Connect with us

News Wire

HarperCollins Presents The Keeper of Desolation by Chandan Pandey

Award-winning author Chandan Pandey brings a collection of nine surreal yet gritty, violent yet poetic, stories set in the heartland of India. 

The themes of The Keeper of Desolation are urgent and relevant for today’s times.  

Superbly translated from the Hindi by Sayari Debnath.

NEW DELHI, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — HarperCollins Publishers presents The Keeper Of Desolation Stories by Chandan Pandey, translated from the Hindi by Sayari Debnath.

‘Sinister and tender, poignant and hard-hitting.’ – Geetanjali Shree

Published by HarperCollins

Paperback | Fiction | 240 pp | INR 299

Releasing 18 April 2024

About the Book

A farmer urges the Prime Minister to change the formula for compound interest…

A man refuses to make space for another on a train and is beaten to death

A family living in a single room forgets one member even exists… 

Surreal yet gritty, violent yet poetic—such is the world of Chandan Pandey’s fiction. Set deep in the heart of present-day India, The Keeper of Desolation chronicles the warped realities our everyday lives must confront and battle. Immersive and provocative in equal measure, these stories from one of the most powerful voices of our generation make for an arresting record of our times—while transcending time itself. 

Author Chandan Pandey says, I wrote these stories in the grips of unrelenting restlessness. I look keenly at the strongest walls of our inherent culture and think carefully, until finally, a story glimpses at me. And that’s what I write. What else can I say about my creations?

Sayari Debnath, translator of The Keeper of Desolation, says, In these stories, Chandan Pandey writes about anxieties that are difficult to give voice to – can taking out a loan plunge us into deeper debts, what if I become a victim of a kangaroo court, how much of a person can I be at my workplace? His stories present possibilities that we assume are too outlandish to happen to ‘regular’ people like ourselves. While translating, I encountered a language that was taut yet poetic, and I hope to have done justice to what is truly a distinct voice in contemporary fiction.

Rahul Soni, Associate Publisher – Literary, HarperCollins India, says, Chandan Pandey’s fiction is a reflection of the warped realities we’re living in. His dark dispatches from the heart of the nation comprise some of the most powerful and urgent writing coming out in Hindi today. Legal Fiction remains among the best novels we’ve published in the past few years, and the stories in The Keeper of Desolation – in Sayari Debnath’s excellent translation – fully live up to the expectations that had set up. I’m also delighted to mention at this point that we’ll be publishing Chandan’s next novel – a sequel of sorts to Legal Fiction called Songs of Glory – next year.

Praise for The Keeper of Desolation

‘Sinister and tender, poignant and hard-hitting, the stories in The Keeper of Desolation bring us face to face with the wretched and the affluent, the good and the evil of contemporary Indian society. Sensitive to Chandan Pandey’s ever-varying, often whimsical, idioms, tones and styles, Sayari Debnath’s translation provides glimpses into his outstanding fiction.’Geetanjali Shree, winner of the International Booker Prize 2022 for Tomb of Sand.

About the Author and Translator

Chandan Pandey is the author of four short-story collections and two novels in Hindi. He has been honoured with the Bharatiya Jnanpith’s Navlekhan Award, the Vanmali Yuva Katha Samman, the Shabd Chhaap Samman, and is a recipient of the Krishna Baldev Vaid Fellowship. The translation of his acclaimed debut novel, Vaidhanik Galp, was published in English as Legal Fiction in 2021.

Sayari Debnath translates from Hindi and Bengali into English. She is a culture journalist at Scroll where she writes about books, literary trends and art. In 2019, she graduated with a Master of Arts in English from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

About HarperCollins India

HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 3,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, The Erasmus Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award, and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover, Nosy Crow, and Quarto. HarperCollins India is India’s most awarded publisher seven Publisher of the Year Awards (2015, 2016, 2018, two in 2021, 2022, and 2024). HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers.

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/harpercollins-presents-the-keeper-of-desolation-by-chandan-pandey-1.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2105077/4095906/HarperCollins_Logo.jpg 

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/harpercollins-presents-the-keeper-of-desolation-by-chandan-pandey-302120757.html

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

News Wire

Jameson Connects & Crepdog Crew Celebrate Subcultures with Limited-Edition Capsule

Celebrating community, creativity, and self-expression through a limited-edition drop inspired by India’s most vibrant subcultures.

