The habit of observing and penning intricate details about the routinehappenings in the lives of ordinary people was a way of life for SujataSankranti. Little did she realise that this creative indulgence wouldfetch her the first prize at the coveted Commonwealth BroadcastingAssociation's short story competition for her story, The Warp and the Weft,in 1998.
But in Sankranti's own life, her extensive travels across continents haveenriched her experience and widened her perspective about people indifferent cultures, amply to be seen in the variety of locales andcharacters in her short stories. There is no thematic thread in her stories,because they are just experiential outpourings. A lecturer in EnglishLiterature at the Sri Venkateshwara College in Delhi, Sankranti says she wasexposed to all genres of writing from an early age. Excerpts from aninterview with Sankranti:Did you feel exhilarated on bagging the prestigious award? How do youintend to utilise it?
Yes, I was extremely happy, though not shocked. The news, of course, tooksome time to sink in. Spending money is not a difficult task.
Did scribbling about day-to-day events begin as a hobby that developedinto a passion?
I would not call my scribbling a hobby, as it is not a mere pastime, but away of self-expression for me. I pen down whatever I see and observe andthen proceed to internalise and mould it in a different form in writing.This endeavour is therapeutic as it provides a vent to my feelings.
How many short stories have you written?
I have written 25 short stories. What interests me is the psychological sideof people. When I observe humans, I focus on their queer, strange, mentalfacets. The network of human relationships creates confusion, happiness,depression, stress, tension and other feelings.
How much of yourself have you put into these stories? Any biographicalelements?
Not really. I have not included my personal experiences, but rather what Ihave seen and heard. I sublimate, subvert, modify and filter them in mymind. For making observations, one needn't have necessarily undergone thoseexperiences.
Has being a lecturer in English literature for the past 30 years helpedyou in any way to appreciate and express yourself in this particular genreof writing? Which literary figures have influenced you?
I have read the short stories of Premchand, Kamala Das and other Malayaliwriters. Teaching literature has its own dividends as one gets anopportunity to closely read stalwarts like Shakespeare and Dickens. It goeswithout saying that my reading of them has collectively influenced me. Ithas enabled me to interpret the various writers' vision, their language andwriting style. Literature is food for me.
Have you attempted to write in any other genre? For that matter, why didyou choose short stories?
I agree short stories have almost no market today, unlike in the 1920s.Publishers in India also wanted me to compile my stories into a novel with acommon theme as a link, but I refused. Why should I deliberately try to linkmy stories thematically just because some prominent writers have done so andgot them published as novels? I don't have to be at the mercy of publishersand the market. No writer should write for money only.
Has your family background propelled or channelised your energies towardsshort story writing?
My grandfather and father were well-known writers of Kerala. As my husbandwas with Air-India, my travels abroad helped me provide a rich diaspora oflocales, immigrants, experiences, societies and people for my work.
How do you plan your writing schedule?
I do not write regularly. Whenever an inspiration gets me in the right mood,I write for a month at a stretch. Sometimes, I may not write for weeks andmonths together.
What do you think about the current Indian writers, writing inEnglish?
The present breed of Indian writers in English are a force to reckon with,which is evident from the Pulitzers and Bookers they are winning. Indianwriting is being recognised all over the world. And because Indian writerscoalesce their experiences of India and abroad, their writings have moredepth.
What are you working on currently?
I am planning to write a novel. I have tried to compress my subject matterwriting short stories, but now I'm trying to expand it.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.