Nitasha Kaul is a British Novelist, Politics academic, International Relations academic, poet, economist, and artist. She is known for speaking on topics like political economy, neoliberalism, economic justice, and economic violence.

Wiki/Biography

Nitasha Kaul was born on Tuesday, 30 November 1976 (age 48 years; as of 2024) in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. Soon after her birth, she moved to Delhi along with her family.

Nitasha Kaul’s childhood picture

She pursued her schooling at St. Thomas School in Delhi, India. Later, she pursued a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Economics at Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, India. In 1997, at the age of 21, she moved to London, United Kingdom, where she pursued a Masters in Economics with a specialisation in Public Policy, and a Joint PhD in Economics and Philosophy at the University of Hull, UK. She completed her doctorate in 2003.

Physical Appearance

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family/Caste

Nitasha Kaul belongs to a Kashmiri Pandit Family in Delhi, India.

Parents & Siblings

Nitasha Kaul’s mother is a retired teacher.

Husband

According to some sources, Nitasha Kaul is married to Dibyesh Anand. He is an academic and a Gay rights activist.

Dibyesh Anand

Nitasha Kaul is secretly married to Gay rights activist Dibyesh Anand, who gained popularity by claiming himself as a gay activist. He is very vocal about India, like giving an Aljazeera interview about the CAA protest or attending anti-India seminars with spouse, Nitasha. (3/13) pic.twitter.com/rCdNO8uUvL

— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) February 26, 2024

Signature/Autograph

Nitasha Kaul’s signature

Career

Teaching

In 2002, Nitasha Kaul began working as a lecturer and assistant professor in Economics at Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK, where she worked for 4 years before receiving a visiting research fellowship at the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) in London, UK. In 2003, she worked as a seminar tutor (2003) in Economics at the Department of Economics and International Development, University of Bath, UK and in 2004 became an Assistant professor at the University of Bath.

Nitasha Kaul with MJ Akbar at Jaipur Litfest 2011

She is an expert on Bhutan’s history, politics, and culture and has spent a lot of time there since 2006. In 2010, Nitasha Kaul worked as a Permanent Associate Professor in Creative Writing at the Department of English, Royal Thimphu College (under the Royal University of Bhutan), Bhutan. She worked in Bhutan for a year. 

Nitasha Kaul in Zangtopelri Lhakhang in Bhutan

Nitasha Kaul joined the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, London, as a visiting lecturer from 2012 to 2013 and assistant professor from 2014 to 2015.  She has received many fellowships over the years including a visiting fellowship at the Research School of Humanities, Australia National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia from June 2009 to August 2009, a visiting fellowship at the Department of Political Science, Central University of Hyderabad (CUH), Hyderabad, India in January 2010.

Nitasha Kaul (second from left) with her students from the Centre for the Study of Democracy in London

In 2015, she began working at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, London in the United Kingdom in various positions including full-time permanent lecturer in Politics and International Relations 2015, full-time permanent associate professor in Politics and International Relations (in 2017, and full-time permanent associate professor (Reader) in Politics and International Relations in 2020.

On Jan 1, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) — founded in 1989 and the home of politics & international relations at University of Westminster — gets a new (+1st female) Director. Yours truly ????https://t.co/zzlk4VXiE1 pic.twitter.com/FgSdpW5Beo

— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) December 31, 2022

On Jan 1, 2023,  she became the director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at the University of Westminster in London.

Writer

In 2007, Nitasha  Kaul published her first book titled ‘Imagining Economics Otherwise: encounters with Identity/difference,’ which was an academic monograph on economics and philosophy.

Nitasha Kaul’s debut book

In 2009, Nitasha Kaul wrote her first novel titled Residue. It became the first novel in English by a Kashmiri woman. After the book was published, it was described as “an endless narrative of identity neurosis” by India Today. ^[1]India Today

Nitasha Kaul’s debut novel Residue (2009)

Over the years, Nitasha Kaul has written many books including November Light: An Anthology of Creative Writing from Bhutan and Future Tense (2020).

Other Works

Witness at the United States House Committee

On October 22, 2019, Kaul was an important witness at a United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing. The hearing was about human rights in Indian-administered Kashmir after its special status was revoked within India. Kaul talked about reports from the UNHCHR that showed violations of human rights and democratic principles in both Indian and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. She also mentioned the recent shutdown of communication services and large-scale detentions in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Nitasha Kaul giving her testimony at the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing

In her testimony, Kaul said,

I do not represent here Indian interests or Pakistani interests and in fact that is precisely the problem – that the people who speak about Kashmiri self-interest and the rights of Kashmiris themselves are the ones who are most vulnerable from any and every side. The communal politics serves no one. It does not serve the Indians and Kashmir. If Kashmir were a communal issue then Muslims in India would feel the same as Kashmiri Muslims and they do not. So it is not a communal issue, it is an issue albeit that has been communalised.”  ^[2]Westminster

Special projects in Bhutan

She has done important research on Bhutan’s move to democracy in 2008 and its development as a democracy in 2018. She started a project called “Biodemocracy and Resilience in Bhutan,” which focuses on public policies. Her research opened up new areas of study and has been published in many international publications.

Nitasha Kaul in Haa Dzong in Bhutan in 2024

In 2021, she wrote the first article on Bhutan’s geopolitical history in the Journal of Asian Studies and an article about how Bhutan is portrayed in The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History.

Controversy

Denied Entry in India and Deported

In February 2024, Nitasha Kaul came to India from the UK to attend the Karnataka government’s conference on the Constitution, she was invited by the Karnataka government to participate as a speaker in the two-day ‘Constitution and National Unity Convention -2024’. However, upon her arrival at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, she was denied entry into the country. According to her, she was not given entry into the country because of her democratic and constitutional opinions. The central government gave no official statement regarding her deportation. On 25 February 2024, she took to Twitter to describe the whole incident. She revealed that she was kept captive at the airport and had limited access to basic amenities like food and water. Her tweet read,

Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of #Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI).I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bangalore, several hours at immig where they shuttled me here & there, provided no info on process, then 24 hours in a holding cell (no BA flight back until next day) under direct cctv w restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London.

