As part of the CBSE Reading Month initiative, the Department of English, DPS RK Puram organized a guest speaker programme for students of class XI and XII on 30 July 2024 in the 5th and 6th periods in the AVH. The guest speaker was Mr Amitabh Bagchi, who is the author of four published novels including Half the Night is Gone which won the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature in 2019. He has translated the ghazals of Muneer Niazi from Urdu to English under the title Lost Paradise (Juggernaut 2022). His fifth novel, Unknown City, is due to appear in 2025. Mr Bagchi is an alumnus of DPS RK Puram and is a Professor of Computer Science at IIT Delhi.
He was felicitated by the Vice Principal, Mr. Naresh Miglani. He then took to the stage introducing himself and addressing the students directly. He began by stating that he had been given the monumental task of sparking the students’ interest in reading, a feat he humbly admitted might be impossible considering the modern cultural climate. However, by the end of his speech, he had indeed won over his audience, and his influential words resonated deeply within them.
He reminisced about his student life and the fond memories he had, particularly of reading the myriad books that the school library housed. He spoke about and shared excerpts from some of the books he read at the same age as the audience, which struck a chord with him and helped nurture his reading habits, eventually leading him to become an author. These included, ‘The Road to the Bazaar,’ a collection of short stories and ‘The Blue Umbrella‘ , a novel, both iconic works by Ruskin Bond. He also discussed his fondness for Hindi literature conveying to the students that the desire for and joy of reading transcends even languages. He concluded by sharing the inspiration behind his own writing journey, from his early days working on the school magazine to integrating those skills with his life experiences in his books. He paid tribute to the authors who inspired him and discussed the concept of an artist’s ‘magnum opus,’ expressing his belief that he still has much more to offer in writing and has yet to create his own.
After his speech, the Q&A session began, during which students asked questions covering various aspects of his expertise and experiences. They eagerly inquired about his views on foreign literature, sought advice on how to realize their own dreams of becoming authors, asked about the duality of balancing a career as a professor of computer science with his dedication to and passion for literature and writing, and asked questions about his books, among other topics.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks which was delivered by the Head of Department, English, Dr. Atika Dayal, who expressed her appreciation to Mr Amitabh Bagchi for dedicating his time and energy to promoting good reading habits among the students. She also acknowledged the students for their respectful and enthusiastic participation throughout the event.
