Interview with award winning author, Ramendra Kumar

1.Do you love hockey a lot? The last picture book you wrote for Pratham books was centred around Hockey. A Tsunami Called Naani also has a bit of hockey.

I love all sports and enjoy writing about them.  Three novels and several award winning short stories of mine have sports as the central theme.

2.                  Apart, from writing books, conducting parenting workshops has been one of your priorities? Why?

During the time of our parents and grandparents parenting was no big deal. In fact in almost all cases it was a shared responsibility. Since then the onslaught of change has created a new society, a new culture and a new value system.   The responsibility of bringing up the child now rests squarely on the parents with little support available from paid help or family. This apart, the expectations of the parents from the child and vice versa have increased phenomenally.  All these changes put together have turned every concept, ideal and principle of parenting on its head.   

My parenting workshops are based on my book - Effective Parenting : A New Paradigm. In this book I have tried to create a Paradigm of Effective Parenting comprising Five Pillars of Sharing, Caring, Fun and Joy, Healthy Living and Invaluable Values.  The Paradigm is based on ideas culled from my own experiences as a child from a broken home, my observations as a writer for children and my own struggles as a parent.

3. You are leaning towards writing more novellas than picture books.

Not exactly I have been writing in all genres, always.

4. What online tools/ people/ books have helped you grow as a writer?

My interactions with my own children and the kids who participate in my workshops and storytelling sessions have always been my source of inspiration. Social media has provided a platform to reach out to my readers in an effectual way.  I turn to books on a regular basis   for solace and succour. My greatest mood-elevator has always been the inimitable P.G.Wodehouse!

5. Do you have writer’s block? How do you overcome it?

I have never suffered from a writer’s block. Whenever I get stuck I simply change my genre of writing and plod on.

6.Being in Rourkela, what is the biggest challenge you have, when it comes to marketing books? How do you counter this challenge?

Rourkela is a non-happening place as far as writing in English is concerned. There are hardly any seminars or interaction sessions devoted. Every time I am invited I participate in children’s literature festivals, seminars and workshops and I try to remain in circulation.

6.How much time was spent on researching for “A   Tsunami called Naani”? 

A few years ago I was down with T.B for a couple of months. Instead of moping, cursing faith or watching TV I decided to write a novel which was full of  exuberance and chutzpah.  I thought this was the best way of fighting the moody blues. I did not do any research.  As  far as the lifestyle of the parents is concerned it was based on  whatever  knowledge I had.

8.                   There is a character with special needs in ‘A Tsunami’ called Naani.  Your latest book with Duckbill is also about a child with special needs.  Coincidence?  Or is it a conscious attempt to make children with special needs more acceptable in books and real life?
                                                    

I have been writing short stories about children with special needs for   many years now. I sincerely believe that they need our empathy not pity and have to be brought into the mainstream. Against All Odds is my first book which deals entirely with a specially abled child - a boy who is one-armed. I had seen a footballer in my hometown Hyderabad who was differently abled. The kernel of the story is inspired by him.

9.                  The Naani in your book is a progressive, youthful, furious and spirted one.  Was it based on your own Naani or someone else?  

She is entirely a figment of my own imagination.

10.              Could you describe your process of writing A   Tsunami called Naani? Was it based on an incident or a character?

Stories have been written about uncles, aunts, dads, mums, brothers and sisters but not about a Naani.   I wanted to create a character who is completely different from the stereotype and through her talk about two marginalised sections of the society – the differently abled kids and the senior citizens.  I also brought in a few other strands like the plight of children with over ambitious parents and the reality behind the ‘Reality Shows.’

 To know more about Ramendra Kumar visit www.ramendra.in
 To buy A Tsunami Called Naani(Mango Books)  click here.
To buy Against All Odds(Duckbill)  click here.