A picture shared by Nitasha Kaul on Twitter of herself showing her condition during the immigration process

By the evening of 25 February 2024, Nitasha Kaul shared a series of tweets describing her experience as Hallow and also said that she was not given any prior notice by the central government that she would not be allowed entry into the country. Although many people came to her support on Twitter, she was also trolled and called a Pakistani Sympathiser by many people online. Many rumours surfaced on the internet that she married a Pakistani man in England and turned into a Jihadi which she later clarified through a Twitter post, which read,

Re all the lies, I am not married to a Pakistani, not Muslim convert, not a pawn of China, not a puppet of West, not a commie, not a jihadi, not Pak sympathiser, not terrorist supporter, not anti-India, not part of a gang. I am what authoritarians fear- a thinking woman.”

Cancellation of OCI Status

She hit the headlines in May 2025 after her Overseas Citizen of India status was cancelled by the Indian government. According to the government, the cancellation took place because of her frequent stand against the Union government. She, however, defended herself by claiming that the status was cancelled as she “often questioned the policies of the Modi-led Indian government.”

A snippet of the notification issued by the Indian government

Achievements

• In 2009, she was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize Award 2009 for her first novel Residue. Her novel was the only debut novel on the list.

Facts/Trivia

• Nitasha Kaul enjoys travelling and has travelled to more than 70 countries across the globe.

• During her schooling, she received a commendation from Sonia Gandhi for volunteer work on heart care awareness (Project Hriday) in collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in 1993.

• Nitasha Kaul loves cats and often posts pictures of her with cats on social media.
  

  A picture of Nitasha Kaul with a cat

Lakshi

Yahya Bootwala is an Indian actor, writer, poet, storyteller, and anchor. He is known for being the writer of the short films Sheher Ya Tum (2018), Alisha (2019), and Butterflies (2020).

Wiki/Biography

Yahya Bootwala was born on Tuesday, 3 October 1995 (age 28 years; as of 2023) in Mumbai, Maharashtra. His zodiac sign is Libra.

A childhood picture of Yahya Bootwala

He pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media at National College in Mumbai, Maharashtra from 2013 to 2016. ^[1]Yahya Bootwala’s LinkedIn Account

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10″

Weight (approx.): 70 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

Not much is known about his parents. He has a sister.

Wife

On 27 November 2023, Yahya Bootwala got married to Khadija K.

Yahya Bootwala with Khadija K on their marriage day

Relationships/Affairs

He was in a relationship with Khadija K before marrying her in 2023.

Career

Television

Yahya Bootwala appeared on the television show “Sabse Smart Kon?” on Star Plus in 2018 and promoted his poem collection “Main Likhunga Tere Baare Mein.”

Yahya Bootwala in a still from the television show Sabse Smart Kon (2018)

Short Films

Yahya Bootwala made his acting debut with the 2013 short film Nadaan. In 2018, Yahya Bootwala was featured in the short film “Game – The Jigsaw Puzzle.”

Yahya Bootwala in a still from the short film Game – The Jigsaw Puzzle

He was part of the short film “Sheher Ya Tum” during the same year. This film received the Golden Gateway Award in MAMI Film Festival’s Dimensions Category.

The poster of the short film Sheher Ya Tum

Yahya Bootwala then acted in the short film “Alisha” in 2019. In 2023, he appeared in the YouTube mini-series called “Butterflies.”

Yahya Bootwala on the poster of the YouTube mini-series Butterflies

Content Writer

Yahya Bootwala joined ADC News as a freelance writer in September 2013. He worked as a content writer at ClapsnSlaps.com from August 2014 to November 2014. In 2014, he wrote a documentary film called Mahim Return for Acorn Foundation. Thereafter, he worked for a month at Media Ant Productions as an assistant director.

Yahya Bootwala while working as a content writer

Then, from May 2015 to July 2015, he worked as a web content writer at Fizzcount. In May 2016, he started as a senior content writer at PumpkinTeam and stayed until July 2016. In 2017, he began working as a copywriter and morning show producer at Radio Mirchi in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He is one of the founder writers of the page “Once Upon A Conversation.”

Yahya Bootwala on the poster of the page Once Upon A Conversation

Standup Comedy

In 2016, he also began his career as a stand-up comedian.

Yahya Bootwala delivering a standup comedy in 2016

Poet

In 2017, Yahya Bootwala’s poem collection “Shayad Wo Pyaar Nahi” became widely popular on social media.

The cover of the poem collection ‘Shayad Wo Pyaar Nahi’

Facts/Trivia

• He follows a non-vegetarian diet. ^[2]Yahya Bootwala’s Facebook Post

• Yahya Bootwala is also a motivational speaker. He often gives speeches at various public speaking events like TEDx.
  

  Yahya Bootwala on the invitation page of TEDx

• In his free time, Yahya Bootwala enjoys travelling to far-off destinations, going jet-skiing, playing badminton, and reading books.
  

  Yahya Bootwala while enjoying jet-skiing

• Once, in one of his social media posts, he mentioned that he enjoyed eating pizza often.
  

  Yahya Bootwala while enjoying a pizza

• During a talk with the media, he once mentioned that he had wanted to be an actor since he was a teenager. However, as he faced challenges, he discovered many other talents to make a living.

Jyotsna

Wiki/Biography

Maitreyi Devi was born on Tuesday, 10 September 1914 (age 74 years; at the time of death) in Chittagong, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Chattogram in Bangladesh). Her zodiac sign is Virgo. She grew up in Kolkata, where she was raised by Vaidya parents. Her love for literature was instilled by her father.

Maitreyi Devi in her childhood days

She did her schooling at St. John’s Diocesan Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Calcutta (now Kolkata) and pursued her graduation at the Jogamaya Devi College, University of Calcutta in Kolkata. Maitreyi was a student and disciple of Rabindranath Tagore, and her first book of poetry’s preface was written by him. This was published in 1930 when she was 16 years old.

Family & Caste

Maitreyi Devi belonged to a Vaidya family in Bengal. Vaidya or Baidya is a caste of Ayurvedic physicians who are identified as the Hindu community settled in Bengal.

Parents & Siblings

Her father, Surendranath Dasgupta, was an Indian Sanskrit and Philosophy scholar. Her mother, Himani Madhuri Rai, was the sister of Indian actor and director Himanshu Rai, the founder of Bombay Talkies movie studios.

Maitreyi Devi’s father, Surendranath Dasgupta

Maitreyi had 5 siblings, 2 sisters, and 3 brothers. Chitrita Devi (Gupta) (1919- 2006), Sumitra Majumdar (died in 2008), Subhayu Dasgupta, Sugata Dasgupta, and Prof. Subhachari Dasgupta. Chitrita Devi was also a writer, while all others served as valuable nation-builders.

