The Interview Question

Our interview process is free-flowing and tailored to capture your unique story. The interview can be thought of as a structured conversation.

Our process is built around capturing life stories shaped by Partition. A few specific themes which we like to address in each interview: Below is a small list of SAMPLE questions only, and is not to be taken as a complete list. The actual qusetionnaire will change during the interview and will depend on your unique life story.

1. Pre Partition Life and background:

Life, culture and your childhood: This allows the listener to build a context for Partition and to better understand how Partition affected you, your family and your community and ways of life.

Sample questions

What is your name, mothers/fathers name?
Where and when were you born?
Anything you would like to share of your family history?
How many brothers and sisters did you have?
What did you do for fun together?
Describe your friends.
What were their religious backgrounds? What did you do together?
What languages did you and do you speak?
What was life like in your city or village?
Festivals? snake charmers?

2. Partition:

Your personal observations and experiences. You can also recall stories of those whom you know and what they experienced.

Sample questions

How old were you and where were you when Partition happened?
How did you first learn about Partition?
Where were you when Partition happened and what was the first thing you thought?
Please give your whole story, what you saw, the good and the bad recalling much detail as possible.
How did Partition affect you, your family, and your community at the time?

3. Post-Partition Life

Sample questions

How did you get to where you are today?
Describe your post Partition life and journey?
How do you feel Partition has impacted your life?

4. Thoughts:

Sample questions

What are your thoughts on Partition in general?
How did you feel about Partition now in retrospect??

5. Message:

Sample questions

Any message you want to give to future generations?

Share your story

To access our full set of questions and to receive an interview packet, you must attend one of our Oral History Workshops by signing up at Record Oral Histories. The workshops can be attended by watching them live via an internet connection. For questions, send an email to ask@1947PartitionArchive.org