People are often aware of the journey of a book from the moment it appears in bookstores and e-commerce, but how did they reach there? What are the inspirations and challenges that marked the birth of these books? This interview series is a humble attempt on my part to demystify the process of writing and publishing to provide inspiration and insight to aspiring authors. The series consists of 12 interviews presented in 6 posts and ranges from poetry collections and novels t

" The people you meet in life are not just people, they are walking libraries " - Rufus Sir This line struck a cord in me when one of our professors shared it with us in class. Libraries are sacred spaces for readers. To call someone a "walking library" is a mark of respect and acknowledgement of their valuable experiences. This idea could also encourage shy, socially-anxious, book-loving people to approach and interact with people more comfortably. Apart from the comfort

It has been a while since I posted here. Exam week was hectic, to say the least—not just because of the exams, but also because I kept falling sick on and off. The illness stretched beyond exam week, but finally, I’m back. Even though I didn’t write anything during that time, ideas kept coming to me as I prepared for my papers. While reading some of the prescribed essays in my Critical Theory course, I discovered a faint thread of connection between the concepts discussed the

Recently, we had the opportunity to attend a talk by Johny Tom Varghese , an alumnus of our college and an IAS officer currently serving as the Director at the Department of Child Welfare and Special Services, Chennai, Government of Tamil Nadu. His talk, titled “How I Was Shaped as a Leader in Madras Christian College,”  drew our attention instantly. Figures like him, whom we consider as successful people, naturally spark curiosity, and that curiosity isn’t limited to UPSC as

This post cannot be termed a movie review per se , but I wish to share something that struck me about two movies I watched this summer: Sinners  (2025), produced, written, and directed by Ryan Coogler, and Kpop Demon Hunters  (2025), directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and based on a story by Maggie Kang. Both these movies are connected in how they explore the different dimensions of music, grounded in culture, mythology, history, and the supernatural. While Sinners

“You’re not a copy. You’re a customized version of yourself—crafted with care, curiosity, and choice.” The Search for a Role Model “Role models”—it’s a term I heard a lot as a child. Like many kids, I was on a quiet quest to find mine, usually among the people I spent the most time with: my family. As a little girl, I naturally looked up to the women in my household. I think most of us go through that phase—imitating the cousin we adore or the friend who seems effortlessly co

A lecture is a formal talk on a serious subject given to a group of people, especially students. Many things go into the delivery and success of a good lecture. A few include the quality of content, clarity of thought and speech, voice modulation, body language, attitude, and most importantly, keeping the attention and interest of the audience. Fortunate as I am, I had the opportunity to attend a few such lectures by inspiring professors during my college days. I'm writing

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I was to do a mandatory internship during my summer break, as part of my course. As we were free to choose any field of interest, I chose to do mine at The Times of India, Kochi. My objective behind this decision was to explore a new field and understand how the daily newspaper acquired its form. I was also curious about different aspects involved in its creation and how far my discipline could be useful in journalism. Except for what I lea

A few months back, I received a call from my mother, asking me if I had ordered any books. Later, I discovered that my cousin-sister had ordered books for me as a gift. I couldn't wait to see them and had my mom send me pics of each. The yellow cover page, with a reddish-orange octopus holding a bucket of bubbles, immediately grasped my attention. It was the Bloomsbury 2024 edition of 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' by Shelby Van Pelt. As I felt it would be hard to do justice

This summer break, my family and I finally booked a stay at the Lake Palace in Thekkady, managed by KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation). It is part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve and is on an island in the Periyar Lake. It can be reached by a 20-minute boat ride from the mainland and is famous for animal sightings. The resort was formerly the summer retreat of the Travancore Royal Family, which was transferred to the Government of India after Independence. During t

Hi guys, I'm back after a long break. My exams were okayish but I'm finally glad to get it over with. The only thing that kept me and my roommates going was the idea of going back home for the summer vacations. The only acceptable benefit of exams is realizing the beauty of normal days. If you can revise (ahm ahm) an entire paper on a single day, imagine what all you could do ( but you don't) in a casual day... When faced with the pressure of studying, my mind can com

Since I read her name in the news for winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, I've wanted to read at least one of Han Kang's books. I held back from reading up on her works in the hope of learning about them firsthand. Finally, when I picked it up, it was not what I expected. The title of the book, The Vegetarian, suggested to me a conventional story of a vegetarian convert navigating her change in diet in a predominantly non-vegetarian culture. But the first few chap

First and foremost, I would like to thank my dear friend and amazing writer, Terese Maria Broosily, for presenting me with this Author's Copy of your book - that was so sweet of you! Before talking about this book, I must share some of my preconceived notions and assumptions regarding reading in general. I recognize and acknowledge that I have a natural inclination towards novels compared to other forms of writing. It keeps me engaged for long in the process of readi

This book had been hiding on my shelf for far too long now. I had bought the copy directly from the author when he gave a lecture at my college a year back. It resurfaced in a desperate book-hunting session back home, and I brought it here along with some other books. I haven't read many investigative novels by Indian writers, and this one proved to be a good start. The story revolves around the theft of two valuable paintings and the national and geopolitical implications i

As a family that loves monthly getaways to hill stations and tiger reserves, being split apart for educational and career purposes made scheduling trips difficult. That meant every family reunion involved packing and setting out to the road. This time, we accepted a long-due invitation from my dad's childhood friend to visit his farm resort at Kanthalloor– Escape Natural Farm . True to its name, it is an escape from the traffic and smoke of cities to the fresh cool air of th

Dr. Greg Emery is a senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at University of Akron, Ohio, USA. On 5 March 2025, he gave a special lecture on the topic "Heidegger’sTypewriter " at MCC. As part of our internship at the Office of International Programmes in MCC, we got the opportunity of interviewing Dr. Emery on 4 March 2025. In this interview, questions about the value of philosophy and authenticity of life are discussed along with the unique way in which philosophy

This entire week, I was planning on writing about my recent family getaway in this post. But just a second ago, new decisions were made. The nostu(nostalgic self) in me was lured out by the words of Anita Desai uttered in an interview I just finished watching. The interviewer remarked that the Indian heat almost felt like a character in her novels, to which Anita Desai affirmed its significance by saying how she had spent many daylight hours in the shade, reading and

The word that comes to mind when I think about this book is 'Unique'. Not just for it's content, but the circumstance in which I bought it, the life of the author and the material with which it was made. I bought this book directly from the author for just 50 rupees when he visited us in our third year of UG to talk about poetry and resistance. The Tibetan cause was introduced to us and the session was forever etched in my mind. Thanks to this book, I can go back to i

Firstly, I would like to express how fortunate and grateful I am to have this opportunity to make myself useful while learning through experience. The versatility of the programs conducted by the International Programmes Office broadens my perceptions and exposes me to different ideas and cultures. So far, me and my friend got to interview a guest lecturer from a foreign university, transcribe the same, and write reports on a musical event and a writing workshop. I will no

I have a friend who loves to watch theatre performances and he could travel across states anytime to watch a play. Being someone who has never been to one, I couldn't imagine what was so captivating about it, until today. Along with some of my friends, I watched a play called 'No Escape' directed by our senior, Souparno Bhattacharya, and performed by the Upstart Crows as part of our department's Theatre Wing called Theatreyrie. It was an adaptation of the play 'Evam Indrajit