'MORNINGS ARE THE BEST TIME FOR WRITING...I SIT IN A SUNNY SPOT'

A trusty ballpoint pen in hand, writer Ruskin Bond, who received The New Indian Express Group's Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman Lifetime Achievement Award 2024, on inspiring generations of readers with his storytelling

- DESE GOWDA

HIGH In the Iootnllls of the Himalayas, surrounded by lush greenery and the cool embrace of winter mist, Ruskin Bond leads a quiet, unhurried life with his family. His is a simple existence, largely unchanged for decades, yet is rich with inspiration - one that has fuelled a literary legacy spanning generations. With over 500 short stories, essays, poetry collections, novels, and writings for both children and adults, Bond remains a prolific storyteller. In recognition of his unparalleled contribution to literature and his role as a bridge between generations of readers, he was recently presented the Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024 by The New Indian Express Group.

"A big award like this encourages me to keep writing a little longer, perhaps even long enough to pick up a few more awards!" Bond says. His charm is matched only by his humility The recognition feels particularly fitting for a writer whose works have shaped the imagination of generations of young Indians for nearly 70 years. From his small wooden cottage in Landour, Bond's stories have touched readers of all ages. "I've met people who grew up reading my books. It's lovely to have written for two or three generations and to still be doing so," reflects Bond who turned 90 this year.

Nature's narrator