Of late, Odisha has witnessed a surge in number of teen authors who, with their frank portrayal of life, have managed to carve their niche in state’s literary circuit. At a time when many in their age group prefer partying or tapping smartphones, this new crop of writers are busy giving wings to their imaginations. Offering unique perspective, which often goes missing in the works of experienced authors, they compel the readers to read their poems, novels and short stories. From creating scary monsters, to penning romantic poems, to writing science fictions, these budding writers often catch the readers by surprise with their rich content. A few of them, in a candid chat with Sunday POST, reveal how they navigated into the world of literature and made their presence felt.
Teen writing sensation SN Surajbhan wrote his first book when he was studying in Class VII. Hailing from Bhubaneswar, Surajbhan has a knack for writing short stories and poems. He also takes a lot of interest in horror genre. He has so far authored three books in English while his write-ups on science, literature and music regularly appear in national and vernacular dailies.
Asked what propelled him in this direction, the winner of Rajiv Gandhi Prativa Puraskar-2015, recalled an incident that can easily be termed as the turning point of his career as a writer. “I had been to Delhi a few years ago with my parents. In the hotel room, dad spotted me typing the lines from a story book in my laptop. So, he asked me to try putting up my own ideas instead of copying someone else’s story. I got motivated by his pep-talk and then there was no looking back.”
Surajbhan wrote the first story on a ghost which was appreciated by his father. The latter encouraged him to write a few more ghost stories so that they can be published as a book. In next few days, he finished four new stories. His uncle Nabakishore Pujari edited them and Surajbhan had his maiden story book Dare To Enter released in 2013.
The young writer listed some memorable moments of his career as a writer. “Being felicitated by my school Buxi Jagabandhu English Medium School after the release of my first book was certainly the moments I would cherish forever. This apart, meeting legendary author Ruskin Bond at a literary festival will remain one of memorable moments in my life. He even appreciated my effort. I also got the opportunity to speak to some celebrated writers of the likes of Jerry Pinto, Jnanapith awardee Sitakanta Mohapatra and eminent journalist Prabhu Chawla. Being conferred with Siddhirastu Samman 2014 for my works on science and literature will also remain one of those few occasions to remember everlastingly.”
Asked about how he maintains a balance between study and writing, Surajbhan says, “It is quite challenging to do. Being into a family of literature enthusiasts, I was expected to pursue a career in Arts after my Class X board examination. But to their surprise I opted for science. Expectedly, studies consume long hours leaving little time for literature. So, I prefer satisfy my creative pursuit late in the night. Often, I go to bed not before 3 am after working on a few ideas.”
Putting his signatures on two of his books that he presented to Ruskin Bond was one his fondest memories, said the second year student of Electronics and Computer Science Engineering at KIIT. Surajbhan attributes his success to his teacher parents Subhashree Das and Naleenikanta Mohanty.
“Getting published is not the sole purpose of writing. I derive a lot of pleasure out of it. The work of a writer can inform, entertain, inspire, persuade, foster one’s creativity and help people refine their thinking and reshape the views,” feels young poet Amlaan Akshayanshu Sahoo whose poetry anthology The Tiny Astronaut has been published by Black Eagle Book, a US-based publishing house which has published the works of eminent writers like Pratibha Ray, Phani Mohanty and Surendra Mishra.
A Class XI student of Mother’s Public School of Bhubaneswar, Amlaan is a native of Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district. His poems had appeared in magazines like Rock Pebbles, The Petals and The Rainbow before the release of Tiny Astronaut.
Amlaan says “You can say I am a devout bibliophile who has set out to unveil the secrets of humanity. My maiden book is a tiny attempt in that direction. I am an optimist who doesn’t shy away from life’s harshness. I get guided by several inspirations, both existent and extinct, stretched across space and time. I constantly strive for perfection, yet live by the theory that says imperfection is mankind’s most precious attribute.”
On being asked about his tryst with literature, Amlaan says, “I conceived a few lines and showed them to dad when I was in Class III. He not only appreciated my work, he also encouraged me to continue writing. Themes of my poems were based on flowers, fruits and animals when I was a kid. With passing time, they changed making me write on broader aspects of life.”
Amlaan, with 150 poems to his credit, owes his success to his doctor parents. “My parents are my inspirations. They have supported me through thick and thin. On the other hand, being in a good family helps you grow as an individual. Because, it is the cornerstone of a human society and a place where a child learns and re-learns a lot about life.”
Amlaan who had topped Class X board examination scoring 98.2 per cent, never neglects his study for the sake of literature. “I enjoy literature. So when I get tired after studying for hours, I shift my focus to literature which helps refresh my mood and revitalise my body to study again. My father, a writer himself, buys me a lot of books.”
Sahil Pradhan, a Class XI student of Doon International School, gets pleasure in writing short novellas and reviews on Goodreads. He loves to write and was chosen among top five writers in Times Litfest, a literature festival held in Bhubaneswar. He reviews for many of India’s major publishing houses such as Penguin India, Rupa Publications, Aleph Book Company, Simon and Schuster. His blog is currently among one of Odisha’s fastest growing e-blogs according to Feedspot surveys, till now successfully accumulating 22.9K followers from across the globe. Besides, currently he has a collection of 836 books and each of them holds a special place in his heart.
When did you start writing? To this query, he says “I was barely ten when I wrote my first story and it has appeared in one of the English dailies. I got motivated. Then, my uncle presented me a novel as gift which helped me evolve as a writer. Secondly, my grandfather, Mihir Kumar Pradhan, was a famous Odia poet of his time in our hometown Jaleswar in Balasore district. Therefore, I believe, I carry the love for writing in my gene.”
Felicitation by the Sahitya Akademi Trust on two occasions and once by Times Litfest motivated him to follow his passion. He was also among the top 20 participants of the Tata Building India Essay competition.
On his memorable moments, Sahil says, “Meeting renowned author Amish Tripathi of Shiv Trilogy fame in a literary festival and his words of appreciation will be etched on my memory for ever. There is a video clip on the Internet of him bowing down to me in front of a huge crowd. That moment will be something I will cherish forever.”
How you started reviewing books? To this question, he responds, “I have been a booklover since my childhood. Back then I mostly read classics of my childhood like Harry Potter, Devdutt Pattanaik, Percy Jackson and some others. I am someone who enjoys long conversations about bookish things over a cup of coffee. But when many of my close ‘book-pals’ moved out of the city, I became lonely. It was then I found out a way where I could talk more about books. That is how my blog A Hindu’s View took shape where I could talk with books, write about them and help booklovers.”
Rashmi Rekha Das, OP