Author’s afternoon with Rahul Pandita

July 20, 2013: Another series of Author’s Afternoon, in fact the ninth edition, was held at the Taj Bengal today evening with Rahul Pandita who has authored the book Our Moon Has Blood Clots which is a memoir on howKashmiri Pandits became victims of a brutal ethnic cleansing in the hands of Islamist militants in Kashmir.

Among his other works are Hello Bastar: The Untold Story of India’s Maoist Movement and the much acclaimed The Absent State. He is also the recipient of International Red Cross award for conflict reporting. Former Police Commissioner of Kolkata, Dinesh Vajpai, was in conversation with Rahul. This edition of Author’s Afternoon was due for quite sometime as Rahul could not make it to Kolkata on the earlier occasion due to a mishap in the family.

In the evening Rahul came to myhome for dinner. British historian Patrick French, who was is in town, joined us. Artist Chitravanu and his wife and other few friends also came and made it all the more merrier. On Saturday there are two events in Jaipur, Write Circle with Nilanjana Roy and Desert Soul with Kathak dancer Shashi Sankhla. I had booked this morning’s flight to Jaipur but as it is about 2 am I have cancelled it and I shall be in the city only. On last few occasions the last minute cancellations have caused some problems but then by next day things get better and I am relaxed. ess bee