Swallowing the Sun is an ambitious work of historical fiction that revisits one of the most turbulent periods of modern Indian history: the struggle for Independence. Narrated through the perspective of its young protagonist, Malati, the novel traces the social and political formation of a girl growing up in Maharashtra who challenges the patriarchal norms of her time. From her early experiences in a village school to her later years in Bombay, a centre of political mobilisation and intellectual ferment, Malati’s life unfolds alongside the broader transformations of late colonial India.Supported by a progressive father, Malati and her sister Kamala push against entrenched social boundaries, becoming the first women in their family to pursue higher education.

As Malati is drawn into the currents of the freedom movement, the novel also attends closely to the textures of everyday life, relationships, loss, ambition, compromise, and uncertainty, foregrounding how historical change is lived and negotiated at the level of individual lives.Recipient of five major literary awards and currently under development as a multi-film series, Swallowing the Sun has been widely recognised for its narrative scope and thematic depth.

The discussion will explore the novel’s engagement with historical memory, gender, and political transformation, as well as the relationship between lived experience and literary form.

To attend in person, register on Ticket Tailor.

 

About the author

Lakshmi Puri

Lakshmi Puri is an Ambassador and former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. She has held senior leadership roles across the UN system and brings her experience of public service, diplomacy, and global governance to her work as a writer.

Chair

Rita Payne

Rita Payne is a former Asia Editor at BBC World News. She brings extensive experience in international journalism and global political analysis, with a particular focus on South Asia and international affairs.

 

Discussant

Ananya Jahanara Kabir

Ananya Jahanara Kabir is Professor of English Literature at King’s College London and a Fellow of the British Academy. Her research spans postcolonial literature, cultural memory, gender, and the legacies of nationalism and decolonisation.


Doors open at 5:30 PM
Pre-registration is essential. Please register in advance to attend.