Husband & Children

Maitreyi Devi was married to Dr. Manmohan Sen, a noted scientist, in 1934 and had two children. Her daughter, Madhusree Dasgupta, has a degree in philosophy and founded a school called Dolna.

Relationships/Affairs

Maitreyi Devi had an affair with a Romanian man, Mircea Eliade. He was invited by her father, whom she met when she was 16 years old. Eliade was 23 years old at that time. Upon knowing about their intimate relationship, Maitreyi’s father, Surendranath Dasgupta, asked Eliade to leave and never contact with Maitreyi in future; however, even without knowing about each other’s whereabouts, Maitreyi Devi accidentally met him again in Chicago when she happened to be there to deliver a lecture in the same university where Mircea was a professor. This rekindled their relationship.

Mircea Eliade, Romanian beloved of Maitreyi Devi

Signature/Autograph

Career

Writer

Maitreyi Devi’s most famous work is ‘Na Hanyate or It Does Not Die: A Romance.’ It was published in 1974 as a response to Mircea Eliade’s story ‘Maitreyi,’ which was published in 1933 but caught Maitreyi Devi’s attention in the 1970s. This semi-autobiographical book talks about the romantic relationship between Mircea and Maitreyi Devi during Eliade’s visit to India. Originally written in Bengali, it has been translated into various languages like French, Spanish, German, and Romanian. It got Maitreyi Devi the Sahitya Akedemi Award in 1976.

Bengali cover of the book, Na Hanyate by Maitreyi Devi

Maitreyi felt that Eliade’s version of their affair was exaggerated and sensationalized, holding less truth. In 1994, ‘It Does Not Die’ and ‘Bengal Nights’ were republished as companion volumes by the University of Chicago Press.

Other Works

Maitreyi Devi has written many books and poems in Bengali language. The other two notable ones are:

• Mongpute Rabindranath (Tagore by The Fireside) (1961)

• Rabindranath—The Man Behind His Poetry (1973)

Controversies

Many controversies were sparked about the rekindling of a romantic affair between Mircea Eliade and Maitreyi Devi after Eliade’s novel ‘ Maitreyi’ (also famous by its French title ‘La Nuit Bengali’) and its response story by Maitreyi Devi in her book, Na Hanyate were written. Written 40 years apart timelines, these books raised debates about whether their relationship was sexual or not.

Eliade Mircea and Maitreyi Devi

Awards

• Awarded a medal by the Indian Writers’ Association for ‘Na Hanyate’ (1975)

• Awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award (1976)

Death

Maitreyi Devi died on 29 January 1989.

Facts/Trivia

• She is the most famous Indian woman in Romania for being the main character of ‘La Nuit Bengali.’

• Rabindranath Tagore stayed at Maitreyi Devi’s house in Mungpu near Kalimpong, which was allotted to her husband. This house later became the Rabindra Bhavan (a museum). Here, Tagore wrote his famous poem ‘Janamdin.’ Maitreyi recorded this stay in a memoir titled ‘Mongpute Rabindranath.’
  

  House of Maitreyi Devi in Mongpu, where Rabindranath Tagore stayed

• An adaptation of Bengal Nights was developed into a film titled ‘The Bengali Night,’ starring Hugh Grant and Supriya Pathak, in 1988. Maitreyi Devi challenged the film, insisting that the name of the character Maitreyi should be changed to Gayatri, delaying the movie’s production.

• She was also a good singer. In 1932, she recorded the song ‘Madhukale El Holi’ with lyrics and music by Atul Prasad Sen.

• Maitreyi Devi is also remembered as a social worker. She started an organization named Khelaghar for the orphans of refugee camps.

• She was fond of agriculture, fish farming, sheep farming, cow farming, and poultry farming.

• The book ‘ Maitreyi’ is known by many names as it has many different language adaptations. The most famous one is its French adaptation titled ‘ La Nuit Bengali.’ Its English adaptation is titled as ‘Bengali Nights.’

• She founded the Council for the Promotion of Communal Harmony (1964)

• Maitreyi Devi became the Vice-President of the All-India Women’s Coordinating Council

Shifona

Sara Desai is an Irish-Indian author, who is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is known for her fictional rom-coms and mystery books.

Wiki/Biography

Sara Desai grew up in a small town in Northern Ontario, Canada. Before turning a full-time author, she did various jobs- as a lawyer, a radio DJ, a marathon runner, a historian, a bouncer, and a librarian. Presently, she resides in Vancouver Island with her husband and kids. She wrote her first story when she was in grade 3 for a public library competition that was held annually in her childhood town in North Ontario.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 7″

Weight (approx.): 65 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information about her parents and siblings.

Husband & Children

Sara Desai is married and has 3 kids.

Husband of Sara Desai

Signature/Autograph

Career

Sara Desai’s genre is romantic comedies and cosy mysteries. She uses a multicultural twist (from the Indian and Irish cultures) in her stories. The themes that she covers behind love and humour are heavier topics involving the differences and familial pressures that result from lovers coming from cross cultures. Her famous rom-com book releases are:

• The Marriage Game (2020)

• The Singles Table (2021)
  

  Sara Desai, celebrating the release of her book, The Single Table

• The Dating Plan (2021)

• To Have and to Heist (2023)

• ’TIL HEIST DO US PART (2024)

Her books- The Marriage Game, The Single Table, and The Dating Plan were released as a single series.

Achievements

• The Marriage Game was listed on Publishers Weekly’s Best Summer Romance Reads of 2020. It was also selected as one of Buzzfeed’s best romance books of 2020.

•  The Marriage Game was mentioned as 39th out of 42 on Oprah Magazine’s Best Romance of 2020 list.
  

  Sara Desai’s Instagram post about her book being praised by The Oprah Magazine

• The Dating Plan was one of Oprah Magazine’s Most Anticipated Romances of 2021.

• Her books have also appeared in various other prestigious newspapers and magazines, like Entertainment Weekly, Bookbub, Teen Vogue, People, Marie Claire, Pop Sugar, Bustle, Booklist, Hello Giggles, Kirkus, Library Journal, Frolic, USA Today, Woman’s World, and Hello! Canada.

Bike Collection

Sara Desai has two bikes, a Ducati Xdiavel that is featured in her book The Dating Plan, and a Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle.

