Our Friends

Frankly, what helped us take this project forward from being a germ of an idea to a full blown project was the support from our friends across the spectrum. Friends of the Collective are accomplished writers, thinkers, poets or just evolved readers. Often, we approached them to become a mentor, but they felt they were pressed for time and joined as friends instead! We hope that conversations about Indian novels will continue to grow and be enriched.

Manu Dash

Poet

Odia poet Manu Dash is a director at Odisha Arts & Literature Festival – an annual literary meet – in Bhubaneshwar. He is a renowned translator and cultural activist. Dash was one of the poets to join Anam, a literary movement by a group of writers engaged in searching the socio-cultural roots of the land where he lives.

Mustansir Dalvi

Architect & Poet

Architect and poet Mustansir Dalvi has a unique way of finding a connection between poetry and the architecture in the city of Mumbai, which he writes about in his first book, ‘Brouhahas of Cocks’. He teaches architecture at Sir JJ School of Arts.

Nabina Das

Poet

Nabina Das is a poet and writer based in Hyderabad. Her poetry collections are Blue Vessel and Into the Migrant City. She has authored a novel titled Footprints in the Bajra and her short fiction volume is The House of Twining Roses: Stories of the Mapped and the Unmapped. A 2012 Charles Wallace creative writing fellowship, 2012 Sangam House fiction fellowship, and 2007 Wesleyan Writers Conference fellowship alumna among others, she has also been a 2016 Commonwealth Writers feature correspondent, and currently holds a 2017 Sahapedia-UNESCO fellowship. Most recently, co-editor of 40 Under 40: An Anthology of Post-Globalisation Poetry, she teaches creative writing in universities and does independent workshops.

Namita Devidayal

Author

Journalist with the Times of India, Namita is a graduate from Princeton University. The Music Room, her first book, was a winner of the 2008 Vodafone Crossword Popular Book Award and was named an Outlook Book of 2007.

Nandan Maluste

Banker

An investment and private banker, Nandan has uniquely worked across India as management consultant, director of India’s largest advertising firm, industrial entrepreneur, board member of private and listed companies, and consultant to government. Apart from speaking regularly at professional, industry, and academic seminars, Maluste has presented to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance.

Neena Gupta

Actor

Veteran actor Neena Gupta has made several appearances in not only commercial and art films, but also international films such as Gandhi (1982). She won the prestigious National Award for her work in the telefilm Bazar Sitaram (1993) for Best First Non-Feature Film. She holds a Master’s degree in Sanskrit.