Author's Feature:-

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Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is one of the fellows of the sahitya akademi and a renown Indian Author.He is also known as The Wordsworth of Indian English Writing.His first novel, The Room on the Roof, was published in 1956, and it received the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 1957. Bond has authored more than 500 short stories, essays, and novels which includes 69 books for children.He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2014.He lives with his adopted family in Landour, Mussoorie, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Some of his well-known works include "The Room on the Roof," "The Blue Umbrella," and "Rusty, the Boy from the Hills."

About his book "The Room On the roof" :-

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This is a story about an orphaned boy named Rusty, of Anglo-Indian descent, living in a European colony in Dehra (a place in Uttarakhand) with his guardian Mr. Harrison and the missionary's wife, who wanted him to stay away from Indians and groom him as a pure Englishman. However, in this process, Harrison’s stringent behavior perturbs Rusty’s flourishing teenage years. While walking home in the rain, he was offered help by Somi and Ranbir who go on to become his friends. Rusty is unhappy with his life at his guardian's house and longs for freedom.

He runs away from his home and lives with his friend Somi, who gets him a job as an English teacher for Kishen (Mr.Kapoor's son). At Mr.Kapoor's house, he is given a room on the roof. Mr.Kapoor is a drunkard, who has a beautiful wife, Meena Kapoor. Rusty and Meena fall in love with each other. On the way to Delhi, Meena dies in a car crash. Kishen is sent to stay with his aunt and Mr.Kapoor remarries. Rusty decides to leave India and go to England as none of his friends remain in Dehra. He decides to visit Kishen before leaving for England. In Haridwar , he learns that Kishen has run away from home and become a thief. He meets Kishen and they both leave for Dehra, where Kishen plans on opening a chaat shop and making Rusty an English professor.

"Pani Puri" - By Bhumika Raikote of BA Final Year 

Picture Credit : Bhumika Raikote 

In conversations with self and friends,

About daily struggles and stress,

Until discussions, chickpeas heat up,

And move into the puri’s delight,

Dipped in the flavorful, greenery-infused, spicy water.

Mouth watering in anticipation,

Taste buds eager to savor, 

The spice as struggles,

Sweetness alike happiness,

Heat with chilled peace,

In a bowl, served as a treat,

At the end of an eventful time.

The burst of the puri,

In the world of tastebuds,

Reveals the crisp,

And mixture of flavors.

As one chews and

Moves through the food pipe,

The eagerness for the next puri,

To feel the same again,

Until the taste soul satisfies.

Whether, joyfully unbound,

Sorrowfully constrained,

Weary as toil, or languid as a snail,

Pani puri enchants every emotion.

Author Feature:-

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Githa Hariharan  is an Indian writer and editor based in New Delhi. Her first novel, The Thousand Faces of Night, won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for the best first novel in 1993. Her other works include the short story collection The Art of Dying , the novels The Ghosts of Vasu Master , When Dreams Travel , In Times of Siege , Fugitive Histories  and I Have Become the Tide, and a collection of essays entitled Almost Home: Cities and Other Places .

About her book "The Thousand Faces Of Night":-

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The Thousand Faces of Night articulates the problems of women on the basis of Indian mythology. Hariharan links the plight of her women characters with the Indian myths as Mahabharata to the gods, goddesses and legendary heroines in the epics of India. The well known anthropologist Malinowski has to say about myth.

The central theme of the novel is categorized as the quest for identity, penance, female bonding, marriage, chaos and dilemma by the rebellious protagonist Devi. Devi has failed to establish her identity in the framework of a male dominated Indian society as a wife in an arranged marriage, or as a rebellious lover.

"My Beloved Brother" - By Muskan Begum of B.Sc FSZC Second Year

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I can’t believe you abandoned from my life.

I still remember our moments - your laugh, your tears, and your smile.

Your laughter, echoes in every corner of our home,

Why did you leave us so soon?

I question myself every day.

I cherish your presence every time, 

I look at the empty doorway,

Hoping, you would come back soon

With a blissful soul and everlasting life.

