An old friend from University called me today morning on my Bangalore number. I had activated the number only recently after five years. He told me that Roll of Honour is on The Hindu Prize 2013 Shortlist. I could not speak to him, I asked him to give me some time to recover. I put the phone down, broke down, checked the newspaper online, saw an email from Krithika at The Hindu informing me of the nomination and finally registered that it has happened. Roll of Honour is nominated along with another four books by the authors: Manu Joseph, Anees Salim, Manjul Bajaj, and Sonora Jha.

Thank you everybody. The friend who called, Bobby George, had quoted to me from the Talmud after Sepia Leaves was out, ‘A man is known by the tree he plants, the book he writes, and the family he raises.’ Thank you! See more here …

Tags: adolescence, fear, military school, Punjab, Roll of Honour, terrorism, The Hindu Award 2013