“A woman’s perspective is so important in the world, in all aspects of life, but especially writing.”- Neerja Pawar (Indian Author)

Team Kitaab is in conversation with Indian author Neerja Pawar as a part of the South Asian Women Writers Feature.

For the whole of March, we will be featuring South Asian Women Writers on Kitaab for the whole of March. You can read the editor’s note to know more about this.

Today, we are featuring Indian author, Neerja Pawar.

Born in Bombay and raised on a diet of 2000s’ pop-culture, Neerja’s stories often revolve around tales passed down from generations—stories that feel like the warm sun, hot honey, and young love. With an editorial eye for what audiences want and an innate ability to write prose that elicits anticipation, Neerja embodies a niche that she wants to see in the world. When she isn’t busy trying to be on either side of a book, she loves lazing at home, curled up with some black coffee and a murder documentary.

Team Kitaab: How did writing happen to you?

Neerja Pawar: I suppose reading happened to me first, and that was the spark that led to writing. It wasn’t a conscious decision to start writing, but as a kid who read a lot (even eagerly poring over her English textbooks), I developed a good grasp of the language, which naturally translated to good essay-writing and writing skills in general.