Inauguration of Writers’
Nook & Fireside Chat with Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed
Author of Indian Genius
| Today in Campus
Weeks of vibrant planning,
coordination, and cooperation came to fruition today,
with the Inauguration of the Writers’ Nook today at the MCC-MRF Innovation Park, in Campus.
We had the inauguration of
the Writers’ Nook, at the MCC-MRF Innovation Park, at 9.15 am, today, by
Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed, writer of the celebrated books A Matter of Trust and
Indian Genius.
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| Ms. Meenakshi interacting with our vibrant student authors |
[On an aside, a brief bio on
Ms. Meenakshi: Well, Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed is a multifaceted personality and such
a great inspiration to today’s youngsters. She has worked at the World Bank in
Washington, DC, and then for the Ashoka Society. In 1989, she moved to London
and became the foreign correspondent for New Delhi Television (NDTV). After
returning to the United States in 1996, she worked as a freelance journalist. Among
the great leaders whom she has interviewed are Nelson Mandela, John Major, and
Bill Clinton during his presidential campaign]
Our Principal Dr. Paul
Wilson outlined the functions of the Writers’ Nook.
Dr. Rufus, coordinator
of Think Tank – the Ideation Wing of our College, outlined the programmes done
by Writers’ Nook over the past two years.
The occasion also
saw twelve of our student authors being honoured by Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed. She
was awestruck seeing their writing, and had a special word of appreciation and
congratulations to each one of them. Finally, they all took a fab snap with Ms.
Meenakshi as well.
Speaking on
the occasion, Ms. Meenakshi observed –
I am so happy to see
the motivation that MCC is giving to her students for creative writing. It’s
very important. As an educational institution, you should all treat your text
books as sacred, because within its pages is the accumulated wisdom and wealth
of information by scholars that are now sharing their knowledge with you.
When I was young, I remember,
when we dropped a book, we used to do an obeisance-gesture as a forgiveness
for having shown the disrespect by dropping the book. People don’t do that anymore.
Why did we do that? because these books gave us knowledge. Books are so important
to transform our lives for the better.
Since time immemorial,
we humans as a species have invented ways to communicate with one another. From
the ancient Egyptians who developed the writing tools in papyrus, to the
Guttenberg Press, which made information available to the masses, to today’s
digital formats, we have used writing to communicate, preserve our history and culture,
and promote our influence beyond borders and spread ideas.
We are also story tellers. And
the world has given us great literature, from Du Bois to Tolstoy, from Maugham
to Murakami!
Just yesterday I was
telling your Principal, that yesterday at the Taj I ran into
Abraham Varghese – who’s now as famous for his writing, as he is famous for his
medicine. His famous book titled, Covenant of Water is about Kerala. I
recommend you to read that book. It’s truly beautiful writing. And if any of
you here is from Kerala, you can easily identify with it. And guess what? he
asked me, ‘Are you here for the Hindu Literary Festival?’
Then I said, ‘No,
I’m going to MCC’.
Then he said, ‘I went to
MCC. That was my undergraduate school. Goodness, that’s
bringing back so many memories of my life in MCC’.
I am expecting now
that, the next Abraham Verghese should come out from this group of students. So
remember, you now have a lot to live up to. One of you, or five of you
hopefully would become the next Abraham Verghese, and be on the bestseller
list, and Ophrah Winfrey would be begging you to make a series.
There would be no better
time in life than now, as a student, to take the time to read. And to broaden your
perspectives as much as you can, before jobs, careers and family
responsibilities, claim your time. Think of this as a precious gift that MCC is
giving you.
Read, discuss and write. BE
it fiction or non-fiction – learn from people’s biographies and histories, and
explore ideas. But most of all, enjoy the process, and your time here at MCC.
That’s what my wish is for you.
And the fact that you have taken the initiative
to publish these books is quite remarkable. The creative spirit that I see in
MCC is quite remarkable, and I’m happy that the Writers’ Nook is nurturing it.
I’m truly impressed.
And I just want
to mention that my journey as a writer started quite late in life. I was a
journalist, and I started writing books when I was 50! So it’s never too late!
Just remember that, sometimes
you can keep a journal – where you can keep your recordings of your impressions
about life.
At times when you
are deeply unhappy, or something is not going your way – just write it down! Go
back to it and look at it, and see if you can learn something from it.
Remember, there’s
no such thing as a bad experience. You can always learn something from it. So
talk to each other, learn from each other, and continue to read books, because you
can learn a lot from other people’s experiences.
I wish you
all the luck,
she signed off!
This was followed by
a lovely time of interaction with our student authors.
A total of 16 books
have been published by our present students in this current year (2024-25) as
follows.
Thanks to Prof. Christina
Dhanasekaran for having meticulously compiled the list.
