The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Discovering a writer's `touch'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 23, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Discovering a writer's `touch'

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: As noted writer Geetha Hariharan rounded off her definition of "discovery" as the realisation of someone with promise, 23-year-old Meena Kandaswamy appeared just the right candidate to fit that description. Meena's insightful rendition of her deepest thoughts, recollected for publication in "Touch" was an instance of what Hariharan called, a talent nurtured.

Almost half a century older than Meena, Suraiyya herself had acknowledged young Meena's "superior poetic vision."

On Thursday, confidently parroting her own lyrics to a motley yet attentive audience at the Crossword bookstore, the poet in Meena came alive.

Her well-crafted "Algorithm for converting a Shudra into a Brahmin" was first advocated by the Father of the Nation, 60 summers ago.

The rendition by Meena gave it a contemporary, equally relevant twist.

Ms. Hariharan had arrived much early in a world where the creative pen reigned.

For Meena, despite her achievements — her poems had won top prizes in pan-Indian contests, she had been the editor of an alternative magazine of the Dalit Media Network — the literary world was still young to conquer, to impress.

The writer had experienced society's limitations.

Ms. Hariharan's readings from her short story "Remains of the Feast" seemed like a call for a new life.

The book readings and launch were arranged by Toto Funds The Arts, a city-based initiative to promote young artistes.

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