Ashok Tiwari In Conversation With The Noted Journalist And Novelist Nasera Sharma. The following are the program details:- INTRODUCTION by Ashok Tiwari SHOWCASE – Glimpses from documentary on Nasera Sharma RUBAROO – Ashok Tiwari in conversation with Nasera Sharma EXCERPTS – The author will read from her latest novel – ‘Doosri Jannat’ TEA BREAK + GALLERY WALK – A display of Nasera Sharma’s works OPEN FORUM – Nasera Sharma will respond to the audiences’ queries ABOUT THE AUTHOR – One of the most prominent writers in Hindi language today, Nasera Sharma’s body of work includes 12 novels and 9 short story collections, besides innumerable translations, articles and other works of literary importance. She won the Sahitya Academy Award in 2016 for her novel ‘Paarijaat’. Her book ‘Adab Mae Bayein Pasli’ (The left rib of literature) is a seminal work on the Art, Culture and Literature of Afro-Asiatic region. Her latest novel, ‘Doosri Jannat’, was launched recently. The literary works of Nasera Sharma reflect humanity, the earthiness of being common folk and its everyday struggles to fit into a rigid societal fabric. They draw insightful parallels between the trials and tribulations (political, social, economic) faced by common people of different cultures, especially from the Afro-Asiatic and Indian regions. The seeds of Nasera’s literary interests were sown in JNU (Delhi), where she pursued her MA in Persian language and literature. After teaching Persian for a few years at Jamia Millia Islamia University, she enlisted into a successful career as a journalist. Her journalistic sojourn saw her travel to various countries, work for BBC, Voice of America, French, Iranian and German televisions, and interview prominent world figures like Ayatollah Khomeini, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. It was her extensive coverage of middle-eastern countries, especially Iran, her exposure to the lives of local folk and the need to tell their stories, which inspired her literary journey. Apart from the Sahitya Academy (2016) Award, Nasera Sharma has been been felicitated with awards such as Mahadevi Verma Puruskar (1997), Kirti Samman, Hindi Academy (2000), Indo–Russian Award for Children literature (2000), Urdu Academy, Delhi (2008), Katha United Kingdom (2008), Nai Dhara Rachna Samman (2009), Mahatma Gandhi Samman, Uttar Pradesh (2011), Rahi Masoom Raza Award (2012), Katha Kram Samman (2012) and more. ABOUT ASHOK TIWARI: Ashok Tiwari is a prolific writer, poet, actor, director and a theatre activist. He has been a key member of Jana Natya Manch since 1991; and has travelled to various parts of India, USA, England, South Africa & Palestine with his plays. Apart from the fact, that he has numerous published works to his credit, including ‘Subhash Bose Aur Azaad Hind Fauz’, ‘Mumkin Hai’, ‘Dastkhat’, ‘Dhaar Kaafi Hai’ & ‘Suno Adeeb’, he has also written extensively on the life and works of Nasera Sharma. He was awarded the ‘Varthaman Sahitya Malkhan Singh Sisodia Kavita Puraskar’ in 2007 for his poetry collection ‘Suno Adeeb’. Reputed Indian journals and newspapers have been regularly publishing his articles, poems, stories and reports for over three decades.