Avijit Sarkar’s book ”˜A Turn of Events’ fetches $13,200 for Cancer Council
Avijit with his wife Palu and daughter Annie and her husband with two grand kids at the launch, to whom he says they are the the four women behind his success and for being his strong patrons
By Neena Badhwar
What a turn of events it was! Amazing really. A book of 14 short stories by Avijit Sarkar that was launched today to a hall full of community in the presence of selected guests surprised all when its first copy auction went to the highest bidder Munish Verma who put his hand up to bid at $6,100. Dr. Darshan Sachdev who acted as the auctioneer had at the beginning of the auction committed himself that he would match the bid. And that’s not all when one of the middle bidders who had upped the auction to a $1000, Pratibha Bhanushali said she would still contribute her $1000 on top.
Munish Verma and wife, proud owners of the first book by Avijit
So all up the first book by this multi-talented musician, singer, composer, writer, poet, painter, magician, puppeteer of Sydney, Avijit Sarkar, fetched $13,200 for Cancer Council, represented by Kate Jesus who talked about all the good work being done due to such supporters. Plus the book sales at the event. Avijit is a dedicated supporter of cancer research by the Cancer Council and donates proceeds to the council the whole year round. This he has been doing for the last ten years.
Avijit interviewed by Kumud Merani
Avijit is quiet on the surface but a very active, hard working person who said in his interview, at the launch, with SBS executive Hindi broadcaster Kumud Merani, when she asked how does he do it, “Twenty four hours in a day can be very long. One has to make sacrifices ”“ and sleep is one of them,” he answered.
This is just his first book which is based on, he says, “there are stories all around you. You observe people, how they talk, move.”
“These are social stories about migrants, some when they started from India. And each story ends in a way that you’d never ever expect.”
“There is a story that deals with domestic violence as well.”
Avijit said he is working on four more books which he has been doing for some time now.
“One is on stories of people down under. Second one is my effort at humour with a character named Ram Dumfart a German. Third one will have essays on social issues. And the fourth one is a novel based on something that happens in the year 2067.”
The book was launched by Avijit, his daughter Annie, her husband and two children along with Avijits’ wife Palu as he got a standing applause from everyone.
The book ”˜A turn of Events’ is on sale on Kindle for $22 as a paperback edition.
Says Kindle: “A Turn of Events is a collection of fourteen short stories that will take you into the world of Indian migrants to Australia. Each story explores a different aspect of Indian culture in Australia, and the characters expose the social, cultural, financial and psychological issues that this diaspora is often confronted with. These are tales of daily life woven around racism, domestic violence, murder, ambition, fear, mystery and superstition. The father who wanted the son to be a ”˜true blue’ Aussie”¦ The man who burnt the Australian flag”¦ The Punjabi lady caught in the throes of a violent household in Sydney”¦ The fatal astrological prediction about the death of a South Indian man”¦ The ”˜most affordable’ Indian private investigator and the case of a cheating wife”¦ The bloke with a penchant for a healthy wife”¦ The mysterious holy man from India on a visit to Australia”¦ The tales expose the innermost feelings, aspirations and beliefs of a community that is often immersed in traditional and conservative ties to their country of origin.”
Avijit with another prominent writer of Sydney Santram Bajaj who has published two books of his own on humour articles in Hindi
Oh well it all seems quite promising with Avijit Sarkar as the role model as writers from the Indian diaspora get cracking. We are sure there’s more to come from down under !
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