Correspondent
SHILLONG, NOV 13 (NPN): Renowned author and Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai has flagged a “serious problem” in the international media, stating that news coverage has “become structured” and heavily agenda-driven.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Shillong Literary Festival about her novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Desai said it “astonishes her that it still happens” across global newsrooms.”
“In the United States of America, it is very obvious to me that they cover some stories, don’t cover other stories, and somehow or the other there is always enough of a crack in the door left open for the government to start another war, even when the reasons for it are obviously untrue or false. So you begin to wonder what role the Western media, the American media, is playing,” the acclaimed author said.
When asked about the evolving national scenario, she noted that similar concerning trends are unfolding in India, contributing to the country’s sharp drop in the global World Press Freedom Index.
“India has fallen quite low in the Press Freedom Index. So perhaps there is a different concern about how much the news media is allowed to operate freely, at least I know this is a conversation that is happening in India,” Desai said.
However, she credited “brave journalists” who continue to practise their profession without bias or fear.
“Look at these brave journalists all around the world, still reporting, still working. Look at the young student movements, the American elections. When you look at the intelligence of this Gen Z movement, they are still coming out of highly educated backgrounds and are able to think for themselves. This is a matter of great hope,” she said.
Desai observed that Indian news is increasingly influenced by a strong nationalistic outlook, warning that such an environment can easily turn authoritarian.
“When that happens, fear enters the landscape and creates a fear to report fairly,” she said.
Despite her concerns, Desai described India as an extraordinary country and said she remains “proud of India.” This deep-rooted sentiment, she explained, drew her back from her home in New York to reconnect with her grandparents’ ideas and her heritage.
Desai, who won the Booker Prize for The Inheritance of Loss, also reflected on the quiet value of solitude.
Drawing from her own experiences as a writer, she said solitude is sometimes essential, noting that it has strengthened her as an individual and helped her learn new skills.
Such reflective periods of isolation, Desai added, have given her “moments of privacy, dignity and, most importantly, the freedom to transform oneself.”