalists reporting such incidents. The percentage of women journalists approaching law enforcement agencies has doubled from 11 per cent to 22 per cent in 2025 compared with 2020. The report also shows an increase in legal action against perpetrators, technology platforms, and employers.
However, the report points to significant gaps in legal protection. It presents data that fewer than 40 per cent of countries have laws addressing cyber harassment or stalking. Kalliopi Mingerou, who leads efforts to end violence against women at UN Women, said emerging technologies are amplifying existing threats. “AI is making abuse easier and more damaging,” she said, warning that the trend risks undermining democratic participation and hard-won rights.
The report can be accessed at https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2026/04/tipping-point-online-violence-impacts-manifestations-and-redress-in-the-ai-age
