Ratul Chakraborty
The deep civilisational link between India and Cambodia is a wonder of humanity. Instead of power and profit, it was a shared sense of dharma that underpinned this magnificent tapestry, its glorious patterns woven by kings and adventurers, priests and traders, artisans and farmers, artists and philosophers, by people, using the twin threads of commerce and culture. While modern India’s cultural reach beyond the subcontinent is growing every day, its deep historical, cultural and spiritual relationship with Cambodia is all but forgotten. Shared Roots tries to plug that gap, inviting readers to embark on a captivating odyssey through the vibrant currents that once flowed freely between the two countries.
Seven diverse authors meticulously unravel the profound connections that have shaped both nations, from the echoing verses of the Reamker to the breathtaking grandeur of Angkor Wat. But Shared Roots is more than just a historical journey. It is an invitation to rediscover the power and beauty of cultural exchange untainted by colonialism, a potent reminder that diversity is not just a feature but also an essential building block of a just society. Drawing upon meticulous research and captivating storytelling, this book ignites a conversation about civilizational revival, urging us to celebrate the past while embracing a future enriched by shared understanding.
The book is a stunning exploration of cultural fusion, a testament to the enduring power of enlightened values, and a call to action for a more vibrant world.
Ratul Chakraborty(Curator) is one of the most accomplished video game makers in India. He is fascinated by History and People, the two lenses which form the foundation of his creative perspective.
After more than a decade of procrastination and other assorted excuses, he finally gathered enough courage to take a break from the corporate world in late 2019 and complete writing his highly regarded collection of short stories, Sutradhar.
Ratul loves to travel across India doing street photography, and is also a lifelong follower of Juventus FC. He is based out of Kolkata, where he lives with his parents, his wife Surela and their four-legged daughters- the rescued indies, Truffles and Mowgli.
In addition to curating Shared Roots, he has penned Vritrahan that reimagines the ancient tale of Indra’s cosmic struggle with the serpent Vritra, casting this primordial conflict in a form that bridges mythic narrative with literary modernity.
About the Authors
Pranshu Saxena
Pranshu Saxena grandfather introduced the six-year-old version to Shanti Parva (final chat between a grandfather and grandson) inculcating a deep love for the Epic Mahabharata. His grandmother’s poetry on inner-self and peace supported her decades-long toil as freedom fighter. To create a Nava Bharata and make it Maha(n) again one fine parva. That tryst with history and an affinity for beautiful short stories of his mother seeded the ideas he presents in his works, a unique perspective gleaned from his Canadian Grandmother, British Mother, Indian Wife and American Daughter.
Educated on three continents prior to the age of the Internet, the non-digital practicum got the Computer Scientist into the habit of diligently recording details from history, life and literature in his frayed notebooks providing fuel for his imagination and research. First poetry contribution was published as part of 150 years celebrations of Times of India (Editor Girilal Jain) in 1988, first cricket article in Wisden Cricketing Monthly 1996, and later set up History, RealMahabharata of Veda Vyasa, Puranas & Vedas portals in 2014 and first fictional prose published in 2020.
A serendipitous consequence of first fictional prose published through Indic Academy (INDICA) – Unsung Valour – Forgotten Warriors of Kurukshetra was final conclusion to his tale “Fellowship of Shivalingas”.
Conceived in October 1987 as first draft for a short story for Times of India celebrations, “Fellowship of Shivalingas” finally saw light in Anthology, “Flight of Deities – Saga of Desecration and Devotion”. Inspired by Dr Girilal Jain’s daughter, noted historian Dr Meenakshi Jain’s magnum opus on destruction and revival of Indian temples during past thousand years, “The Flight of Deities”.
Pranshu resides in New Jersey where he shares his life with wife, daughter, father-in-law, and a lifelong collection of books. His writings on cricket, history and mythology are available on various portals.
Dr. Swetha Prakash
Dr. Swetha Prakash holds a doctoral fellowship in Positive Psychology and Storytelling from the National School of Leadership, Pune. She has done her MA in Writing from the University of Warwick. Swetha won the Charles Wallace India Trust Award for studying Postmodernism and Creative Writing at the SUISS, University of Edinburgh. Swetha has won the Times and Scottish Book Trust Jura New Writer Award for spending a month at the writer’s retreat at the Isle of Jura, Scotland. She holds a post graduate degree in Communication Management from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication. She is the author of 18 books. Her book Padma Goes to Space with Tulika is a critically acclaimed national best seller. Swetha has done the Indic Storytelling project based on a grant from Indic Academy. Swetha has founded Learn Curve for Girls as an intellectual and practice-based project on School Story Curriculum for Girl’s Education.
