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Supriya Kelkar was born and raised in the Midwest. She learned Hindi as a child by watching three Bollywood films a week. After college she realized her lifelong dream of working in the film industry when she got a job as a Bollywood screenwriter. She has credits on one Hollywood film and several Hindi films. AHIMSA, inspired by her great-grandmother\\u2019s role in the Indian freedom movement, is her debut middle-grade novel.

In 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi asks Indians to give one family member to the freedom movement, ten-year-old Anjali is devastated to think of her father risking his life for the freedom struggle.

But it turns out he isn\\u2019t the one joining. Anjali\\u2019s mother is. And with this change comes many more adjustments designed to improve their country and use \\u201cahimsa\\u201d\\u2013non-violent resistance\\u2013to stand up to the British government. First the family must trade in their fine foreign-made clothes for homespun cotton, so Anjali has to give up her prettiest belongings. Then her mother decides to reach out to the Dalit community, the \\u201cuntouchables\\u201d of society. Anjali is forced to get over her past prejudices as her family becomes increasingly involved in the movement.

When Anjali\\u2019s mother is jailed, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother\\u2019s work, ensuring that her little part of the independence movement is completed.

Inspired by her great-grandmother\\u2019s experience working with Gandhi, New Visions Award winner Supriya Kelkar shines a light on the Indian freedom movement in this poignant debut.

The post Ahimsa \\u2013 Ep 23 with Supriya Kelkar appeared first on Read Learn Live Podcast.