We all have a story to tell. Words can lessen the pain of some memories, elevate the joy of others, change perspectives, help us understand ourselves, find our place in the universe, end wars, start revolutions, and help change the world.

It is knowing the power of words that inspires me to write.

I am trained as a science and medical journalist; in my career as a reporter, I have also written extensively about travel and food.

My debut novel, “The 86th Village” (2022), was released in a second edition on December 2, 2024. I also launched a Kannada translation of the book in August 2024 at the BookBrahma Litfest in Banaglore, India.

The story shows the complexity of Indian society – its traditions, its divisions, its imperfections, and its integrity. Which brings me to the reason for writing it.

I was born in Yadahalli, a village in Southern India that is doomed to drown in the backwaters of one of India’s biggest and most mismanaged dam projects. I have known this all my life; the impending submergence was hanging like a sword over my village and 175 others that will flood in the dam backwaters. When that happens, my 300-year-old ancestral home, in which 18 generations have lived, will be gone forever.

I started researching the project as a journalist, working on an expose. But, I was too much a part of it and couldn’t remain objective. So, I decided to write a novel based in a village like Yadahalli. The setting of “The 86th Village” is real, but the story and characters are all fictitious. The novel reflects the politics and corruption prevalent in India; it also shows the humanity, the hope, and the love that perseveres.

Write to me anytime with your thoughts about my book or anything else that’s on your mind.

Sena Desai Gopal
the86thvillage@yahoo.com