Sunil Kumar
A versatile and multifaceted personality, Sunil Kumar is a postgraduate from the University of Westminster, London. In creative terms his achievements span multiple fields. His book ‘Existential Angst'(Jaico,1999), an anthology of poetry is catalogued in the British Council Sussex, the US South Asian Literature List and is available on Amazon.Critics have praised it as philosophical and thought provoking. He has also authored Surreal City(2012), a work of fiction and a poignant tale spanning generations that takes readers on a journey through time and space. The noted poet Nissim Ezekiel made him a member of the P. E. N. ( India) chapter at a very young age. Contributed a short story to Indica’s ‘Shared Roots’ Anthology based on the millennia old relations between India and Cambodia.
Sunil has written research papers for the world’s leading body in engineering and computer science. the IEEE. He has recently presented in the Indica Vaishnavism Conference on the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, Jaina conference on the merchant legacy, JNU, Pune University as well as IIT-Bombay and the BHU. His startup ‘Aglaia Interactive’ has been a recipient of several prestigious awards including the Microsoft Bizspark Award for Technology, AC Nielsen Top 10 and World Marketing Congress awards for Digital Marketing.
Liberal agnosticism and curiosity is Sunil’s mantra in life. He feels a deep connection to his cultural roots and his true passion lies in the study of the limitless ocean of Indic traditions.
Srivalli Rekha
Srivalli Rekha (she/ her) is a BIPOC author from India. An MBA graduate, she also has an MA in English Literature. A freelance content writer during the day, she devours books at night and loves to review them on her blog and Goodreads. Books and music are her favorite companions.
As a Hindu pagan, she believes in the beauty of nature worship and loves to learn the secrets of the universe the Indic way. She is a budding tarot reader fascinated by the intricacies of astrology.
Srivalli is a co-founder and managing partner of The Hive Publishers, an indie publishing collective. Her works have been a part of several Indian and international anthologies (eBooks and paperback publications). Violets in Hand, The House of Justice, and Pebbles in the Grass, her self-published eBooks, are available on Amazon.
Her solo anthology, Forests and Faeries, is a middle-grade fantasy collection of short stories published by ArtoonsInn Room9 Publications.
Kavita Krishna Meegama
Kavita is a student of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji, of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, and has continued her Vedānta studies from the same paramparā. She enjoys writing and teaching Indic language, culture, and thought. Previously her stories were published in INDICA anthologies of Aryaa and Flight of Deities. Currently she is the Director, University Relations (IKS), at Brhat Culture Creatives.
Srindihi B
Srinidhi, a recent graduate from IIITDM and an AI Engineer, is passionate student of Indian history, heritage, and classical arts. She is keen on exploring interdisciplinary areas like Histoinfomatics and has worked on a couple of projects to investigate the applications of AI in Indian epigraphy. During her undergraduate years, she pioneered the founding of an Indic heritage club which was a great success, attracting over 50 enthusiastic members within a year. The club’s mission focused on promoting Indian classical arts and fostering interest in Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) among youth. She is also a contributing author to the IndicA anthology, ‘Shared Roots: Tales from the Indosphere’
Vaishali S.
Vaishali loves reading and discussing the Valmiki Ramayana and various other popular versions of the Ramayana. She inherited her love for the Ramayana from members of her family. Vaishali’s grandmother, a devout Lord Rama bhakt, was the first person to narrate to her the story of the Ramayana at a tender age. Vaishali’s father has been religiously reading the Sundara Kanda every day for the past twenty-seven years.
Vaishali is an MBA graduate and a Semi-Qualified Company Secretary. She has completed a course on elements of literature and creative communication through the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) initiated by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. She holds a certificate on the Mahabharata and the Ramayana from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. She also holds a certificate on Ramayana Sopanam conducted by Amrita School of Spiritual and Cultural Studies, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. She is currently pursuing a course, Valmiki Ramayana with the Fragrance of Kamban and Kalidasan, conducted by Chinmaya International Foundation. Vaishali picked the habit of reading from her mother. Her husband and mother are her best book buddies. She loves to read and review various books on her blog and Goodreads. Other than reading, her hobbies include writing, acting, photography, public speaking, traveling, cooking, and gardening. Vaishali is also a good Carnatic singer.