Sara Desai’s bike, a Ducati Xdiavel

Sara Desai’s bike, Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle

Favourites

• Food: Nachos

• Bookstore: Munro’s Books in Victoria, Canada

• Books: Princess and the Goblin, The Dark Lover, Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh

Facts/Trivia

• Sara Desai is a coffee person.
  

  Sara Desai’s Instagram post about her love for coffee

• She has a huge collection of owls, which are gifted to her by her family and friends to mock her childhood incident of being attacked by an owl.

• Sara Desai loves flowers and often posts pictures on her social media handles.
  

  Sara Desai’s Instagram post about her love for flowers

• Sara Desai consumes alcohol occasionally. She has a post about having champagne at a party.
  

  Sara Desai’s post about Champagne on Instagram

• She is also a nature lover and keeps updating pictures of nature on her social media.
  

  Sara Desai’s Instagram post about nature view

Shifona

Khurshed Batliwala is an Indian author, wellness and sleep expert, meditation teacher, speaker, and personal coach. He is associated with the Art of Living Foundation.

Wiki/Biography

Khurshed Batliwala was born on Monday, 22 September 1969 (age 54 years; as of 2023) in Mumbai, Maharashtra. His zodiac sign is Virgo.

A childhood picture of Khurshed Batliwala with his sister

He did his schooling at Don Bosco High School in Matunga, Mumbai. From 1985 to 1988, he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics at G.N. Khalsa College in Mumbai. From 1991 to 1993, he pursued a Master of Science degree in Mathematics from IIT Bombay. ^[1]Khurshed Batliwala’s LinkedIn Details After finishing his formal education, Khurshed Batliwala chose to teach meditation instead of pursuing a career in math.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Hair Colour: Salt and Pepper

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

His father, Yezdi Batliwala, is a researcher.

Khurshed Batliwala with his father

His mother’s name is Aban Batliwala.

Khurshed Batliwala with his mother

He has a sister named Perviz Avari.

Perviz Avari

Wife

He is unmarried.

Religion

He is a Parsi. ^[2]Namaste India

Career

After joining the Art of Living Foundation as a teacher, he started arranging various events for the organization. He took on roles ranging from small tasks to managing events with over 200,000 attendees.

A young Khurshed Batliwala with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

He was appointed as a director of youth initiatives by Art of Living in November 1991. In March 1992, he began working as a senior faculty at the Art of Living Foundation in Bangalore, India.

A young Khurshed Batliwala in Art of Living

In May 2013, Khurshed Batliwala left his job as a director at Art of Living’s youth initiatives. Then, in June 2013, he became the dean of student affairs at Sri Sri University in Cuttack, Odisha. He stayed in this role until July 2015.

Khurshed Batliwala while at an Art of Living session

He is certified as a Cranio Sacral Therapist.

Khurshed Batliwala while providing Cranio Sacral Therapy (CST)

In September 2017, Khurshed Batliwala joined the Sri Sri Center of Healing Arts as its program director.

Literary Works

In December 2016, Khurshed Batliwala co-authored a book named ‘Ready Study Go!’ with Dinesh Ghodke. The book was published by Harper Collins India.

The cover of the book Ready, Study, Go! Smart Ways to Learn

In December 2018, he launched a book titled ‘Happiness Express,’ published by Amazon-Westland.

The cover of the book Happiness Express

In January 2022, Khurshed Batliwala released a book titled ‘Sleep Your Way to Success.’

The cover of the book Sleep Your Way to Success

Favourite

Quotes

• Wise men don’t predict the future, they make the future – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

• Final and complete healing comes from deep within – from the Soul itself – Dr Edward Bach

• To find Health should be the aim of a true healer. Anyone can find disease – Dr Andrew Taylor Still

Facts/Trivia

• He also goes by the name Bawa. ^[3]Khurshed Batliwala’s Facebook Details

• Khurshed Batliwala follows a vegetarian diet. ^[4]Khurshed Batliwala’s Instagram Post

• He loves the environment and often joins tree planting and clean-up events organised in India. He frequently takes part in Yogathon and walks arranged for social causes.

• Khurshed Batliwala has led numerous workshops covering topics such as mind mapping, cooking vegetarian meals, and appreciating Western classical music.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala during a spiritual workshop (left) and while making vegetarian food (right)

• On 12 March 2017, he hosted a workshop named ‘Use Your Brain,’ inspired by his book. The workshop focused on effective and enjoyable learning techniques, aiming to make studying more efficient.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala on the invitation of a workshop named ‘Use Your Brain’

• In his free time, Khurshed Batliwala enjoys listening to music, playing the piano, running a café at the Art of Living Bangalore Ashram, and taking walks.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala while playing a piano

• He has created a board game called ‘Mumbai Connection.’

• Khurshed Batliwala is a well-known motivational speaker, representing Art of Living both nationally and internationally. He frequently gives TEDx talks across India and combines modern technology with ancient Indian wisdom to address modern challenges.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala while delivering a lecture at TEDx

• His hobbies include travelling to religious sites, meditating, watching films and theatre, teaching, and reading spiritual books.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala while reading a book

• Khurshed Batliwala loves animals and birds. He has a pet dog and a cat. he frequently uploads pictures of his pet on social media.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala while posing with a cat

• He is a fitness enthusiast and regularly does physical exercise. He often shares pictures of his exercise sessions on social media.
  

  Khurshed Batliwala while doing physical exercise

Jyotsna

Greenstone Lobo is an Indian scientific astrologist and author. He is the CEO and founder of the 16 Planet Scientific Astrology. He has made accurate predictions of Indian cricket, politics, and celebrities. He is famous for his sports predictions and is well-known for predicting the results of various World Cup tournaments.

Wiki/Biography

Greenstone Aloysius Lobo pursued his BSc in Chemistry from 1992 to 1994 from the University of Mumbai in Maharashtra, India. From 2008 to 2009, he pursued an MBA in Human Resources from the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology at the Sikkim Manipal University (formerly known as the Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Sciences). In March 2021 he returned to the University of Mumbai’s VES (Vivekanand Education Society) Institute of Management as a research scholar in Organisational Leadership. ^[1]LinkedIn

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Hair Colour: Bald

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information about Greenstone’s parents and siblings.

Wife & Children

His wife’s name is Darshana Lobo. She is a yoga instructor. Greenstone has a son named Neil Lobo.

