Dear Friends,

on 15 October, France24 sought my brief views on what is going on between India and Canada. This is related to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year and now Canada finding evidence related to Indian diplomats in Canada.

Link below. See from minute 2.20 to 8.40.

Please see here …

Dear friends,

a few days back, noted journalist Kanwar Sandhu interviewed me on matters Panjab, hate speech and others. Please find the interview in two parts below. The first part is shorter, second is longer.

1. On how our language has changed in the last decade. 19.18 mins.

2. On a trust crises in our society.

Please listen.

Dear Friends,

a few weeks back the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation contacted me to speak on Farmers’ protest and killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. It was for a 4-episode program on Indian Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi. My interventions in the 3rd Episode.

Panjab segment:  minute 15.15 – 37.15

1. Intervention 1: min 15.30 – 16.15
2. Intervention 2: min 16.53 – 18.05
3. Intervention 3: min 23.05 – 23.20
4. Intervention 4: min 35.45 – 36.00

Please find link here …

Dear Friends,

On 19 April, I was on FRANCE 24 speaking on Indian elections. Thanks Imen Mellaz.

Please listen. My interventions: minute 2.45 – 4.25, 7 – 9.30. Try to listen to the whole 11 minute segment.

See here …

Dear Friends,

when farmers from Panjab advanced towards Delhi on 13 February, BBC called me to speak.

My section is the second half of this 4.43 minute video

See here …

How does one spend time in jail?

On largely trumped up charges, old cases, Sukhpal Singh Khaira was recently confined to jail for four months. In his press conference Gurshamshir Singh asked him how he spent time in jail.

He outlined his routine and reading list. I was touched to note, while in jail, he read my book PANJAB Journeys Through Fault Lines.

Strangely, the 3.10 mins answer – exercise regimen, changes in food habits, stroll in yard – gives me a feel of what we have known about the freedom movement. The book section is seconds 40 to 1 min. Panjabi/English.

See here …

A few days back I heard from a PhD scholar at EFLU, Hyderabad. The scholar is studying the construction of male sexuality and is using my 2012 novel Roll of Honour as a primary text.

While chatting with the scholar I learnt this year the National Eligibility Test (NET) had questions from Roll of Honour. I am delighted.

1. because this book went places in its time but is now largely forgotten. Apparently not.
2. in my time I shied away from NET because I felt I would never crack it. (I did not know enough history of English literature.)
3. not writing NET was the reason I could not become an academic. I bumbled along and wrote books.

During my MA, one of my teachers, Prof Narayan Chandran once said in class, ‘There might be a leather head sitting here. Who knows, in 20 years we might be reading books written by her/him.’

I am glad to be that leather head.

Dear Friends,

in November, when I was in Delhi, the Bhai Veer Singh Sadan invited me to be a chief guest at a lecture by Prof. Sucha Singh Gill. My brief intervention from hour 1.35.10 to 1.45.40.

Link here …