Encounter with Kiran Fragments from a Relationship

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When Nayantara Sahgal and Kiran Nagarkar first met in 2002 at a literary festival, Sahgal was already an established author with over twenty books, while Nagarkar had just begun to gain recognition for his work. Their initial encounter didn’t spark immediate chemistry; however, in 2014, Nagarkar reached out to Sahgal about her book Mistaken Identity, leading to an invitation for lunch at her Dehradun home. This meeting marked the start of a profound correspondence that lasted until Nagarkar’s death in 2019. Their almost daily email exchanges evolved from discussions about literature to sharing personal struggles, including Nagarkar’s chronic health issues and Sahgal’s grief over her grandson’s death. Both writers expressed their concerns about the rise of violent majoritarianism and the erosion of democratic values in India. While Sahgal notes that emails lack the prestige of letters, they offer a sense of immediacy and connection that facilitated their friendship, despite the physical distance between them. This collection of emails offers a poignant and intimate look into the lives of two remarkable writers who supported each other through personal and political challenges, revealing the depth of their bond and the strength they drew from one another.