Greenstone Lobo (left) with Darshana Lobo, and his son, Neil Lobo

Signature/Autograph

A clip from Greenstone Lobo’s Instagram post of him signing his autograph on his book, 91 Predictions

Career

Former Jobs

From 1994 to 1997, Greenstone worked as a medical representative at Aventis Deutschland (formerly known as Hoechst AG) in Bhopal. From 1997 to 2000, he was the Senior Medical Representative of Imperial Chemical Industries in Mumbai. From 2000 to 2003, he was a trainer and business development manager at Orbits International in Mumbai. From 2003 to 2005, he worked as the business development and training manager at Hindustan Unilever Limited (Network Marketing Division) in Indore. After this, he worked as a training manager at Max Life Insurance Company Limited in Mumbai until 2006. From 2006 to 2008, he worked as a training manager at Standard Chartered in Mumbai. From 2011 to 2012, he was the Associate Vice President of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC, formerly known as the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation). From 2008 to 2022, Greenstone worked at IDBI Federal Life Insurance (currently known as Ageas Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd.). ^[2]LinkedIn

Astrologer

Greenstone Lobo has been working as an Astrologer since 2005. He studied the Indian and Western systems of astrology and found that many limitations left him dissatisfied. He went on to develop systems to make predictions and interpret birth charts that were based on principles of Science. He also did research and supported the validity of astrology scientifically. Greenstone makes predictions of major life events and states on his website that he has made over 50,000 horoscopes, including those of many celebrities. He has also worked as a scientific astrologer for a film by producer Suraj Singh.

Greenstone Lobo (centre) with actress, Revathy Asha and film producer, Suraj Singh

According to Greenstone, he doesn’t rely on the traditional mystic or psychic elements but makes predictions based on extensive research and the analysis of horoscopes. He also works towards debunking myths and offers “logical alternatives” to beliefs, rituals and astrological phenomena. He conducts consultations and horoscope readings on various aspects of life, including career, relationships, financial affairs, and death. On his website, he stated that when he first started studying astrology, he was a non-believer, and his mind was changed only after he adopted a scientific methodology which helped him collect evidence that allegedly proves that astrology is valid. Greenstone also conducts consultations on match-making, for muhurat (a measurement of time followed by astrologers to find the “auspicious time”), and for pre/post-marital counselling. Greenstone is a visiting astrologer in the Illuminations Well Being Centre, Dubai’s largest wellness centre.

Famous Predictions

Greenstone is well-known for making predictions about various celebrities. In 2014, he predicted that Tiger Shroff would become a “superstar”.

Greenstone Lobo (right) who predicted in 2014 that Tiger Shroff’s (left) career would be extremely successful

Most of his predictions revolve around sports, especially cricket. Greenstone accurately predicted the winners of three consecutive Cricket World Cups – in 2011, 2015, and 2019, correctly predicting the Indian, Australian, and England team’s victories. Along with the winners, Greenstone also predicted the performance of players. He also predicted the outcomes of the Indian General Elections in 2009, 2014, and 2019. In 2021, Greenstone predicted that Johnny Depp’s legal issues would go in his favour. Later, Greenstone made an Instagram post stating that the legal issue in question was the trial between Depp and Amber Heard, which commenced in 2022.

Greenstone Lobo’s Instagram post which outlines the predictions he made for Johnny Depp and the reality

Teaching Courses

In addition to his predictions, Greenstone is the CEO and founder of 16 Planet Scientific Astrology, where he teaches courses on astrology both online and offline. He has instructed over a thousand students, and some of his students also became practising astrologers. He also runs online and offline workshops.

Author

Greenstone Lobo has served as a columnist for Anandabazar Patrika and Sportskeeda.com. His opinions, advisory columns, predictions, and articles have appeared in various publications including Times of India, Mumbai Mirror, The Telegraph, Life Positive, and Sangbad Pratidin. Since 2008, he has contributed a regular column on sports astrology called Octozone in the Indian newspaper, DNA.

A clipping of Greenstone Lobo’s sports prediction column in the DNA newspaper, where he predicted Ravindra Jadeja’s (cricketer) career

In 2015, his book “What is Your True Zodiac Sign?” was published. In this book, instead of the standard 12 zodiac types, Greenstone put out a possible 186 personality types based on the permutation and combination of the different sun and star signs.

Greenstone Lobo (left) and Tiger Shroff (centre) at the launch of Greenstone’s book, “What Is Your True Zodiac Sign?”

Examples he gives in the book of famous people’s “true” signs are,

Narendra Modi is not just a meticulous and hard-working Virgo, but also a zealous and decisive Scorpio, aka VirScorp. Salman Khan is not a stuffy, politically correct and conservative Capricorn, but an outspoken, passionate and rebellious Scorpio-Sagittarius-Aquarius ie, ScorpSagAqua. Sachin Tendulkar is not a bull-headed Taurean, but a forceful, powerful, playful yet down-to-earth AriSagPisces. Barack Obama is not a flamboyant and arrogant Leo, but a sensitive yet tough TauCan.” ^[3]Amazon

In 2019, he released his book “Howzzat?” in which he made predictions about Indian cricket and the 2019 World Cup.

Greenstone Lobo holding his book, “Howzzat?”

In the book, he made a popular prediction when he said,

Virat Kohli’s birth year is not the only reason for India losing the World Cup. We could have won the World Cup if the team had no Dhoni. I have utmost respect for Dhoni, even though I may not like it much myself, I need to speak objectively from the perspective of an Indian astrologer and I can see that Dhoni’s presence in the 2019 Indian squad could well rob India’s another great chance to win a World Cup.” ^[4]Deccan Chronicle

In 2023, his book, “91 Predictions – The Fate of the World and Its People in the Next Half Century” was published.

Greenstone Lobo holding his book, “91 Predictions – The Fate of the World and Its People in the Next Half Century”

Controversy

False Predictions

Greenstone Lobo has faced criticism for giving out false predictions. Internet users have stated that Greenstone was rude and unpleasant to have a session with. They also put out examples of his false predictions. He has also been criticised for his opinions against Hindu/Vedic astrology.

Award

• In 2019, Greenstone Lobo won the WOW Award for his “extraordinary contribution to the field of astrology”.

• In 2022, The Economic Times presented Greenstone with the “Inspiring Personalities” award for his work as a scientific astrologer and author.
  

  Greenstone Lobo (right) receiving the Inspiring Personalities Award in 2022

Tattoo

Greenstone Lobo has a tattoo of a scorpion on the back of his right hand.

