Ernakulam: Author Arundhati Roy launched her new book Mother Mary Comes to Me at St. Teresa’s College, combining personal memories with political observations. The book, centered on her late mother Mary Roy, received its global first release at the event, attended by writers, family members, and publishing professionals.
Addressing the audience, Roy strongly criticized the ongoing war in Gaza. She accused the United States of funding what she described as the largest genocide in history and said India was indirectly contributing through its poverty. “We do not know whether the taxes we pay are going to genocide,” she remarked. Roy underlined that she does not participate in any public event without expressing solidarity with Gaza.
The author also turned attention to domestic issues. She highlighted the continued imprisonment of Umar Khalid and GN Saibaba, calling both cases clear examples of injustice.
In between serious reflections, Roy shared a lighter moment from her travels. At the Delhi airport, a Malayali security officer checking her ID told her there was another Arundhati in Kerala “always in trouble.” The story drew laughter from the gathering.
Prominent voices present included writer K.R. Meera, Roy’s brother Lalit Roy, and Penguin Random House India’s Editor-in-Chief Manasi Subramaniam. The speakers reflected on Roy’s literary journey and the significance of the new book.
