Another Feather For Indian Literature

The Man Booker for 2007 went to the young and charming Arvind Adiga for his debut novel "The White Tiger." Till the announcement of the the highest citation in the literary world it was hardly inticipated that the writer in his early literary days would manage to bag the coveted 50 000 sterling and a recognition. Adiga who started his carrer as a Business Reporet broke his family norms which was dominated by the medical professinals. His uncle is a renowned medical professinal who runs his establishment in Bangalore. His father currently in Australia is also from the same medical world serving the cause of humanity. The writer who lost his mother at vey young age when he was in standard X was never perturbed by the tragic event. Emerging from the shamble he rised from the confines and went to study at Oxford to realise his dreams. After graduating in Economics and finishing other masterly educations he came back to India. As a media person he shifted his base to Mumabai. According to his uncle his mother was the main driving force that attracted the young author towards the glamour of success. When she died he decided to move on as the world around him moved on. His debu literary work has not only won him the prestigious Booker but at the same time some harsh crticism from the literary world. Those who always portary India in positive picture have criticised the authors fictional work. They believe that his book "The White Tiger" portrays India and its society badly and stereotypes the country. Many of them have put foraward how the BBC used to broadcast cows on India's streets when the channel could have highlighted other things. "The White Tiger" debates two India. One "the Dark" and the other "the Brighter one." Set on the backdrop of the class conflict, the rich and the poor divide, it talks about a character "Balram Halwa" a visionary who progresses to become an entrepreneur. To make his dreams come true Balram uses the illegitimate means. In an interview to the BBC Arivnda emphasised that there is no legitimate way to climb the ladder leading to the riches but the tool of crime. "In India people become rich eother through crime or through politics which is a variant of crime." The story of Balram Halwai is another of the rags to riches story, but it has the overtones of the crime, a tool utilised by him to reach the laddeer. The author says that the novel belongs to Delhi as he finds the city close to his heart. "The White tiger is from Delhi as the protagonist in the novel is based on a character, though fictitiously, from Delhi itself," he elaborates. Enshrining huge dreams in his mind, Balram Halwai lands a chauffeur's job. After winning the trust and seeing the glamour inriches he murders his employee and with the booty starts a business. The entrepreneurial skills which he got naturally makes him much more optimistic and helps realise his dream. howver the nothion that in India you can attain wealth either through politics or through crimes has not gone down well with the literary circle. They believe that the author should have avoided the conflicting notions as it is tantamount to a ceratin way of profling. Debates continue. The author also may be revelling. But one fact is that India has seen another of her literary genious, Arvind Adiga.