Media veteran debuts with novel at 86

New Delhi: Well-known media veteran Rami Chhabra has debuted into fiction at age 86 with a novel: ‘Becoming The Storm’, a multi-generational saga set against the backdrop of Delhi of the fifties-sixties. The book-launch at the India International Centre, Monday 9th December 2024 proved to be a scintillating evening of conversation, music and theatre. 

IIC President and former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, eminent author and MP, Shashi Tharoor and Ambassador Veena Sikri, ex-diplomat and Convener, South Asian Women’s Network, joined the author to unveil the book to the stirring strains of the musical overture to Carrying the Torch. Adorning the book’s cover is an eye-catching painting by Rabindranath Tagore. Living Room Theatre artists Dipali Bhasin and Jimmy Hasija regaled the audience with dramatized readings of excerpts from Becoming the Storm, providing a vivid glimpse into the challenges Indu, the teen-protagonist faces, waylaid in her dreams by the oppressive attitude of the family of the “suitable boy”.

Chhabra who wrote the book during the Covid period explained how she had felt a compulsion to recall and record a halcyon time that few now remembered, but that in weaving the tale she interwove critical issues that she has addressed throughout her life’s work in the media, at policy levels and social activism—the questions of women’s dignity and empowerment, the problems of underage marriage, dowry, violence against women. Becoming the Storm is a conscious feminist statement albeit not combative but compassionate. She disclosed her fond hope that the storytelling format proves a powerful form of communication.

Shashi Tharoor commended the novel for effectively creating a macrocosm portrait of an earlier period even as it evocatively explored family life in microcosm; Sikri vouchsafed to Becoming the Storm’s skilful authentic capture of Punjabi life and the Delhi of that time. But she queried the less adequate attention paid to the male psyche. Both Tharoor and Sikri agreed that contemporary society is grappling with a clash between modernity and tradition and suggested it important to understand male psychology to achieve needed changes.

Chhabra agreed this was necessary but was particularly articulate in drawing attention to the evils of escalating consumerism and vulgar ostentatiousness of Indian weddings in contemporary times. She revealed startling facts of Indians as a nation spending twice as much on marriage fanfare as on education and manifold times more than what the rich Americans spent on weddings. Indian weddings have emerged as an industry-sector second only to food and groceries! The deadly consequences of this type of expenditure for the vast majority ill-able to afford such extravagances was obvious, but ‘viksit viksit Bharat’ was oblivious to the matter.

Beyond the book, Chhabra’s pivotal role in the women’s movement was commended by all: Sikri acknowledged Chhabra as a prominent advocate for women’s rights in South Asia while Tharoor highlighted her contributions in bringing women’s issues to government attention.

Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, IIC Trustee and Chair, Centre for Policy Research who made the Concluding Remarks gave an eloquent succinct overview of women’s issues and showered fulsome praise on Rami Chhabra’s life-long commitment and contribution to the cause.

Testifying that the evening had kicked up a storm was provided by the eclectic audience singing alongside the iconic anthem-song: Hum Honge Kaamyab Ek Din that was the programme’s finale – and, a standing ovation to the author. A memorable evening was the comment of many.
Becoming the Storm has been published by BluOne Ink.