Interviews

Subhadra’s strength is historical fiction. She also likes writing about interesting people and places, and loves mystery stories. She has a weakness for good food.

Excerpts from an interview just before the launch of her latest book ‘Bapu the Man’, published in – many Indian and English languages by Pratham Books.

Q) How did you get the idea of writing a book on Gandhi?
‘Bapu the Man’ is a warm account of some of the important events that took place in Gandhiji’s life. It is not an exhaustive account of his life but rather a look at the events that showed how special he was. Each of the chapters deals with one event that brings out one side of this multi-faceted person. The book includes the quirky little things that he did, and which endeared him to people around him.

For today’s children Gandhi is just a face on our currency note or a picture in a dull history book. But what he stood for is something that I feel all children should value—tolerance and non-violence.

Q) How is this book on Gandhi different from other children’s storybook available on Gandhi?
I talk a lot to children in schools and I found that though they like historical fiction, they dislike history! With ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ it was clear that there was a fun way to introduce the relevance of Gandhi to them. I have tried to write about the exciting events in Gandhi’s life.

Q) The format of the storybook is very different - unlike a usual storybook. Why did you choose this format?
There is just so much material on Gandhi! It seemed that the book could grow on and on. The editors at Pratham Books and I thought the present format of describing key events in his life was therefore a good idea. We also felt that there were so many other leaders who had been inspired by Gandhiji’s ideals and therefore made a difference in their own countries. We decided to add some information about them too---Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and so on.

Q) In today's world how important are Gandhian values for children and what can we do to impart the same to them?
Children often connect Mahatma Gandhi only with the Indian Freedom Struggle, and therefore with a past that they cannot even imagine. But I think the Bapu stood for truth, tolerance and non-violence…it was just incidental that he used these tools during the freedom struggle, because he lived during those years. These values are as relevant today as they were then. And I have consciously and deliberately talked about these values in the book.

Q) Would you be writing more books about Gandhiji?
A quiz book on Gandhi would be fun!