II BA English
1. Lekhaa
MeenakshiSundaram
The Werewolves of
Brooklyn: Siege of the Dokkalfar
ISBN - 979-8894986784
Genre - children's
fiction, fantasy
I Just Wanna Be A Girl: A
Collection of Blogposts
ISBN - 979-8895193242
(hardcover)
ISBN - 979-8895193235
(paperback)
Genre - Collection of
blogposts, comprising of various topics
2. Veena J
'Metaphorically
Metaphorise' METANAFIC - A new genre
ISBN – 979-8896328704
3. Gracelin Patrica J
The Fading Darkness
ISBN - 979-889588048-7
Genre - Collection of
blogposts, comprising of various topics
4. Pearlina Gracelyn.P
Red Verses
ISBN - 979-889588024-1
Genre - Poetry,
non-fiction, young adult literature
III BA English
5. T ABRAHAM
I ADMIRE YOU: A
SELF-ADMIRATION OF MY INNER FEELINGS
ISBN: 9789358316506
BookLeaf Publishing
Loud Inner Voice: Multiple
voices ringing inside
ISBN: 9798893223248
Notion Press
Sweetness In Nostalgia:
Cherishing the past and living the present
ISBN: 9798894467351
(Paperback)
ISBN: 9798894467368
(Hardcover)
Notion Press
SHOWERED BY STARLIGHT:
Oscillating between the past and the future
ISBN: 9798895446225
(Paperback)
ISBN: 9798895446232
(Hardcover)
Notion Press
6. Ganga Santhosh
Aurora: A world in poesy
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 9360941255
7. Shreya Prasath
Blossoms of the heart
Genre: love, life,
friendships
ISBN
number:978-93-6083-646-7
8. Mahima (Joshua Mahima
S).
Musings Of A Wretched Soul
Genre: Poetry - Tragedy,
Romance Existentialism and Christian Literature.
ISBN number -
979-8-89556-559-9
I MA English
9. Nitish Kumar R K
Silhouettes of Solitude:
The Unseen Ink of Emotions
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 979-8896328698
10. Dhanush Kumar
Bye, Sweetheart!
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 979-8896730798
11. Prakalya
Seized by Shadows
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 979-8895566589
II MA English
12. Jennifer Sandra
Dandelion Dreams
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 978-9360833275
13. Krishna Hari, I BA English
(SFS) has authored two books. Shall update the titles here
asap.
We also had with
us Mr. Ravin Carr, our illustrious alumnus, CEO of the renowned Katha Publishing
House as our Guest of Honour for the day.
After the interaction
with our student authors, our Guests of the day, moved over to the Anderson
Hall for the exciting Fireside Chat.
Dr. Franklin Daniel, Head,
Dept of English, so beautifully set the tone and the tenor for the launch of
the Fireside chat. This was followed by Dr. Rufus initiating the chat.
We had a very exciting round
of engaging questions that sparked meaningful responses from Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed.
Reproducing some of the
questions asked by the Panelists on the Fireside Chat.
I should appreciate the faculty
and the students for their insightful, thought-provoking questions. Ms.
Meenakshi was highly appreciative of the calibre and the mettle of each of the questions
that were posed to her, as part of the Fireside chat.
Questions from Faculty
Members
Dr. N. Nirmal Thyagu,
Dept. of Physics
Dear Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed,
I am enjoying reading your
book “The Indian Genius” that profiles successful Indian Americans from various
fields.
The bio-sketches you
brought out beautifully capture not only their bright side that symbolize their
inherent talents or acquired super skills that that led them to their stardom,
but also the calms and the storms that punched their faces relentlessly. In a
way your book stands out as a delectable collection of biographies (and not
hagiographies, where only the bright sides are shown).
The stories are relatable;
they instruct; they capture the imagination of the Indians who dream to make it
big. Your book comes along and matches up to a similar collection written by
Walter Isaacson entitled “American Sketches” where great leaders, creative
thinkers and heroes of America were profiled.
I have two questions to
ask you:
5. In your book “Indian
Genius” you have succinctly captured the enterprising spirit behind creative
people (from and of Indian origin) who sought and eventually found their
so-called “haven” in the United States.
The entry to this
“creative haven” has been and still is limited only to a selected few, as you
have clearly brought out through all the stories in your book.
Looking at the trend of
how India as a country is progressing, do you see if India too could one day
create an environment where people can call it their “haven” to discover their
creative streak, nurture it and even thrive doing it in India as they do in the
US and Europe?
Putting it in another way,
do you see a “critical mass” of people who could instrument this change in
India?
[BACKDROP - There is a lot
of fire-fighting one does in India, with the oppression coming from a range of
issues: population, scarcity of clear
air and water, traffic and corruption - you name it - that bothers the general
public incessantly and takes away their creative energy.]
