Harper Collins rings in Women's Day

The amphitheatre of the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi was drenched in the spirit of International Women's Day on the evening of 2nd March, 2015. The event presented by Harper Collins to celebrate women in writing was marked by the launch of two remarkable books - A Love Story For My Sister by Jaishree Misra and The Lesson by Sowmya Rajendran. Author Daman Singh, daughter of ex-prime minister Manmohan Singh officially launched both books. This was followed by a discussion on the novels, feminism, and gender roles in writing.
Misra's A Love Story For My Sister is a historical fiction juxtaposed on a modern day kidnapping. "The story is based on recorded fact. Margaret Wheeler's story was so interesting that I had to tell it. When I was working on the story, the terrible Nirbhaya case happened. So the contemporary part of it is because these things still happen. The book focuses on how to come out of these experiences positively." The book was "written so beautifully that I was swept along till the very end", remarked Singh.
Sowmya Rajendran's forte has been children's books. The Lesson is the author's first book for adults; a dystopian satire on how women live under unrecognized codes and laws in society. "My writing has always focused on the female perspective, but after the birth of my daughter, I realized that she will one day confront all these issues. Women who have read my book are disturbed because they can relate to it deeply, whereas men are amused by its satire rather than affected by its violence."
At the end of the session, the stage was thrown open for questions and comments, inviting thorough audience involvement. When asked if a woman can bring an angle to a book that a man would not be capable of doing, Misra's response was "Our generation regards gender less and less in the way we think. In the past, men have exposed women's minds brilliantly. I only put myself in my characters' shoes while writing, and that does it for me. And of course, I am delighted when I get emails from my male readers!"
"I am a writer who happens to be a woman. I don't tell my readers the right way to do things, and allow them to choose. I think everything cannot be viewed through the lens of gender," said Singh on being a female author.
On the importance of commercial viability, Sowmya said," As a children's writer, I need a full time job to earn money. But it is also exciting," while Misra was of the opinion that young authors should not jump into writing full-time and leave other opportunites behind. "Stories come from real life and conversations. Solitude can work negatively if one is trying to become a writer." Daman Singh reinforced the importance of breaking even, irrespective of how many readers one has.
On the issue of gender neutrality, Singh confessed writing to be her escape from the fact that many things are predetermined by the society we are born into. "I would like to transcend gender in my writing. It is not our only identity. It is not the foremost priority in my head, yet it is important to talk about it. Writing for children helps me that way because I can make my point without shoving it down anyone's throat," said Rajendran. Misra pointed out that women do not consciously choose either to buy or ignore books by authors of either gender, but men do. "Women do need a bit of a leg up in this scenario," she said.
An author signing session post the event concluded the eventful session by three very different, yet truly exceptional women.
Published on 5/3/2015