A picture of Greenstone Lobo’s right hand, featuring his scorpion tattoo

Facts/Trivia

• According to Greenstone’s website, astrology was a hobby he started in 1986 and his chemistry book had more horoscopes than chemical formulae.

• Greenstone Lobo’s favourite author is Linda Goodman.

• Greenstone hosted the “Modern Astrology” segment on the Tata Sky Astro Duniya channel in 2020. He has also appeared on radio shows such as RadioCity, Radio One, Radio Mirchi, and KCOR (an American radio station).
  

  Greenstone Lobo (left) after recording a radio show for the RadioCity station

• Greenstone posts videos of his astrology predictions on YouTube. As of February 2024, his YouTube channel “ScientificAstrologer” has 92.2K subscribers. He also posts videos on his Instagram account on which he has 152K followers as of February 2024.

• Greenstone Lobo attends various events and shows where he delivers talks. He also hosts the podcast “Karmic Konnection” with Salil Acharya (Radio Jockey, Video Jockey, and actor). It was launched in 2022, and the duo discusses topics such as Bollywood, cricket, and the stock market.
  

  Greenstone Lobo (extreme right) on the poster of his podcast Karmic Konnection, with his co-host, Salil Acharya

Sharon

Joe D’Cruz is a well-known Indian novelist, commercial shipping professional, and documentary filmmaker who has made significant contributions to Tamil cinema, Indian literature, and social welfare.

Wiki/Biography

R. N. Joe D’Cruz ^[1]Joe D’Cruz’s LinkedIn Account was born in 1969 (age 54 years; as of 2023) in Village Uvari, district Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India. He studied in the schools of the Uvari and Idaiyangudi villages. After completing his school education, he went to Loyola College in Chennai, Tamil Nadu to pursue an M.A. degree in Economics. Later, he received an M.Phil degree at St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu.

Physical Appearance

Hair Colour: Salt and Pepper

Eye Colour: Black

Family & Caste

Joe D’Cruz belongs to a ‘Roman Catholic Paravar,’ in Uvari, a coastal village.

Parents & Siblings

Not much is known about his parents.

Joe D’Cruz with his mother

Wife & Children

His wife’s name is Sasikala D’Cruz, and the couple has two children.

Other Relatives

His grandfather’s name is Thomas Andrew.

Career

Ship Management

Joe D’Cruz joined the commercial shipping industry soon after completing his higher studies.

A young Joe D’Cruz while working for a ship management company in Tamil Nadu

For more than three decades, he worked as the President of NTC Logistics Private Limited and Vice President of J.M. Baxi & Company.

Literary Works

In 2004, Joe D’Cruz published a book of Tamil poems titled ‘Pulambazhkal.’ His writings mostly talk about the history and lives of Parathavar fishermen in Tamil Nadu.

The cover of the book ‘Pulambazhkal’ by Joe D’Cruz

In 2005, he released his novel ‘Aazhi Soozh Ulagu,’ which earned the Tamil Nadu State Government Literary Award and the Tamil Literary Garden Award. In this novel, he highlighted the lives of the fishermen who used catamarans and their conversion to Christianity.

The cover of the novel ‘Aazhi Soozh Ulagu’ by R. N. Joe D’Cruz

Joe D’Cruz’s novel ‘Korkai’ was released in 2009 and won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2013. The novel is based on the story of an ancient port city ruled by the Early Pandyan Kingdom. It focuses on the pearl and conch divers of the 20th-century community.

The cover of the novel ‘Korkai’ by R. N. Joe D’Cruz

His other literary works include Asthinapuram (2016), Verpiditha Vilai Nilangal (2017), Kavanam Thedum Kadaloram (2019), and Padaipugalin Uraiyadal (2020).

Documentary Films

He made a documentary film ‘Vidiyatha Pozhuthukal’ in 2008. In 2010, Joe D’Cruz released another documentary named ‘Towards Dawn,’ which primarily focused on the hardships faced by Tamil fishermen. He then scripted the dialogues for the Tamil movie ‘Maryan’ in 2013.

The poster of the Tamil film ‘Maryan’

Social Work

Joe D’Cruz is associated with a non-profit group Samskrita Bharati as its state president in Tamil Nadu. This group is dedicated to safeguarding the Sanskrit language.

Logo of Samskrita Bharati NGO

In 2011, he voiced against the Kudankulam nuclear power project and stated reasons for its negative impact on the livelihoods of fishermen.

A rally organised against the establishment of the Kudankulam nuclear power project in 2011

He believes in the importance of improving existing ports in India rather than beginning new port projects. So, in 2017, he opposed the proposed ‘International Container Transhipment Terminal’ at Enayam in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.

A march against the ‘International Container Transhipment Terminal’ at Enayam (2017)

In 2017, the Government of India appointed Joe D’Cruz as a member of the National Shipping Board in the Ministry of Shipping.

A young Joe D’Cruz while working for a ship management company in Tamil Nadu

Joe D’Cruz often supports Indian LGBTQA+ activist Gopi Shankar Madurai. He has worked on the advisory board of Srishti Madurai, a volunteer group for LGBTQA+ students.

Awards

• 2013: Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel ‘Korkai’

• 2024: Padma Shri in the field of literature and education

Facts/Trivia

• During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Joe D’Cruz showed his support for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, on his Facebook page. He faced threats and hate mail as a result. ^[2]The Indian Express

• In that same year, he planned to translate his book “Aazhi Soozh Ulagu” from Tamil to English. However, the publisher, S. Anand, and the translator, V. Geetha, stopped the translation in response to Joe D’Cruz’s support for Modi.

• After facing criticism from his peers, Joe D’Cruz clarified the reason for halting the book’s translation during a media discussion. He stated,
  

  It is because of my opinion expressed on Facebook as Narendra Modi is the right choice for PM. I think their actions show the form of narrow mentality.”

• He criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017, blaming them for strengthening caste systems, Manu Smriti, and empowering violent political forces over beef consumption. ^[3]The Hindu

• Thereafter, Joe D’Cruz criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not helping the poor. He also disagreed with the BJP government’s plan for a ‘Maritime Container Terminal’ at Enayam in Tamil Nadu, saying it would be like a natural disaster despite claims it’s a natural harbour.

• He supported the ‘Sampark Se Samarthan’ (Contact for Support) program, which was led by PM Narendra Modi in 2018.
  

  Joe D’Cruz while supporting the ‘Sampark Se Samarthan’ (Contact for Support) programme (2018)

• Joe D’Cruz likes smoking cigars on various occasions.
  

