Ehsaas South Asian Readers and Writers Festival 2012 – Abbotsford March 14/12

Every year the Centre for Indo Canadian Studies organizes Ehsaas South Asian Readers & Writers Festival where acclaimed local South Asian writers are invited to share and talk about their works. This year’s festival will feature authors Anosh Irani, Surjit Kalsey, Paul Sunga and Fauzia Rafique.

Wednesday March 14
From 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Room F125
Centre for Indo Canadian Studies
University of Fraser Valley (UFV)
Abbotsford BC

Authors will also sell and sign their books.

Anosh Irani
UFV’s writer in residence in English Department, he will host this year’s Ehsaas South Asian Readers & Writers Festival.
Anosh is the author of the acclaimed novels ‘The Cripple and His Talismans’ and ‘Dahanu Road’. He will be reading from his book ‘The Song of Kahunsha’, which was a finalist for CBC Radio’s Canada Reads and the Ethyl Wilson Fiction prize. The book is about a ten year old boy’s search for his father and his struggle to survive on the brutal streets of Bombay during the racial violence of 1993. It is a compelling story of hopes and dreams, and of the fragility of childhood innocence.

Surjit Kalsey
A Canadian poet, dramatist, short story writer and translator who lives in British Columbia and writes in both Punjabi and English. She will be reading from her new book of poems ‘Colours of My Heart’ which is an introspective perspective of the plight of all women. Kalsey’s selection and placement of words weaves a poetic pathway that awakens and heightens the reader’s senses. Her use of colour as a definition for emotion paints from a palette all women can identify with a world where men and women betray each other.

Paul Sunga
A Canada based writer, journalist and medical advisor, he will be reading from his current book in progress ‘The Age of Wealth’. This book is about poverty and wealth in the new millennium. The story pivots around urban migrants, corruption, and a lost child who causes a massive traffic jam that begins in Kibera, the shanty area of Nairobi.

Fauzia Rafique
A South Asian Canadian writer of fiction and poetry. Her English and Punjabi writings have been published both in Canada and Pakistan. She will be reading from her novel ‘Skeena’. ‘Skeena is the story of a young Muslim woman, born and raised in Pakistan, who later emigrates to Canada. The story relates, in powerfully poignant and moving ways, the journey of a young woman as she awakes to the realities of oppression, and seeks courageously to find a way out of the choke-hold of entrenched patriarchal traditions.’ (from a review by Gomathy Puri)

We hope to see you there.

Navneet Sidhu
Coordinator BC Regional Innovation Chair
Center for Indo Canadian Studies
University of the Fraser Valley
Abbotsford, BC
604-851-6325
www.ufv.ca/cics
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