01/09/2007, 00.00
INDIA
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Guptara twins bring world of Calaspia to Europe

by Nirmala Carvalho
The two Indian 18-year-olds wrote a fantasy novel called “Conspiracy of Calaspia”. Already famous back home, the two Christian brothers are about to make their name in Europe. Publication rights have already been sold in many countries.

Goa (AsiaNews) – A riveting novel written by a young pair of Christian twins has already been published in India and England and is about to hit bookstore shelves in the rest of Europe. The name of the fantasy novel written by the two boys is Conspiracy of Calaspia.

 

The story is set in Calaspia, an imaginary alternative universe and the protagonist is Bryn Bellyset, heir to a vast commercial empire who however led a very sheltered life until he came of age. More than a story, Calaspia is a subtle parody, full of satire and symbols alongside action and adventure. The Christian education of the twins appears clearly in their first work; in the novel there is no lack of episodes highlighting redemption and pardon.

 

The young authors of the Conspiracy of Calaspia are twins Jyoti and Suresh Guptara. Their mother Philippa is English and she was a missionary in India for four years; it was there that she met her future husband, Prabhu, a professor at the North-Eastern Hill University di Shillong. Jyoti and Guresh were born in England in 1988 and they spent the first seven years of their life there before moving to Switzerland with their parents.

 

Today Jyoti, although he has only just turned 18, has already broken a record: he is the youngest full-time novelist in the world. What’s more, Jyoti had an article of his published in the Wall Street Journal when he was just 15, which made him the youngest ever person to place a piece in the American journal.

 

During the launch of the book in Indian bookshops that saw the participation of Jamir, the governor of Goa, Jyoti told AsiaNews: “This is the first of a series of seven novels called ‘The Insanity Saga’. We wrote the first draft of 15 pages when we were 11; after many revisions our manuscript was finally transformed into this novel.”

 

He continued: “Fantasy isn't all about gore and monsters, it's about what extraordinary events do to ordinary people, their lives and relationships.”

 

Proud to be Christian and of their Indian origin, attached to anything that has to do with their homeland, the Guptara twins are becoming a symbol for all youth of the state. Western fantasy literature has a big following in the twins’ country of origin. Given the richness of Indian mythology, critics believe Calaspia may become a model and source of inspiration for many other aspiring authors.

 

The rights of the Italian version of the novel have been sold for 60,000 euros. The Conspiracy of Calaspia will be published in Italy towards the end of the year. Negotiations are currently under way to launch the book on the German market too.

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