Report and pics from Mahesh Nayak
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Nov 18: Bangalore-based engineer-journalist-turned-fulltime author Eshwar Sundaresan, who spent seven fruitful formative years in Mangalore, has just won the Oxford Bookstore e-Author version 5.0 prize for his collection of stories, "Age-old Tales".
If Mangalore contributed in a way to the success of the Booker Man award-winner Aravind Adiga of 'The White Tiger' fame, Eshwar too says he is "eternally indebted to Mangalore for kick-starting my writing career and for encouraging me to dream about the impossible".
No wonder, it is in Mangalore that he had rediscovered his writing and journalistic skills, as the special correspondent of 'Mangalore Today' English monthly, beginning with the late 1990's for seven years. He contributes to the publication even now.
Having spent a few years in the IT industry including a stint at the US, Eshwar possessively attributes his success to the ability to handle an uncertain life and a nonexistent pay check.
How does one describe the persona that goes by the name of Eshwar Sundaresan?
An instrumentation engineer by education, a third-generation Mumbaikar and a short-term Mangalore domicile, added to that 5.5 years in the IT industry, working hard on things that apparently moved the world, but not him at all.
Eshwar finally reckoned that he was cut out for something better, something higher and something off-the-beaten-track. Chucking a brilliant career with an internationally-renowned IT major, he embarked on a single-minded mission of writing books.
The first to come out, was "Bangalored: The Expat Story", which is currently running its third edition. Although the word Bangalore as a verb was just getting into vogue in the IT world abroad, perhaps it was institutionalized by Eshwar's labour of love.
Currently he is a weekly columnist for the New Indian Express. His column, 'Truth and Beyond' is on Bangalore, more specifically, covering things about Bangalore that gel and jar and everything in between. He has also completed a historical novel based on the naxalite movement.
During his stay in Mangalore, Eshwar acquired a special, compulsive fondness for "buns-sambar", post-midnight omelette meals on the Mangalore-Udupi highway, and a nice good-night meal at Bombay Lucky. Good old days, sighs he, alas gone forever, thanks to the terrorist-cop double camp.
The Winners
Oxford Bookstore has congratulated John Mathew and Eshwar Sundaresan for writing the most promising books for the online writing programme. The other finalists were much appreciated by the eminent jury panel for their literary endeavours and they too have received words of appreciation from the Bookstore.
John Mathew, winner for his novel, is awarded Rs 50,000 for his historical thriller, "Origins and Descents," while Eshwar Sundaresan, winner in short stories segment, is awarded Rs 30,000 for his brilliant literary collection of short stories, "Age-Old Tales"
The runners-up are:
Aditya Mukherjee - 1st runner-up - Novel, is awarded Rs 7,500 for his science-fiction novel, "Ro Moniker and the Amazing Freedom Adventure".
Sriparna Saha - 2nd runner-up - Novel, has been awarded Rs 5,000 for her historical novel, "For…A Place in the Sun".
Sucharita Dutta Asane - 1st runner-up - Short Stories, is awarded Rs 7,500 for "The Jungle stories".
Thomas Chacko - 2nd runner-up - Short Stories, is awarded Rs 5,000 for "The Mamamkam and Other Stories".
Harper Collins Publishers India will publish the winning novel as per the editorial discretion. Reader's Digest will also publish the winning short stories in a special supplement with their monthly issue.
The final publication of the short stories will be subject to the editorial approval of the Reader's Digest. The winners will be handed over the Prize Money and certificates shortly, it is learnt.