6. In this book you have
brought together the success stories of some remarkable people and classified
them in broad categories - techies, healers, and influencers.
Although there are
scholars who wear multiple hats (like Siddhartha Mukherjee) what is
conspicuously absent is a devoted section on superstar academicians and
thinkers.
Examples include Nobel
prize winners Abhijit Banerjee, Venky Ramakrishnan, and the remarkable ones
like V. S. Ramachandran and Manjul Bhargava.
Was that a hard decision
not to include them in your book? I ask this because academic excellence is the
hallmark of almost all the success stories that the Indians got recognized for
in the United States.
Prof. Hemalatha. N. N,
Dept. of English (SFS)
Dear Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed,
My questions are as follows –
7. How did you zero in
specifically on these professions, i.e., medicine, tech and public policy? You
do sort of offer an explanation on the rationale behind your choice, but could
you please elaborate more on it?
Was it simply for
practical reasons (I know you’ve been associated with Doctors Without Borders)
or is there more to it?
As an avid reader and as
somebody who is curious to know of the opportunities in the US, can we expect a
sequel to the Indian Genius where you focus on successful Indians from other
professions settled in America?
Prof. Adarsh Vijay, Dept.
of Political Science
Dear Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed,
My question is as follows –
8. What unexpected
vulnerabilities or struggles did these individuals profiled in your work share
that aren’t visible in their public personas?
Questions from students
Ms. Catherine, II BA
English
1. I wanted to take the
time to acknowledge the fact that it's such a full circle moment to interview
the interviewer.
So as I was reading
through the book, my immediate thought went over to what your pre-interviewing
process looks like.
Is there any structure
that you go about to gather your questions and how do you narrow down the
plethora of information about a specific person and know what to ask them? Does
your questionnaire change over the course of an interview?
Ms. Lekhaa, II BA English
2. As someone who lived in
the US and returned back here, I personally know the differences that the
cultures have.
I'd like to ask you about
the differences between the first-generation immigrants and Indian children
born and brought up in the US. Did the patterns of their success vary? Did
their lifestyle still have the traditional values that we as an Indian society
value.
Ms. Ranjitha, I MA English
3. "Your book
highlights how trust or the lack thereof has been a recurring theme in India-US
relations, shaped by personalities, policies, and geopolitical realities.
Do you think the
relationship between the two countries will ever evolve beyond this 'trust
deficit' to become truly strategic and symbiotic, or will mistrust remain an
intrinsic part of their dynamic due to the fundamental differences in their
political systems, historical experiences, and global priorities?
What conditions or shifts
do you think would need to occur to bridge this gap meaningfully?"
4. Mr. Sabarinathan
Murugan, III BBA
(A Matter of Trust)
emphasizes the core values of India and US Relationship with the world
Perspective. Also, why after Mr. Modi became the PM, the bond between India and
the US became very strong. Finally, I am eagerly waiting for the Next edition
of this book.
The Fireside chat was
followed by an Endowment Lecture hosted by the Dept of Political Science in the
Anderson Hall.
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| Ms. Meenakshi with our Principal, flanked by the Dean IP & Dean - R & D |
The session was well-attended
by a packed audience of faculty and students - past & present.
This post also wishes to
acknowledge the love and support all the individuals who did an amazing job at
the helm and at the background – to make this event a huge success.
Prof. Arun Kumar, Associate Dean
of International Programmes, and APRO, was awesome as Master of Ceremonies.
Special kudos to Dr.
Tabitha
for the meticulous planning and scheduling of the event right from the start.
To Dr. Aarthi Ram, Head, Operations, MCC-MRF Innovation Park for the exemplary way in which she organised the event at Writers' Nook today.
Thanks to Dr. Franklin
Daniel,
our lovely and vibrant HoD, for so beautifully coordinating the event for us, and
to all the faculty members of the vibrant Dept of English (Aided & SFS).
And we owe our thanks to Prof. Sridhar,
our Vice Principal for his effective interventions all through the planning of
the programme.
A special note of thanks to Prof. Daniel
David, Head, Dept of English (SFS) for ably assisting us with all the help
needed.
To Dr. Adarsh Vijay, for ushering Ms. Meenakshi Ahamed. To Dr. Vidya, for doing an excellent MC at the helm.
To our beloved Principal, Dr. Paul Wilson, the
brain behind the event, we owe our love and thanks.
And finally, to all our dear students - past & present, who made the event a huge success!
Thank you dear all.
A Special Birthday Wish: Birthday greetings to the birthday kid Ms. Jaysudha on her birthday today. One of our most vibrant kids - you are such a great blessing to all of us. Have a blessed year ahead, dear Jaysudha.
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