Old writers never die, they go out of print: Ruskin Bond turns 90

UTTARAKHAND: India’s beloved storyteller Ruskin Bond turned 90 on Sunday. He sat for an interview with his famed self-deprecating wit, remembering moments from his past.

The companionship of his adopted family, drives on the serpentine Landour-Mussoorie route, frothy strawberry milkshakes, shelves filled with books to read and a handy notepad to write down his daily musings… they were and are just a few of his favourite things.

Spending most of his days at his picturesque home in Ivy Cottage in the quiet town of Landour, a short drive from the noisier Mussoorie, the most famous resident shows little signs of ageing.

High blood pressure and dwindling eyesight aside, his childlike enthusiasm is intact as he discusses life, old age, writing, food and everything in between.

"Ninety-nine per cent of writers are forgotten in the long run. We are writing for posterity but nobody remembers us afterwards... I am happy if my family remembers me and a few readers get some pleasure out of my writing but it is very easy for a writer to disappear, to go out of print,” Bond said in a rare interview at his home.

He makes light of his celebrity status and being India’s favourite children’s author with over 500 titles, including short stories, essays and novellas, since his debut novel "The Room on the Roof" in 1956.

"They say 'old soldiers never die, they simply fade away'. Even old writers never die, they simply go out of print," Bond joked.

Bond's latest "Hold on To Your Dreams", published by Penguin, offers a unique glimpse into his personal space and everyday life.

Bond said became a writer almost by accident, and didn't aspire to become one, at least initially. His first two ambitions, which he failed miserably at, were to become an actor and a tap dancer.

"Then I realised I could write. I was a great bookworm. I grew up on books. Then I thought this was the best thing to do. Nothing better than a book, then why not write a few? Join the brigade of authors, so I did."

At 90, Bond continues to be a voracious reader with his nose either in the books or newspapers -- quite literally -- due to his poor eyesight.

"I am a newspaper addict. In fact, I get irritated when I don't get my newspaper early in the day. I read four newspapers a day. Books, I finish two or three of them a week easily. I read biographies, history, if it is interesting, crime thrillers for entertainment, and read classics... I have a fairly wide range of interest in books," he added.

Born to British parents Edith Clarke and Aubrey Bond in 1934 in Kasauli, Bond was only four years old when his mother separated from his father and married an Indian.

Though Bond's custody was handed to his father, he soon relocated to his grandmother's house in Dehradun. He grew up in Jamnagar, Shimla, New Delhi, and Dehradun before finally making Landour his home in 1963.

The quiet town has for years been attracting fans who hope to see the author sipping tea at the famous Chaar Dukaan, a string of four shops, or through the window of his bright yellow room.

When Bond's grandson Sidharth created his Instagram account, it amassed over two lakh followers in no time. Bond jokingly said, "I hope they all don't turn up here together one day".

Till the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Bond was a regular at book signing sessions in Mussoori’s Cambridge Book Depot. The visits have become infrequent but fans still inquire at the shop about his next appearance.

Bond has received numerous awards and honours, including the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in 1992, the Padma Shri in 1999, the Padma Bhushan in 2014 and the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2021.

Having lived all his life in India, barring the four years he spent in the Channel Islands and London, Bond, who has always identified himself as an Indian, admits that even now some people take him for a foreigner.

Ever the storyteller, he recalls with humour a visit to Odisha's Konark Sun temple.

"They wanted to charge me extra because they said I was a foreigner. They charge extra for foreigners. I said 'I am not a foreigner, I am an Indian', but then to avoid an argument I paid extra. And behind me came a Sardar ji who had a British passport but they let him in. He wasn't charged extra because he didn't look like a foreigner," he laughed.

Bond said he leads a happy and content life and doesn't think twice about indulging in things he likes, like slurping his favourite strawberry milkshakes or going on short drives with his grandchildren.

Bond also religiously follows his doctor's advice. He gave up on his favourite tipple vodka but isn’t a teetotaller and "chota, chota whiskey pegs" is his current favourite.

"The doctor tells me to cut down on salt as well. But I can't give up pickle. This morning only I had haldi pickle on bread toast. Very nice," said Bond, whose favourite all-time delicacy is the Kashmiri style 'mutton kofta curry'.