Reader’s Digest India – August 2019

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mazon Westland has acquired

the rights to 14 of his books—

novels, short stories and

memoirs. These will be translated

and published in English and

seven languages over the next three

years. This has provided succour to

Byapari and eased his financial stress

somewhat. While he used to spend

12 arduous hours, every day, as a cook

at a local school for the deaf until last

year, now he has found a relatively

comfortable office job there.

Byapari lives with his wife and son

Manik in Mukundapur, on the south-

ern edge of Kolkata, and is currently

busy rebuilding his old home, which

is a dream come true. His daughter,

named after Mahasweta Devi, is mar-

ried and a working woman. Manik is

settling into a career. “I am grateful to

Manju for everything—she kept our

hearth burning, while I fought my

battles,” says Byapari.

Today, Byapari travels around

the country captivating audiences

in literary forums everywhere. At

home he can be seen most often

typing energetically into his laptop,

his incandescent rage staying alive

in defiance and courage. “From a

person, I have become a subject. I

want to take my story far and wide.

Many, many people can get the

energy to fight their battles, that way,”

says the writer, warrior.

(Clockwise from left) Byapari at his writing desk; receiving the 2019 Gateway

LitFest Writer of the Year award from film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan;

speaking at the Jaipur Literature Festival, 2018

Extraordinary Lives

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