JOIN USIf one asks avid readers in the city about their favourite genre, chances are that science fiction will not be a very preferred option. A general dislike for the word ‘science’ combined with a concern that this is a category for geeks has resulted in some very fascinating books not getting their share of the spotlight. And that is the reason that caused the ‘Bangalore Sci-fi Club’ to come into existence.
Says Prateeksha Satyamoorthy, “After I came to this city, I started going for various meetups. Since I couldn’t find anything related to sci-fi, I created an online group myself. I realised the popularity of the genre when I saw the response this got during the first meet itself. And the number of members has only increased since then.”
With their Facebook page boasting of more than 100 members and discussions including even sci-fi movies and games, it is not hard to see that the club is a very active one. Meetups are usually scheduled once a month to give working members time to read, and usually on Sundays, to ensure that everyone is able to attend.
Abhijit B, one of the earliest members of the club, says, “I love science fiction because it appeals to my sense of wonder about the grand scale of the universe we live in and what the future may hold for us.”
Says Anvesh Gangadharan, “Science fiction is like fantasy but a lot more relatable because we think that we may have a chance of experiencing all this in the future. It is like a glimpse into the future and that makes reading such books all the more fascinating.” Anvesh got interested in the genre at the age of eight while watching ‘Star Wars’. Similarly, many of the other members too picked up an interest in this category of books in their school days, an interest which has only grown with time. From movies and anime, their favourites have now changed to Charles Stross, Isaac Asimov, H G Wells, Arthur C Clarke and more. But there is a surprising variety in Indian writing too, says Aravindh Chidambaram, another member.
“There are a lot of regional language writers, especially in Bengali and Tamil, who write science fiction more frequently than their English counterparts. That’s a very surprising trend but it is sad that such writers are not getting their due.”
Contrary to popular perception, the fan base for this genre is not made up of students only. The club has a large number of professionals and others too.
So diverse is the readership base, says Prateeksha, that the only common thing between them is a love for science fiction. “So the topics too are selected keeping in mind the variety. We put up a post on our Facebook page, asking members what they would like to discuss in the next meet and people vote for their preferences.”
Talking about their plans for the future, Rajiv Tewari says, “We want to expand this interest in sci-fi among the citizens. We are thinking of conducting some workshops among adults and children to get them introduced to the genre. In fact, if everyone was introduced to science through science fiction, the fear for the subject will be dispelled.”
The club is also planning on publishing an anthology of short stories written by the members, the works for which are in progress.
(The club can be contacted through their Facebook page ‘Bangalore Sci-Fi Club’)