On Saturday, there was a small and informal ceremony at the office of Deccan Herald, where we, the winners of the Short Story competition were given our awards.
Two of the judges were there - the incredibly elegant author Usha K.R., and columnist Pradeep Sebastian, he of the scathing movies reviews that we loved to read as children. The third judge, Anita Nair, wasn't present.
We met Ms. Dipti Nair, one of the editors of DH, who has been responsible for organizing the whole contest. She actually waded single-handedly through the 600-odd entries that they received, and shortlisted about 30 which were sent to the judges.
The judges spoke about the prizewinning stories and on what basis they judged the stories. Then, we were asked to speak about where we got our ideas from, and our work. Since only the first prize story has been published so far, it was interesting to hear the author speak about it - coz we knew what he was talking about. I really wish this gathering had taken place after all the stories had been published and read, so that it could have been a more meaningful interaction.
We had a discussion about the new and revamped DH with the other Editors and staff of DH. I enjoyed meeting the people behind the newspaper that I have read all my life. I really did. So much so that when I opened the newspaper the next morning, I virtually saw their faces in it! ;)
Well, I saw my face too in the newspaper - a report was published on Sunday (Mar 22). The link doesn't have the photograph - you can probably see it in the epaper (Page 3, main paper). Yes, that's me in white, smiling the wry smile.
Special thanks to Puttachi for being on her best behaviour, and to S~ for taking her outside and letting me participate in peace when she got too talkative.
So I am now richer by Rs.15000-TDS. :) And am looking forward to my story being published - on the first Sunday of May. Thank you for your patience!
Two of the judges were there - the incredibly elegant author Usha K.R., and columnist Pradeep Sebastian, he of the scathing movies reviews that we loved to read as children. The third judge, Anita Nair, wasn't present.
We met Ms. Dipti Nair, one of the editors of DH, who has been responsible for organizing the whole contest. She actually waded single-handedly through the 600-odd entries that they received, and shortlisted about 30 which were sent to the judges.
The judges spoke about the prizewinning stories and on what basis they judged the stories. Then, we were asked to speak about where we got our ideas from, and our work. Since only the first prize story has been published so far, it was interesting to hear the author speak about it - coz we knew what he was talking about. I really wish this gathering had taken place after all the stories had been published and read, so that it could have been a more meaningful interaction.
We had a discussion about the new and revamped DH with the other Editors and staff of DH. I enjoyed meeting the people behind the newspaper that I have read all my life. I really did. So much so that when I opened the newspaper the next morning, I virtually saw their faces in it! ;)
Well, I saw my face too in the newspaper - a report was published on Sunday (Mar 22). The link doesn't have the photograph - you can probably see it in the epaper (Page 3, main paper). Yes, that's me in white, smiling the wry smile.
Special thanks to Puttachi for being on her best behaviour, and to S~ for taking her outside and letting me participate in peace when she got too talkative.
So I am now richer by Rs.15000-TDS. :) And am looking forward to my story being published - on the first Sunday of May. Thank you for your patience!
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18 comments:
My compliments to the Page 3 personality
Congrats !! waiting to read the story :)
Still waiting and waiting and waiting!!!! :)
Must have been a really great experience!!! Proud and happy for you - its no mean feat to enter the offices of a major newspaper as an outsider!!
Congratulations!
Will look forward to your story then..marking my calendar
Wow! Congratulations to you and all the winners. Keep those pens rolling!
Glad to see that atleast somebody is smiling in that picture(even though you say it is a wry smile:))
Vish
NY
Congratulations!
May this be the beginning of greater things!
last leg of reading the story is pending first sunday of may 09 wow great!!!
yes I agree get together would have been after publishing all the stories and it must be in a big auditorium where some invitess too from prize winners are also allowed so that we all would have been there to cheer all the prize winners. but from the organisers point of view that will be too late and they have to distribute the prizes perhaps in this financial year. once prizes are out the function to be held soon. In fact in my opinion it is delayed. ok after all it is organizers privilege we can not judge their problems.
any how congrats again let this be stepping stone for scaling more and more heights and reach the peak all the best
pranesh
Amazing. I am now dying to read the entry.
Congratulations!!!
- Diya
Shruthi,Congrats!! way to go!!Please post a link to the story/publish your story on the blog..
Vidya
Shruthi, congrats! That must have been such a high. Your writing DOES have that x factor - it's the kind of writing that makes one want to read more, and keep turning the page (or scrolling forward, as the case may be). Looking fwd to reading your story :) Cheers!
Congrats Shruthi.. your writing is so captivating that I would have been surprised if you didn't win :)
Do let us know when it is published. I'll get a copy..
Cool! So now I can say I know a Page 3 celebrity. :D
Congratulations again - and here's wishing that more success and fame come your way!
Raj, Ha ha! Thanks :)
Swati, thank you! And I am waiting to see it published!
Sachin, sigh! :( And thank you :)
Chethan, will post a link here anyway :)
Vish, seriously! We look like hostages stuck in a terror situation!
RajK, Diya, thank you! :)
Praneshachar, yeah that's true... and thanks!
Vidya, I will post the link as soon as it is published! :)
Mangala, wow, coming from as good a writer as you, that's quite a compliment. Thank you!
Dhanya, wow! Thank you so much :)
Ano, :D Thank you!
Congrats Shruthi.I'm so mesmerised by your blog that I keep dreaming that I bump into you and Puttachi in Gandhi Bazaar. U must be thinking that's weird right :)
Waiting to read your story.
Lakshmi
Hi Sis This is Pushpal Bhaiya congrats for your award really am proud to be your bhaiya he he so go ahead with your work my best Sis Shruti.Well you can see my blog also http://pushpalganguly.blogspot.com/so now see your bhaiya's blog he he he!
Oooh! Congratulations!Do upload it here after it gets published in the paper, so that we who don't have access, can also read it. More power to you, Shruti, wish you many more laurels!
Thanks for sharing your personal experience with us. It was nice reading your blog. Congratulations!
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