  Joe D’Cruz while smoking a cigar

Jyotsna

Anurag Pathak is an Indian writer. In 2023, he became popularly known after the film 12th Fail for being an honest and supportive friend to Manoj Sharma, an IPS officer. His character is named Pritam Pandey and is depicted by Anant Joshi in the film ’12th Fail.’

Wiki/Biography

Anurag Pathak was born on Thursday, 5 August 1976 (age 47 years; as of 2023) in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. His zodiac sign is Leo. He pursued an M.A. and Ph.D. in Hindi Literature at Maharani Laxmibai Arts and Commerce College, Gwalior. He resides in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 8″

Weight (approx.): 70 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Brown

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information about his parents and siblings.

Wife & Children

Anurag Pathak is married. The couple has two children.

Career

On 1 January 2016, Anurag Pathak published his first Hindi-language book titled ‘What’s App Par Kranti,’ which is a compilation of short stories talking about the impact of social media in today’s modern world. In 2019, he published the Hindi-language book titled 12th Fail, which is a biography of an IPS officer, Manoj Sharma, who is also one of his close friends.

Anurag Pathak (second from left) presenting his book 12th fail to Manoj Sharma (second from right) and his wife (extreme right)

In September 2022, he published the book ‘Adhoore Panne, Ek Soch,’ which is a compilation of various poems and songs. In October 2023, the second part of the book ‘Adhoore Panne, Ek Soch’ was released.

Facts/Trivia

• Anurag Pathak was a fellow UPSC aspirant of Manoj Sharma. He introduced Manoj Sharma to the world of UPSC and encouraged him to become an IPS officer.
  

  Anurag Pathak (extreme right) with Manoj Sharma and Shraddha

• In 2023, his book ’12th Fail’ was developed into a Hindi-language film starring Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankar, which soon became a hit.

• His character in the film 12th Fail was named Pritam Pandey and was portrayed by Anant Joshi. In an interview, Manoj Sharma while talking about his bond with Anurag Pathak, said,
  

  Anurag is one such friend who has been there and supported me in life like no one else could ever. He is the definition of the word friendship. He was the one getting money from home. I had nothing on me. But he would give me his wallet and then ask me for Rs 8 of his own money to buy Chow Mein.”

Kritika

Keshava Guha is an Indian writer and editor, who rose to prominence as a fiction author with his debut novel, Accidental Magic, in 2019. He is the son of a notable historian and all-round intellectual Ramachandra Guha.

Wiki/Biography

Keshava Guha was born in 1990 (age 34 years; as of 2024) in Delhi, India. He was raised and schooled in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) by a family of intellectuals in which both his mother and father enjoyed reading. From 2008 to 2013, he earned his BA in history and politics at Harvard University, Cambridge, United States, and an MA, from 2017 to 2018, in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London. Keshava pursued a Columbia Publishing course at the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. From 2021 to 2024, he did a PhD in Philosophy. Currently, Keshava Guha is based in London, United Kingdom.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 11″

Hair Colour: Salt & Pepper

Eye Colour: Black

Family & Caste

Keshava Guha belongs to a Tamil Brahmin family, where everyone is passionate about reading.

Parents & Siblings

Keshava Guha’s father, Ramachandra Guha, is a noted Indian historian and intellectual. His mother, Sujata Keshavan, is a reputed businesswoman, who founded Ray + Keshavan and Varana. She is a professional graphic designer, who is presently a Creative Director at a fashion clothing brand, Varana that is founded to uplift Indian artisanal skills.

(From Right to Left) – Keshava Guha, Sujata Keshavan Guha, Ira Guha, and Ramachandra Guha

Wife & Children

Keshava Guha is unmarried and has no children.

Other Relatives

Keshava Guha’s maternal grandfather, Narasimha Keshavan, was a reader and designer. His maternal grandmother, Shanti Chari, was also a well-read lady, who as an undergraduate student of literature and philosophy at St. John’s College, Agra, India, won the college’s inaugural Drew-Sully Prize for philosophy.

Shanti Chari, maternal grandmother of Keshava Guha

Maternal grandparents of Keshava Guha on their wedding day, 1949. With them are her father sitting in a kurta pyjama, her niece and nephew, and her beloved little sister Geeta (far right)

Keshava’s paternal grandfather, Subramaniam Ramdas Guha, was a research professional and director at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India, and his paternal grandmother was a high school teacher.

Career

Writer

Right after finishing his studies, Keshava Guha worked as a freelance journalist to engage and focus himself on writing his own stories. Apart from his blogs and columns on different subjects, fiction novel writing is his forte.

Fictions

• Accidental Magic is Keshava Guha’s debut fiction book, which was launched in 2019 at the Bangalore Literature Festival. This novel is a treat for Harry Potter fans in which Keshava has used the Harry Potter nostalgia as a bridge to bring his characters together. The underlying theme of the novel is an exploration of questions of loneliness, belonging, and friendship across cultures and generations.
  

  Keshava Guha’s debut novel, Accidental Magic

• The Tiger’s Share is a fiction story written in a novel style by Keshava Guha as an assignment of his master’s course on Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London. The plot is set in contemporary Delhi.

Journals

Keshava Guha has worked for numerous Indian and International publications as a columnist; his writings range from literature, culture, sports, and politics. In the list are his contributions to NDTV, Frontline India, Scroll.in, Hindustan Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Standard, Die Welt, Time Out, Caravan, and the Night Watchman.

Book Reviews

Keshava Guha is associated with The Hindu in India and Literary Review in the UK, where he writes in-depth essays about his reviews on contemporary and popular books and writers.

Editor

Keshava Guha worked as a senior editor for fiction novels at Juggernauts Books, from 2019 to 2021.

Favourites

• Books: Achieving Our Country by Richard Rorty and works of Swami Vivekananda and Mahadev Govind Ranade

• Novelists: Penelope Fitzgerald and Shirley Hazzard

• Poet: Philip Larkin

Facts/Trivia

• Keshava Guha is a sports fan, with cricket and football being his favourites. Right from childhood, books and cricket have been his two favourite things.
  

  A childhood picture of Keshava Guha, holding a book and a bat, his two favourite things

• Keshava Guha is an animal lover. He had a pet dog named Pamba; he lost Pamba in 2022.
  

  Keshava Guha with his dog Pamba 

• Like his father, Keshava Guha is known for his public conversation on the game of cricket. He was part of a session titled Cricket: Facts And Fiction at the Jaipur Literary Fest.

