When tragedy strikes in Megha Majumdar's brilliant debut novel, A Burning, a young Muslim woman called Jivan is carrying a bag of books to give to Lovely, an exuberant member of India's transgender community, to whom she is teaching English in the Kolkata slum where they live.
In the terrorist attack that ensues, more than a hundred people die on a burning train, while the authorities seem to look on impassively.
It's been so strange. I think it will take me years to process that kind of praise
Horrified, Jivan takes to Facebook and posts: “If the police didn’t help ordinary people like you and me, if the police watched them die, doesn’t that mean the government is also a terrorist?”
In the search for blame and retribution, it's fair to say those simple words don't do her any favours. When they go viral, Jivan is arrested and sent to jail to await the trial that gives A Burning its propulsive narrative force. After all, the penalty for conviction of a terrorist offence is death.
Inspired by real life
Majumdar, who grew up in Kolkata and now lives in New York, says Jivan's predicament wasn't inspired by a particular event, rather an "accumulation" of things she has witnessed and heard over the years. "There's a scene in the book where a mob attacks a villager who is suspected of having eaten beef, and you know, that just came out of so many news articles like that," she says.
It's Majumdar's incredible commitment to all the vagaries, contradictions, possibilities and joys of Indian life that has made A Burning such an eagerly anticipated book – it was released to a US audience in June last year, but to the rest of the world only last week.
“I really wanted to revisit the spirit of the place as I see it, all the little interactions and relationships that make up a neighbourhood and a city,” she says.
In the US, Majumdar received the kind of acclaim debut authors can only dream of. Writing in The New Yorker, celebrated critic James O'Brien marvelled at the sophisticated way an Indian panoply emerges, and the book's "extraordinary directness and openness to life". A National Book Award longlisting followed, along with bestselling status and end-of-year acclaim in Time magazine and, well, almost every US publication of note.
"It's been so strange," she says. "I think it will take me years to process that kind of praise. You write your document in a place of quietness and solitude, just tinkering with questions and words and kind of polishing things, and then all of a sudden, to have it be an object that people are responding to …"
She tails off, almost amazed this life-changing situation – she's been compared to Akhil Sharma and VS Naipaul – has happened to her.
“Actually, I’ve just been immensely grateful; there’s so much going on in the world right now that I know many people just do not have the bandwidth to keep up with everything.”
A moral conundrum
Actually, perhaps the reason A Burning has struck such a chord is precisely because it offers such a clear-eyed view of the complexity of the world, through the lens of the India in which Majumdar grew up. She distinctly remembers going to a market in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata and realising the person removing the scales from the fish was a child her age.
"I'd be on the school bus, and look out at kids in roadside eating places washing plates and dishes," she says. "I was very aware how immensely lucky I was, and in time I also saw how people move through networks and systems that don't serve them, and did so with intelligence, humour and determination," she says.
I was very interested in whether a society allows you to care about justice for everybody, or whether it pushes you into this corner
This idea is important in A Burning because its two other brilliantly drawn characters – Lovely, who has dreams of becoming an actress, and PT Sir, Jivan's former teacher who sees a way out of his role via Hindu nationalist politics – both have the ability to assist Jivan. Whether, when faced with their chance to leave their lowly lives behind, they will chose truth or betrayal, is key to a book that doesn't contain bad people as much as bad situations.
“I was very interested in the question of whether such a society allows you to care about justice for everybody, or whether it pushes you into this corner where you realise that either you rise or somebody else rises,” Majumdar says.
"I wanted to see whether these people – who are so close to achieving something that is meaningful for them – will act out of self-interest.
“And, yeah, I felt that perhaps the harder and more complex thing to think about is that they’re not bad people. I never meant to write villains, but they are definitely people who are very aware that they have one chance at rising above their current circumstances, and either they seize it, or they let it go.”
The moral conundrum, but piercing reality, of that notion, along with the injustice of Jivan's situation and a number of other moments in the book that underline Majumdar's desire to process "the rise of this ideology which seeks to determine who belongs in a nation and who doesn't", might make A Burning seem polemical, dark and difficult. But the author simply lays all Indian life out before us. And does so through electrifyingly readable and enjoyable characters, without ever being frivolous.
"I wanted to see if I could write a book that grapples with these important ideas, but would not be preachy or dry," she says. "That could be entertaining, have a tight plot and move really fast. How could I write this intellectually serious book while also making it fun, and what does fun even look like in this context?"
The response from the wider public to these burning questions certainly seems to suggest Majumdar succeeded in her aims. But how does she feel about her book – India, even – now that the dust has settled a little?
"I go back every year – when there's not a pandemic – and my family are all there," she says. "Writing about India was a chance to be closer to it still, and like every place it has its challenges. But what I really wanted to focus on was how people do not give up. People still have their wildest dreams that they chase, they still want a better life, a more meaningful life, despite all of the hurdles in their way.
“And at the same time, I hope the book encourages people to think about injustice wherever they are, and in whatever form they have encountered it. To think about the difficulty of living a moral life, and how people still try to do so.”
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Kanye%20West
%3Cp%3EYe%20%E2%80%94%20the%20rapper%20formerly%20known%20as%20Kanye%20West%20%E2%80%94%20has%20seen%20his%20net%20worth%20fall%20to%20%24400%20million%20in%20recent%20weeks.%20That%E2%80%99s%20a%20precipitous%20drop%20from%20Bloomberg%E2%80%99s%20estimates%20of%20%246.8%20billion%20at%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3Cbr%3EYe%E2%80%99s%20wealth%20plunged%20after%20business%20partners%2C%20including%20Adidas%2C%20severed%20ties%20with%20him%20on%20the%20back%20of%20anti-Semitic%20remarks%20earlier%20this%20year.%3Cbr%3EWest%E2%80%99s%20present%20net%20worth%20derives%20from%20cash%2C%20his%20music%2C%20real%20estate%20and%20a%20stake%20in%20former%20wife%20Kim%20Kardashian%E2%80%99s%20shapewear%20firm%2C%20Skims.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
UNSC Elections 2022-23
Seats open:
- Two for Africa Group
- One for Asia-Pacific Group (traditionally Arab state or Tunisia)
- One for Latin America and Caribbean Group
- One for Eastern Europe Group
Countries so far running:
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Griselda
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Andr%C3%A9s%20Baiz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ESof%C3%ADa%20Vergara%2C%20Alberto%20Guerra%2C%20Juliana%20Aiden%20Martinez%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Itcan profile
Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani
Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India
Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce
Size: 70 employees
Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch
Funding: Self-funded to date
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Falling%20for%20Christmas'
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Janeen%20Damian%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Lindsay%20Lohan%2C%20Chord%20Overstreet%2C%20Jack%20Wagner%2C%20Aliana%20Lohan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
