Shruthi Rao's book on Indian Personalities

US based  author, Shruthi Rao, is out with a nonfiction book for children.
Published by  Talking Cub, 20 Indians Who Changed The World is a
 collection of  Indian personalities who made a difference in this world.


                                                  
How did this project come about?

Sudeshna Shome Ghosh, editor at Talking Cub, asked me to write it.

How long did you take to write the book?

About a year, including zeroing in on the personalities, research, writing and editing.

What was the biggest challenge in writing this book? Was it easy to find offline research
materials in US?

The biggest challenge – too much information, too little information, diffused information,
conflicting information. To collate it all into one structured write up was very, very hard.

Offline research material wasn’t difficult to find. I had the wonderful library system to fall
back on.

What was your selection criteria for choosing the personalities in the book?

The basic criterion was whether the work and actions of the personality have had an
influence across the world, and not just in India. And I took it from there. Even just
arriving at the final 20 required tons of research.



How different is your creation from the other books on famous personalities in the market?

For one, these are not just biographies of the personalities. I discuss their work in detail
and how they’ve influenced the world.  This leads to loads of interesting tidbits that I bet
most of us didn’t know before. Besides, I haven’t glossed over their shortcomings and the
controversies surrounding them. I’ve tried to bring out the person as they were, warts and all.

Who is your favourite personality from the book?

No favourites! But I loved researching the ancients – particularly Panini and Bhaskaracharya.
It was challenging to find information, and when I did find the information, it was difficult to
understand their work, and then, once I understood it, it was hard to explain it in words that
a casual reader will understand. The result is really satisfying.  

Is this  your first nonfiction book?  Your next nonfiction book on 10 women personalities
from Duckbill is also nonfiction. Is there a conscious shift to write nonfiction?

This is my third non-fiction book. The first was a collection of science experiments, and the second
was The Secret Garden, a book on ecology and the relationship between the Fig and the Wasp.

My next book is Ten Indian Women Who Were the First to Do What They Did, with Duckbill.
And no, it wasn’t a conscious shift – Duckbill asked if I would write it when I was in the middle
of writing 20 Indians. I was enjoying writing non-fiction so much and the thought of learning
about pioneering women was so close to my heart that I embraced it happily.

Your award winning chapter book ‘Manya Learns To Roar’ was recently turned into a play.

It is both humbling and terrifying, when something you created develops a life of its own, away
from you. The play received great reviews, and that’s gratifying.

How does it feel to be writing in US and be away from the scene of action for book releases and
promotion?When will your readers get to see you in person? Is a visit to India in the pipeline?

I do feel like I’m missing out on all the action, sitting here all by myself. I’m visiting in July,
though.



How was your experience of working with Sudeshna Shome, one of the senior editors in the industry?

Sudeshna Shome Ghosh was firm, gentle and really sweet. She gave me a free hand but was
present in the background all along.

To  buy a copy of Shruthi Rao's  20 Indians Who Changed The World  click here.

(PS:  I am an  affiliate of Amazon. When you buy the book through the above hyperlink, I will receive a small percentage of sales which helps me run Kahani Takbak, a platform to promote Indian books, author and illustrators.)

To know more about Shruthi Rao visit www.shruthi-rao.com