The Vanguard of Days Gone By

Writing for children was an organic progression for a drama schoolteacher whose audience forever compelled her to find new stories to tell. Paro Anand is the author of over twenty-three books for children and young adults, including plays, short stories, novellas, and novels. “I was happy sitting in my sort of ivory tower writing my books, but I realized that the children are perhaps not really getting it,” Anand says. She recognized an opportunity to establish a connection with children in a more useful way than published work, and this realization gave birth to Literature in Action, a program using storytelling as a central component of early childhood development. Anand encourages children to write their own stories about matters they know, from cricket to bullying. Central to her task is the influence of the Panchatantra, a collection of ancient oral fables that uses the personification of animals to transmit cultural values to readers. “Children have deep natural empathy towards animals,” Anand says. “They respond straight from the heart.” Her aim is to update the old tales with contemporary voices in an attempt to influence an entirely new generation of children.

Learn more about Paro HERE.

Direction, Camera & Photography by Shubanghi Singh / Editorial Lead by Romy Uebel / Editing by Ritu Bhardwaj / Sound Corrections by Pushpendra / Music by Bunnystripes