How can I live without you brother, is this fair enough to write?

Every day, I shed tears longing to see you again for one last time,

Or perhaps just to revive our old memories alive.

They say memories fade away as time flies,

But my beloved brother is my only life .

Author Feature:-

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Arundhati Roy, born on November 24, 1961, in Shillong, India, is a renowned author and political activist. She gained international fame with her debut novel, "The God of Small Things," which won the Booker Prize in 1997. Known for her lyrical prose and intricate storytelling, Roy's work often addresses social injustices and the complexities of Indian society. Beyond her literary achievements, she is an outspoken advocate for human rights, environmental causes, and political activism. Her non-fiction works, including "The Algebra of Infinite Justice" and "Capitalism: A Ghost Story," critique global and Indian socio-political issues. Roy's blend of literary talent and activism makes her a significant voice in contemporary literature and social discourse.

About her book "The God Of Small Things" :-

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"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy, published in 1997, is a Booker Prize-winning novel set in Kerala, India, during the 1960s. It tells the story of fraternal twins Rahel and Estha, whose lives are irrevocably changed by a series of tragic events stemming from familial and societal pressures. The novel intricately weaves themes of forbidden love, caste discrimination, and the lasting impact of trauma through a non-linear narrative. Roy's poetic prose and vivid portrayal of the social and political landscape of Kerala enrich this poignant exploration of how small, seemingly insignificant things shape the broader course of life.

"Memories" - By Bhumika Raikote of BA Final Year 

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I live in memories,

Memories, the unfaded ones,

From the vast past full of memories,

I choose the beautiful ones, our memories.

The moments spent,

In the vibrant hues of VIBGYOR,

The shoulder offered in times of pain,

Peace dwelled in your embrace,

A pillar of support in life's hustle.

From the unpleasant memories,

I expunged the painful ones,

Safeguarded the priceless memories,

The joyous moments fill my heart with love.

I live in memories,

I live in our memories.

 Author's Feature:-

 

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RK Narayan was a famous Indian writer globally known for his fictional writings of Malgudi. He was born on the 10th of October,1906. During his career, he published fourteen novels, over two hundred short stories, a memoir, two travel books, several essays, and two plays.

 He was among the first few Indians who started writing Indian literature in English.

He was awarded the AC Benson medal from the Royal Society of Literature, the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhusan, third and second of India’s highest civilian awards. Swami and Friends, The Guide, and The Vendor of Sweets are some of his most famous books.

About his book "The Vendor Of Sweets":-

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The Vendor of Sweets by R. K. Narayan, is the biography of a fictional character named Sri K. V. Jagan who is a sweet vendor of (a fictional Indian town) Malgudi. The story beautifully reflects his conflict with his estranged son and how he finally leaves for renunciation, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure and monotony of his life.

The novel was produced into Mithaivalla, part of the Hindi TV series, Malgudi Days, and was subsequently dubbed into English. The Vendor of Sweets tells about the relationship between a father and a son after the death of the mother.

Jagan is the protagonist of this novel. Mali is the son of Jagan. The major theme of this novel is the generational gap. As Jagan was a traditional one, he doesn't let Mali engage in things that were against the tradition and it creates conflict between both of them.

"Mom" - By Hafsa Ahmed of B.Sc FNZC Second Year 

Picture Credit : Hafsa Ahmed 

As her final child,

Yet, never the least cherished,

Her love, my breath's sustainer,

In chaos, her warmth my solace.

When sickness gripped, her tears fell,

She, the tender hand that dried,

Every tear, unfailing,

In her thoughts, I'm never forgotten.

The gem of my existence,

Her presence, my motivation,

Urging me onward, never to falter,

Her heart, a mirror of her beauty.

Eyes, bearing burdens profound,

Yet, love endures, undeterred,

Despite unreciprocated affections,

In moments of despair.

She's the beacon amidst darkness,

Her love, the remedy,

To dwell in her company,

As friend, daughter, and mother.

Is all I seek, all I need,

For true happiness to blossom.