What started off as a virtual friendship in the web world has expanded to contour a website, titled Indian Ruminations, that encourages budding writers.
Sandhya S.N., Annie George, J.T. Jayasingh and P.A. Noushad met each other at thepoembuilder.com, got together and published an anthology called New Voices Anthology in 2009. With their team effort and dedication, this website now has over 5,000 registered members from all age groups across all of India. The group also brings out a bi-monthly journal called Indian Poesy.
What prompted these writers to conduct their first literary fest is an unusual take on India English writing. “Everyone, including you and me, are more inclined to read foreign authors; we cease to give the Indian writers a chance to impress us. Even if we read Indian writers, we go for best sellers and well-packaged books and miss out the young writers who are actually doing a good job,” says Sandhya S.N, co-founder of the website.
A bunch of Indian writers will be present at the festival including, Anita Nair, Mamta Agarwal, R.K. Das, George Isac, T.P. Rajeevan.
The literary fest commences on September 24 and has a lot on its schedule. Three books would be released comprising of Anu Joshi’s, Of The Lesser Known, Mary Ann’s More Beads Unstrung and an anthology of 41 women writers.
The focal theme ‘Expressing Indian alternatives in reading and writing’, would be discussed in detail along with the future of English publications in print and online media.
Awards for fiction and poetry will be given out to Amit Upadhyay (Evil Is Evil, Good Is God), Nayanthara (The Scent Of Frangipani), Rajesh Chithira, Sulffikar and Ajoykumar M.S.
