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Interview
with Arup Kumar Dutta
By Swapna Dutta*
Posted: June 2003
Born on July 2, 1946, at Jorhat,
Assam, in Eastern India, Arup Kumar Dutta did his Major and Masters
in English Literature from Delhi University. He returned to Jorhat to
teach English at J. B. College for several years before taking up writing
as a full-time career. Dutta made a permanent place in the hearts of
children with his very first book, Kaziranga Trail, in 1978,
after which there was no looking back. The book not only won prestigious
awards, but was also translated into many languages, both Indian and
foreign, including Japanese, German, Russian, Czech, Hungarian and Italian.
Kaziranga Trail was followed by other award-winning books,
The Blind Witness, Smack, Revenge, The
Lure of Zangrila (which won a National Award) and many others.
Two of his books have been included in Literature of the World series
by the Asahi Shimbun.
Did you enjoy reading
as a child? What kind of books did you read?
To say that I enjoyed reading as a child would be an understatement.
I practically gorged on books! I started with The Mahabharata,
Ramayana, The Puranas, biographies and the few children's
books available at the time in Assamese. Burhi Air Sadhu, a
collection of Assamese folk-tales, was a special favorite. My favorite
books in English included fairy tales, abridged classics, stories by
Enid Blyton, Hardy Boys, the William stories, P.G.Wodehouse, to name
just a few. In fact, I read whatever I could lay my hands upon, even
stuff that I shouldn't have read at that age! But what I discovered
as a youngster was the fact that there was a virtual famine of Indian
writers (for children) in English.
How do you feel about
the current scenario? Do you think that the 'famine' has abated?
Well, what had been a 'famine' even two decades ago, has been replenished
to a large extent by a sizeable body of 'Indian' writing in English
for children, with people like you and others making a considerable
contribution towards the same. But Indian publishers and distributors
are not equipped with the resources commanded by Western publishers.
So even today Indian writings have to play second fiddle to a large
extent. Also, we lack the required promotional activity because most
publishers are not aware of them. Yet, on the whole, the scenario is
far rosier than it used to, which augurs well for the future.
When did you decide
to become a writer?
I sent a poem to The Illustrated Weekly of India when I was
ten and received my first rejection slip. However, deciding to be a
fulltime writer, particularly in the Indian publishing/ royalty context,
was a different kettle of fish altogether. When I realized that my pen
could successfully keep the wolf away from my door, and when publishers
started approaching me rather than the other way around, I decided to
take up writing professionally.
You had been a mainstream
writer. When and why did you decide to write for children?
Because of the 'famine' that I just mentioned. I was lucky that my very
first book for children, Kaziranga Trail, clicked far beyond
my expectations. Now, though I depend on my books for adults
for my bread and butter, my books for children provide the jam!
Do you draw your
characters from people you know personally?
Though I never try deliberately to model characters on people I have
met, I often draw upon traits and behaviours that I have observed in
people. For instance, during my days as a lecturer I had a blind student
who punched notes in Braille and requested me to speak slowly. Since
I did not want to slow down the entire class, I offered to help him
after class by filling in whatever he had missed. The relationship I
developed with him helped me appreciate the 'viewpoint' of the blind,
and formed the basis for my book The Blind Witness.
Do you have a set routine for writing?
Absolutely! Being a professional writer in India means producing books
constantly. So a strict routine is essential. I have ensured a degree
of insulation so as to devote at least eight hours a day to my writing.
Luckily my wife and children have always supported my drastic measures.
How do you select your themes?
I am always on the lookout for possible subjects and backdrops for my
books. I also try not to be repetitive. I have a huge stock of raw material
for my future work. My books cover a wide range of subjects that include
poaching, environmental degradation, elephant-trapping, cave-exploration,
mountain-climbing and drug trafficking.
What kind of research
do you go for before writing your stories?
Thorough research on the subject of the story is an absolute must if
it is to be realistic. I always try to visit the background described
in to my stories to get a first-hand feel of the place. For instance,
in Revenge, I stayed with the Khamti tribe of Arunachal to
learn about their way of life and how they trap elephants. Similarly,
I visited the caves of Meghalaya for The Counterfeit Treasure.
Sometimes thorough research yields unexpected dividends for a professional
writer. My research for A Story About Tea, a small book for
children, gave me enough material to write the highly successful book
for adults, Cha Garam, The Tea Story.
Do you revise or rewrite your work?
I do revise and rewrite, certainly. I am also a firm believer in getting
my manuscripts edited because a good editor can make a difference to
the quality of a book.
What
advice do you give those who ask you how to become a writer?
None, unless it is to get someone off my back! A genuine
writer does not need advice. A little guidance during the salad days
might be helpful. I do go through manuscripts submitted by young, aspiring
writers periodically and make suggestions.
If
you had several choices, would you still choose to be a writer? Why?
Certainly! I guess it is because writing is largely non-criminal in
nature (ahem!), gives the much-needed boost to one's ego, and also the
intellectual freedom which few other professions afford.
*Swapna Dutta (no relation of the author) is
a well-known author and critic in India and is a regular contributor
to PaperTigers.org
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