THE author, with several Hindi novels and short stories to his credit, has written the Hindi original of the above mentioned title as Ujale ki Talash, which is based on a failing system – failing due to human greed in all forms and running amok.
This is the story of Surendran, the son of Prof. Venkatesh who has risen from poverty and belongs to the higher-middle strata and is filled with anger against the system. Prof. Venkatesh is a staunch critic of government’s policy of socialism. Once he gives a lecture to his students stressing the importance of moral commitment for bureaucrats and the strength to turn down the anti-public activities of the ministers, of forgetting the small self-gains and benefits of transfers and good postings. He exhorts the politicians to close down all corrupt holes of demons and help in building of national character.
The book is full of all the gripping elements like politics, rivalry, Naxals, tribals, murders in cold blood, sexual abuse and adultery which make for high melodrama.
(Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd, 7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002; www.rupapublications.com)
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