In a wide-ranging interview with Newslaundry, Arundhati Roy discusses her new book, My Mother, My Gangster, which draws on the story of her mother, Mary Roy, to explore her own childhood, family, relationships, and journey to becoming a writer. 

The conversation, however, went beyond the book to address contemporary politics and student movements as well. Roy spoke at length about leaving home at 16, studying architecture in Delhi, her friendships, and the early days of her writing career. She describes her mother as a woman who was both “extraordinary” and “extremely harsh”, and explains why it’s essential to see her not merely as a mother, but as an independent woman in her own right.

The conversation then proceeded to the recent student protests at Jantar Mantar, the state of the education system, Hindutva politics, elections, democratic institutions, the movements in Narmada and Bastar, the environment, and social inequality. Roy argues that the current student movement can’t be understood merely through the lens of exams and education. 

Watch the full conversation.

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