Archives: Authors

Vālmīki is almost indisputably the author of the Sanskrit Rāmāyaṇa even though it is quite likely that the story of Rāma’s life was in circulation before Vālmīki gave it its present form. As a poet and composer, Vālmīki acts within the story that he tells. Later legend has it that Vālmīki was a bandit who was converted from his life of looting and pillaging by Rāma’s grace. His devotion then inspired him to compose and recite the story of Rāma’s adventures. While it is impossible to establish conclusive dates for Vālmīki’s life and there is nothing outside the Rāmāyaṇa itself to prove that he was a historical figure, it is believed that this Sanskrit text was composed between 700 and 500 BC.

Roopa Swaminathan is a National Award-winning writer, film-maker and scholar. Her book Star Dust: Vignettes from the Fringes of the Film Industry won the coveted Swarna Kamal for Best Writing on Cinema, in 2005. She is the writer, executive producer and director of a NFDC feature film, Five by Four. Roopa has a doctorate in international relations from Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Presently, Roopa juggles writing in Pune and teaching wherever there are passionate young minds. She is working on her upcoming books and trying to sell her screenplays.

Zahir Dehlvi (Author)
Zahir Dehlvi (1835-1911) was an official in the Mughal court of Bahadur Shah Zafar and also an accomplished poet. He was witness to a crucial moment in history and his memoir remains the most richly detailed surviving account of the course of the 1857 Revolt and its bitter consequences. Forced to flee Delhi in the aftermath of the Revolt, his later life was full of tribulation. He eventually settled in Hyderabad where he died.

Rana Safvi (Translator)
Rana Safvi is a prominent and bestselling writer, scholar and translator deeply committed to India’s rich cultural heritage and diverse civilizational legacy. Her repertoire spans a variety of media, including writings (both original and translations), podcasts and videos. Her remarkable portfolio comprises ten books that delve into topics ranging from culture and history to the monuments of India. Notable titles include Tales from the Quran and Hadith; The Delhi Trilogy; A Saint, A Folk Tale and Other Stories; and In Search of The Divine: Living Histories of Sufism in India. In addition to her literary contributions, Rana has undertaken the task of translating significant works into English. In particular, she has translated Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s pivotal piece on Delhi, Asar-us Sanadid. Rana’s blog, Ranasafvi.com, serves as a treasure trove of cultural, literary and historical insights.

Zahir Dehlvi (1835-1911) was an official in the Mughal court of Bahadur Shah Zafar and also an accomplished poet. He was witness to a crucial moment in history and his memoir remains the most richly detailed surviving account of the course of the 1857 Revolt and its bitter consequences. Forced to flee Delhi in the aftermath of the Revolt, his later life was full of tribulation. He eventually settled in Hyderabad where he died.

Issac is a consumer marketing professional who turned to writing when a childhood dream tugged far too often and he landed in New York to study screenwriting. After returning from New York, Issac wore multiple hats of a columnist, teacher, Uber driver and consultant on the side while trying to hustle his way through a few manuscripts and screenplays. He counts Woody Allen, Jeffrey Archer, O’Henry, Herge, Rajat Kapoor, Sai Paranjpe, David Mamet and Aaron Sorkin among his primary influences.
Prior to pursuing writing, Issac led the marketing team at PUMA India for four years. It was a job he loved dearly and his experiences there include sharing cookies with Roy Hodgson in the Directors Box at The Emirates stadium-the home of Arsenal Football Club,catching a beer with Usain Bolt and discussing the Ashes with Sachin Tendulkar. Notwithstanding these distractions, in 2015, Pitch magazine nominated Issac as one of the Top 10 Young Marketers in India.

Miniya Chatterji is an author and businesswoman. She is CEO of Sustain Labs. Miniya was chief sustainability officer of Jindal Steel & Power and prior to that she was in the senior management of the World Economic Forum in Geneva. Before that, Miniya managed a hedge fund in Paris for a few years. She started as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in London. Earlier, Miniya worked as policy analyst and occasional speech writer in the office of Jacques Chirac, President of France. Miniya has a PhD from Sciences-Po Paris, a university where she is now adjunct professor. She was a research fellow at Columbia University and Harvard University. She is also a Global Leadership Fellow alumna of the World Economic Forum.

André Marx studied German language and literature, linguistics and art at the University of Osnabrück. He then became a full-time writer, authoring twenty-seven books of the German cult series ‘Die Drei???’. He is known for his witty wordplay and for masterfully weaving mysterious clues, thrills and suspense into his stories. In 2007, he collaborated with Boris Pfeiffer on the Wild Pack series for children.

Born in 1964 in Berlin, Boris Pfeiffer is a German writer of children’s books, plays and poetry. He worked as a stage director and screenwriter before going on to become an author and award-winning playwright. His books have sold over a million copies in Germany and his stories have been translated into nine languages.

Anya Malhotra has been a freelance translator and interpreter for close to twenty-five years. Her work spans a wide range, from literature and technical texts to environmental and economic research. Her translations have also been published in magazines and have appeared online. Anya’s childhood was spent surrounded by books but, much to her regret, no animals, which she is making up for now. An outdoorsy person, she divides her time between Delhi and Kumaon.

Boris Pfeiffer is a German writer of children’s books, plays and poetry.

Manjeet Hirani is a senior commander and trainer with Air India. Fascinated by all things philosophical, she is also an influencer and a speaker across various platforms.

She is an avid traveller with an adventurous streak who loves to be on the move. She is also a sincere fitness enthusiast.

Manjeet blogs at manjeethirani.com.