Ruskin Bond turns 82, celebrates birthday by launching new books
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service
Mussoorie, May 19
“This Bond will never retire!” says an adolescent, Priya, who had come to the Cambridge Book Depot to celebrate the 82nd birthday of Ruskin Bond. Sunil Arora, the owner of Cambridge Book Depot, went along with his family to wish Bond at his residence. Later in the afternoon, Bond arrived at the Cambridge Book Depot and cut the cake in front of the people, especially students from Apeejay School, Delhi, and Mussoorie International School.
Two students, who shared their birthday with Ruskin Bond, joined in the celebrations much to their delight.
Three new books titled “A little book of Happiness”, “My Favourite Nature stories” and “The world outside the window” were released on the occasion. The books were signed by Ruskin Bond. Meanwhile, “The Room on the Roof” — a semi-autobiographical story of the Anglo-Indian Boy, Rusty, that won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, completed 60 years of publication today. Elated Ruskin Bond posted a picture on his Twitter handle saying, “This was taken when I was 22, the year — The Room on the Roof — was first published. 60 years ago.” Ruskin Bond said when the book was released, I was an unknown person. “The book has been doing much better for the past six to seven years in comparison to the initial years of the release which is indeed refreshing,” he added.
Ruskin Bond was awarded with the most coveted honour — the Padma Bhushan in 2014 and Padma Shri in 1998. His novel “A Flight Of Pigeons” was made into a Hindi film called ‘Junoon’ by Shyam Benegal. Then Vishal Bhardwaj’s “7 Khoon Maaf” was based on his work titled ‘Susanna’s Seven Husbands’. He made his acting debut in the film.
When asked will he ever retire from writing books, Ruskin said only when his hands stop working.
