Register Me as Kulbhushan: A Novel

Traverse the vibrant streets of Calcutta, explore the deep scars of Partition, and embark on a modern epic of exile and identity in Register Me as Kulbhushan by Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author Alka Saraogi, expertly translated by John Vater!

About the Book: What’s in a name? Traversing the bustling streets of Calcutta in his one-and-a-half slippers, our dark, lanky hero—variously known as Bhushan Chacha, Kulbhushan Jain, and Gopal Chandra Das—wanders a labyrinth of memories, desperately searching for himself. Like many East Bengalis scarred by the trauma of Partition, he has trained himself to dive into forgetfulness. By punching the "button of forgetting," a mantra taught by his childhood friend Shyama Dhobi, he induces instant amnesia to survive the suffocating streets and the constant indignities heaped upon him by his Marwari relatives, whose household drudgery he quietly shoulders. But living in perpetual forgetfulness has a heavy cost. Meanwhile, Shyama is far more than he appears. Delivered into his parents’ lap by an itinerant fakir and blessed with remarkable resourcefulness, he rises from washerman and rickshaw-puller to become a trusted confidante of cotton mill-owning Bengali aristocrats—all against the backdrop of mounting communal violence and the brutality of the West Pakistani army that triggers the Bangladesh Liberation War. When injustice finally becomes unbearable, Shyama is compelled to join the freedom fighters in search of redress and meaning. At once humorous, deeply sincere, and profoundly philosophical, Register Me as Kulbhushan is a brilliant modern epic exploring exile, memory, and the fundamental human need to belong.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Acclaimed Authorship: Written by Alka Saraogi, a celebrated, award-winning Hindi novelist known for her rich historical and psychological narratives, translated with precision by John Vater.

• Rich Historical Backdrop: Weaves together the complex legacies of the Partition of India, the socio-cultural fabric of Calcutta, and the historic Bangladesh Liberation War.

• Captivating Character Study: Explores themes of identity, memory, displacement, and class through unforgettable protagonists navigating extraordinary circumstances.

• The Perfect Gift: A thoughtful, culturally rich present for lovers of contemporary translated literature, South Asian fiction, historical novels, and literary masterpieces.