MUMBAI, India, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Jameson Connects joins forces with India’s largest sneaker and streetwear retailer, Crepdog Crew, to launch a one-of-a-kind limited-edition capsule that celebrates the spirit of counterculture in India. The collaboration is being launched under Jameson Connects – Jam Studio, a culture and community-driven collaborative space, which brings together creative minds to help explore a fresh artistic landscape.

Rooted in the dynamic street and creative scenes of India, Jameson Connects and Crepdog Crew have come together to spotlight authentic voices and celebrate self-expression from the ground up. Inspired by bomber jacket patch culture, the drop reinterprets the spirit of individuality and identity through a distinctive camo-style shacket with interchangeable patches, designed to be a canvas for personal storytelling. Complementing the shacket are a tote bag and mug, completing a bold and collectible capsule collection.

Ayush Kalra pays homage to the tattoo scene, Vijaya Aswani captures the dynamic energy of skateboarding, Jayesh Joshi channels the freedom of the biking community, and Siddhartha Iyer brings alive the rhythm and soul of music.

Anchit Kapil, Co-founder and CEO, Crepdog Crew, said, “Subcultures shape the streets long before trends catch up. At Crepdog Crew, we’ve always built spaces—physical and creative—for the community to thrive. This shacket is our way of putting that truth on fabric—a celebration of individuality, identity, and the scenes that give cities their soul. With Jameson Connects, we’ve created more than a drop—we’ve created a canvas for the culture.”

Mo Joshi, Co-founder of Azadi Records, Culture partner for Jameson Connects, said, “Real culture grows where community thrives. Jameson Connects has always been about championing grassroots voices and giving artists a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated. This collaboration with Crepdog Crew isn’t just about merch—it’s about movement.”

The drop celebrates the power of creative collaboration through art, music, and community-first experiences.

About Jameson Connects

Powered by Jameson Ginger Ale, Jameson Connects is a community-first platform for India’s creative voices. Through verticals like Jam Pad, Jam Stage, Jam Studio, and Jam Radio, it brings together culture-shaping individuals and subcultures to collaborate, co-create, and connect.

About Azadi Records

Azadi Records is a progressive Indian music label spotlighting thought-provoking hip-hop across regional languages and subcultures. Since 2017, it has given voice to the unheard, pushing the boundaries of what Indian music can be.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Shefali Bhatia, PR Pundit Havas Red | shefali.bhatia@prpundithavasred.com | +91 9821821032

Sanjana Jhawar, PR Pundit Havas Red | sanjana.jhawar@prpundithavasred.com | +91 7023080670

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jameson-connects-crepdog-crew-celebrate-subcultures-with-limited-edition-capsule-2.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/jameson-connects–crepdog-crew-celebrate-subcultures-with-limited-edition-capsule-302472881.html

Continue Reading

News Wire

Jameson Connects & Crepdog Crew Celebrate Subcultures with Limited-Edition Capsule

Celebrating community, creativity, and self-expression through a limited-edition drop inspired by India’s most vibrant subcultures.

MUMBAI, India, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Jameson Connects joins forces with India’s largest sneaker and streetwear retailer, Crepdog Crew, to launch a one-of-a-kind limited-edition capsule that celebrates the spirit of counterculture in India. The collaboration is being launched under Jameson Connects – Jam Studio, a culture and community-driven collaborative space, which brings together creative minds to help explore a fresh artistic landscape.

Rooted in the dynamic street and creative scenes of India, Jameson Connects and Crepdog Crew have come together to spotlight authentic voices and celebrate self-expression from the ground up. Inspired by bomber jacket patch culture, the drop reinterprets the spirit of individuality and identity through a distinctive camo-style shacket with interchangeable patches, designed to be a canvas for personal storytelling. Complementing the shacket are a tote bag and mug, completing a bold and collectible capsule collection.

Ayush Kalra pays homage to the tattoo scene, Vijaya Aswani captures the dynamic energy of skateboarding, Jayesh Joshi channels the freedom of the biking community, and Siddhartha Iyer brings alive the rhythm and soul of music.

