A rejected visa didn't deter Pakistani author Kanza Javed from launching her book ‘Ashes, Wine and Dust,' in India. The Pakistani author who was supposed to participate in the Kumaon Lit Fest, said her visa was denied at the last-minute. Rather than mope, she took her publisher, Aanchal Malhotras help, and co-ordinated a launch over Skype according to a Times of India report.
@KanzaJaved and her debut book #asheswineanddusthttps://t.co/DsMBKScYaR
— The Hatke (@The_hatke) September 20, 2015
Ironically Javed’s brother and father, who were supposed to travel with her to attend the five-day literary festival, received their visa. An indignant Javed, in an earlier interview with Times of India, said that she was stunned. “I had submitted all documents three weeks ago. I only heard (from the Indian High Commission) last afternoon about my visa being denied. I wasn’t given a reason, and I did not ask them either. It was very insulting for me. I have always received support from across the border,” she said.
The 24-year-old author who was shortlisted for the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize, shared the synopsis of her book on Skype, outlining a young girls story that corresponded to the three words in the title of her book.
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