President’s Message
Dear Friends,
Very Warm Greetings and A Very Happy New Year!
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday, Christmas and New Year’s Celebrations.
We certainly had a fun-filled Christmas Party, thanks to our wonderful Fellowship Committee. While we enjoyed our Christmas celebrations, a real Santa stepped out and it was none other than our very own Rtn. Suresh Agrawal thanks to whom 850 children across various RCB projects enjoyed Christmas Celebrations at CCI and also received return gifts from this warm hearted and caring Santa. Thank you Suresh… May God always keep you blessed!!!
When we are in holiday mood, we turn to our friends. As Hemingway said “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” Books come as life savers in every situation – a long journey, a sleepless night or a lazy day, a book can be your companion in every mood. There are book clubs and reading clubs, where people read and discuss books, while they also socialize and interact with each other. In these tight-knit communities, new and old books are discussed and exchanged, and literature is celebrated. Somehow a person engrossed in a book attracts more attention and curiosity. People tend to wonder what he/she is reading.
It takes a lot of time to decide which book to pick, as there are thousands and thousands of options available. India, with 22 officially recognized languages and the Indian subcontinent with a history of over much 3,000 years in written literature, has one of the most complex literary histories in the world. A country that boasts of epics like Sage Vyasa’s Mahabharata, the Ramayana written by various authors like Valmiki, Tulsidas, Kambar and then its versions in East Asia right upto Japan, has been eclipsed by commercial fiction books written by western authors till very recently. However, the scenario has taken a turn for the inwards in recent times.
BOOK SHELVES ARE NO LONGER DOMINATED BY WESTERN AUTHORS.
Many Indian authors who have made for themselves a niche in the world that was dominated by the works of foreign authors now appear in the book shelves, especially in India. India’s literary space is an everexpanding hotbed for fresh voices, inventive stories and unhindered writing. Many young Indians – armed with just a pen and passionate resolve – are changing the way we interact with literature and how we perceive the world around us. Some force us to question deeply ingrained violent truths, while others shed light on little-known social realities. Through their diversity and creativity, many upcoming authors are collectively challenging, entertaining and captivating global audiences.
There is a desire amidst Indian readers through books to reconnect with India, learn of its past and the vast ancient culture rooted in stories or kathas. The vast storehouse of knowledge that is India is slowly but surely being rekindled, awakened and absorbing many readers across genres. Some brilliant authors have given us a glimpse into the modern Indian society with many wanting to use fiction as a medium to bring about social change by, very often, dealing in themes which are not only the most topical but also the most controversial. India has also recently seen a considerable rise in regional literature being translated into English given that readers have now understood the importance of reading stories from every part of India. Each region tells us the story of a different India, with novel customs and traditions for the reader. Following the English translations of their books many regional authors have gained immense popularity across the country and finally receiving the recognition that they deserve with literary awards and accolades.
Happy Reading!
Preeti Mehta
President