• Keshava Guha is a fan of the U.K. quiz competition T.V. show ‘Jeopardy ‘ and has been a contestant in it.
  

  Keshava Guha playing The Jeopardy

Shifona

Paul Lynch is an Irish novelist. He has won numerous prestigious accolades including the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award (2018) for his novel Grace and the Booker Prize (2023) for his novel Prophet Song.

Wiki/Biography

Paul Lynch was born on  Monday, 9 May 1977 (age 46 years; as of 2023) in Limerick, Ireland. His zodiac sign is Taurus. When he was an infant, his family moved to Donegal, where he spent his childhood in remote Malin Head. His mother taught him to read when he was four using flash cards from a cereal box.

He became a reader with a shortened version of King Solomon’s Mines (1885), a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer Sir H. Rider Haggard. At that time, Lynch was eight. In an interview, he described reading his first book and said,

I will never forget that first feeling of being overpowered by a great book. I used to read every night until two or three in the morning. I used to read books sneakily under the desk 
at school.”

A voracious reader as a kid, Lynch took up a job in the town’s only bookshop at 11 just so he could get free books. Recalling his days at the bookshop, in an interview, He said,

The pay was terrible. Two pounds for a Saturday, I think. I used to have to wash mugs in a hand basin in smelly toilets and drink tea with sour milk. I didn’t mind so much, though — I was devouring every book within sight.”

He enrolled in the University College Dublin (UCD) to learn English and philosophy, but he dropped out the college. ^[1]The Irish Times  In his twenties, he played in a rock band, performing on stages around Dublin. Later, he started living in Dublin with his family.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10″

Hair Colour: Brown

Eye Colour: Brown

Family

Parents & Siblings

Lynch’s father worked for the Irish Coast Guard, and his mother was an adult literacy teacher. Lynch is the middle child of three siblings.

Wife & Children

He was married to Sarah Lynch, but later they separated. He has two children, one of them is a girl.

Career

Paul Lynch spent his twenties trying to avoid being a writer as he was terrified of failure. Reading throughout his childhood and teenage had made his standards for fiction impossibly high. At the age of 30, he had an epiphany on a hillside while on holiday in Lipari in Sicily. It was at that moment that Lynch knew that he had to start writing. He rushed back to his hotel and wrote his first short story. It took him three years to write his first novel. He worked as a journalist, the chief film critic of Ireland’s Sunday Tribune newspaper from 2007 to 2011. He regularly wrote for The Sunday Times on film, before becoming a full-time novelist. In 2013, Lynch published his first book Red Sky in Morning, which earned him massive critical acclaimation United States and France.

It was the subject of a six-publisher auction in London. The book took its inspiration from a television documentary detailing the digging at Duffy’s Cut, a location near Philadelphia where, during the 1830s, Irish immigrants—primarily from Ulster—were found in a mass grave without any markings. These Irishmen died of Cholera. The novel explores subjects like migration, racism, and cruelty against Irish immigrants. The book was a finalist for France’s Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (Best Foreign Book Prize) and was nominated for the Prix du Premier Roman (First Novel Prize). His second book, The Black Snow, was published in the UK and Ireland in 2014 and in the US in 2015.

The novel depicts the homecoming of an Irish migrant to his original community in County Donegal and the tragic events that unfold when a cowshed catches fire. In France, the book won the French Booksellers’ Award Prix Libr’à Nous for Best Foreign Novel and the first Prix des Lecteurs Privat. It was also nominated for the Prix Femina and the Prix du Roman Fnac (Fnac Novel Prize). On 7 June 2017, Lynch’s third novel Grace was published in paperback by Oneworld.

The book is about a young girl trying to survive during the Irish Famine. It’s a story of her growing up and facing challenges. The Washington Post called Grace “a moving work of lyrical and at times hallucinatory beauty… that reads like a hybrid of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.” In 2018, Paul Lynch received the €15,000 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award 2017 for Grace, presented during the inaugural evening of Listowel Writers’ Week in Kerry. The book was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction in 2018, the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing in 2018, the Grand Prix de L’Héroïne in 2019, and Prix Jean-Monnet de Littérature Européenne in 2019. It was in June’s Irish Times Book Club selected title. In 2019, Lynch published his fourth novel, Beyond the Sea. The book narrates the haunting story of two men stranded at sea who push against their physical and mental limits to stay alive.

In 2023, Lynch gained international stardom when his fifth novel Prophet Song won the Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards. The book was inspired by the Syrian war and refugee crisis. Set in Dublin, the novel tells the challenges faced by the Stack family, especially Eilish Stack, a mother of four who is working to protect her family as the Republic of Ireland descends into totalitarianism.

 Themes and Style

All of Lynch’s deal with Irish history and all of his characters suffer. He gained popularity for his poetic, lyrical style, and exploration of complex themes.Growing up in Donegal, he felt like an outsider, which is deeply evident in his books. In an interview, talking about the same, he said,

I felt isolated as a child, I felt that I didn’t belong because I was told consistently by other kids that I was an outsider so I grew up with that sense of not belonging. And you’ll see that deeply in my books, a lot of my characters have that outsider mentality. If you’re a sensitive, intuitive male, which I am, then that presents challenges growing up.”

In an interview, Lynch revealed that Prophet Song’s origins came from the Syrian refugee crisis. In 2015, a two-year-old Syrian boy named Alan Kurdi made global headlines after his tiny body washed up on a beach in Turkey amid the European refugee crisis. The event led Lynch to start writing Prophet Song.

Awards

• 2016: Prix des Lecteurs Privat for his novel Grace

• 2016: Prix Libr’à Nous for Best Foreign Novel for his novel Grace

• 2018: The Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award for his novel Grace

• 2020: Ireland Francophonie Ambassadors’ Literary Award for his novel Grace

• 2022: Prix Gens de Mer for his novel Beyond the Sea

• 2023: Booker Prize for his novel Prophet Song
  

  Paul Lynch after winning the Booker Prize (2023)

Facts/Trivia

• A music lover, Lynch has a huge collection of jazz records, and he has two metal-styled electric guitars.

• In an interview, Lynch revealed that he spent four years working on Prophet Song (2023). He started writing it just before his son was born, and by the time he finished, his son was able to ride a bike.

• At 45, he was diagnosed with cancer. He had a tumour in his kidney. He underwent surgery for it in 2023.

Tamanpreet