“I wanted to unearth stories behind the national symbols that were more engaging to young readers…”- Kavitha Mandana (Children’s Author)
1 min read
Team Kitaab is in conversation with children’s author Kavitha Mandana who has recently written a new series of 4 books for Talking Cub.
Kavitha Mandana is the author of eight books for children published by Puffin (Penguin), Karadi Tales, Pratham and Red Turtle (Rupa). Her short fiction has appeared in various anthologies as well as in school English textbooks. She’s been writing and illustrating for the Deccan Herald’s kids’ supplement for the past twenty years.
She has recently written a new series of 4 books for Talking Cub (the children’s imprint of Speaking Tiger).
Every child grows up seeing the Indian Flag, learning to sing the National Anthem, reading about the National Emblem, and about our other national symbols like National Animal, Bird, Tree, Fruit, and more. But what are the stories that lie behind each of these? Why were these particular symbols chosen? Why was the lion capital from the Ashoka pillars used as independent India’s National Emblem? Who created some of the earliest flags that were used to rally the people during India’s freedom movement? What is the journey of India’s National Anthem, from being a 5-verse song penned by Tagore, to becoming a beloved anthem?