Anchit Kapil, Co-founder and CEO, Crepdog Crew, said, “Subcultures shape the streets long before trends catch up. At Crepdog Crew, we’ve always built spaces—physical and creative—for the community to thrive. This shacket is our way of putting that truth on fabric—a celebration of individuality, identity, and the scenes that give cities their soul. With Jameson Connects, we’ve created more than a drop—we’ve created a canvas for the culture.”

Mo Joshi, Co-founder of Azadi Records, Culture partner for Jameson Connects, said, “Real culture grows where community thrives. Jameson Connects has always been about championing grassroots voices and giving artists a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated. This collaboration with Crepdog Crew isn’t just about merch—it’s about movement.”

The drop celebrates the power of creative collaboration through art, music, and community-first experiences.

About Jameson Connects

Powered by Jameson Ginger Ale, Jameson Connects is a community-first platform for India’s creative voices. Through verticals like Jam Pad, Jam Stage, Jam Studio, and Jam Radio, it brings together culture-shaping individuals and subcultures to collaborate, co-create, and connect.

About Azadi Records

Azadi Records is a progressive Indian music label spotlighting thought-provoking hip-hop across regional languages and subcultures. Since 2017, it has given voice to the unheard, pushing the boundaries of what Indian music can be.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Shefali Bhatia, PR Pundit Havas Red | shefali.bhatia@prpundithavasred.com | +91 9821821032

Sanjana Jhawar, PR Pundit Havas Red | sanjana.jhawar@prpundithavasred.com | +91 7023080670

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jameson-connects-crepdog-crew-celebrate-subcultures-with-limited-edition-capsule-1.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/jameson-connects–crepdog-crew-celebrate-subcultures-with-limited-edition-capsule-302472881.html

Continue Reading

News Wire

Jameson Connects grooves to Grammy winner Anderson .Paak in Mumbai

An intimate celebration of music, culture, and community, also featured Seedhe Maut and Shekhinah

MUMBAI, India, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Music lovers in Mumbai were treated to an unforgettable evening as Jameson Connects brought its signature global experience, Distilled Sounds, to India’s cultural capital with an electrifying night of rhythm, soul, and connection. Headlining the showcase was none other than Grammy Award-winning artist Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee .Wee, who took over Famous Studios, Mumbai, for a high-voltage, electrifying up-close performance that brought unmatched energy to this thrilling chapter of Jameson Connects.

DJ Pee .Wee, the dynamic alter ego of Anderson .Paak, delivered a high-energy DJ set that showcased his impeccable taste and versatility behind the console. Known for his genre-blending sound that merges hip-hop, soul, funk, and R&B, Anderson .Paak additionally treated audiences to an intimate live performance towards the end, captivating them with his rich musicality and vibrant presence.

Adding to the evening’s vibrant soundscape was a duo who need little introduction — Seedhe Maut. Fresh off the release of their eighth project DL91 FM, the genre-defying Delhi-based icons brought their razor-sharp lyrics and explosive live energy. Joining them was South African powerhouse Shekhinah, celebrated for her soulful vocals and signature fusion of R&B and pop. Together, they formed a thrilling trifecta of artistry that embodies Jameson’s spirit of fearless creativity and community.

With each edition, Jameson Connects continues to raise the bar in crafting immersive cultural experiences that merge music, community, and creativity. Known for spotlighting boundary-breaking talent from around the world while championing local voices, the platform has become a space where global artistry meets homegrown expression. The upcoming Mumbai showcase is set to be no different-an intimate yet high-impact gathering that celebrates the spirit of connection, the power of live performance, and the magic that unfolds when diverse creative energies come together under one roof.

More than just a music event, Jameson Connects delivered a curated celebration of culture, community, and connection. From eclectic pop-ups by homegrown brands to vibrant F&B experiences and the thoughtfully curated zones, every element is designed to spark conversations and camaraderie.

Stay tuned for what’s next from Jameson Connects.

Link: https://www.instagram.com/jameson_alwaysintomixin?igsh=eGszaTBsNTV5N2Yx

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jameson-connects-grooves-to-grammy-winner-anderson-paak-in-mumbai-1.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/jameson-connects-grooves-to-grammy-winner-anderson-paak-in-mumbai-302472876.html

Continue Reading

Trending