In Conversation with Dr Prasanthi Ram: A Glimpse into the Literary World of South Asian Writers
Dr Prasanthi Ram is the co-founder and fiction editor of Mahogany Journal, an inclusive online space created to share literary works written by, for, and about English-speaking South Asians born or based in Singapore. To be part of a diaspora is to be permanently located at the intersection of multiple boundaries — geographical or cultural, and Mahogany Journal interrogates this notion of intersectionality through a literary lens, giving South Asian writers based or born in Singapore a platform to make their voices heard.
Apart from editing and teaching writing full-time at the Nanyang Technological University, Prasanthi is also a writer. Her work offers insight into the lives of the Indian community in Singapore. Searingly honest about the challenges faced by members of the Indian community struggling to cling to their traditional values in a protean world, she also writes about her struggles growing up as a member of a minority group and as a woman.
In “Hua by Any Other Name” from the collection of essays What We Inherit: Growing Up Indian (borrow a physical copy here), she explores how being Indian has affected her identity in her youth in a majority-Chinese society. Apart from essays, Prasanthi also writes short stories. One such story is “The Panasonic in Food Republic: A Singapore Literary Banquet” which describes the struggle of a Singaporean Indian family to find suitable vegetarian food in the United States, well known for its meat-centric cuisine. Detailing the determined exploits of the family to bring a taste of home to America, including hiding pickles in a sock to avoid detection at the airport and packing a rice cooker (made by Panasonic, hence the title), her story is a testament to the power of food to bring people together.
This interview dives deeper into her literary world.
1. If you could have dinner with any three famous people — dead or alive — who would they be?
RM of BTS, Mani Ratnam and Jhumpa Lahiri. A world-class South Korean performer, a veteran Tamil director, and a well-loved Bengali American author. Just the thought of them at a dinner table together is delightful!
2. What is a motto or ideal that you live by?
Focus on your own progress. Comparison is almost always myopic and will only breed unnecessary insecurities.
3. What advice would you give to those who aspire to be published writers someday?
Firstly, write. Many who fantasise about becoming writers are often inundated by fear, which leads to inertia; it was the same for me. Unsurprisingly of course, to get one’s foot in the door of the publishing industry, one must fight that inertia and begin writing.
Secondly, submit. Rejection is at least 70% of the game and it is tough to bear — trust me, I know. But it is also a way to learn. Even if your work is rejected by a journal or publisher, always remember to ask for feedback. Many editors are more than willing to point out areas for improvement. That way you can give yourself a pat on the back and confidently say, “I’ve tried, and I’ve also learned”.
Last but not least, rinse and repeat. For most writers, persistence is key. Trust that you’ll eventually get there, wherever you imagine the destination to be.
4. What makes Mahogany Journal different from other literary journals in Singapore?
Mahogany Journal is the first literary journal in Singapore to focus on South Asian writers and stories. It is also a paying journal, which means our contributors and cover artists receive an honorarium for their work. Ultimately, we wish to see many more paying literary journals and zines in the local scene. The more the merrier!
5. With reference to your short story “The Panasonic”, why did the rice cooker hold so much significance?
Without the rice cooker, the short story wouldn’t have existed. “The Panasonic” was in fact inspired by my wonderful mother, who used to bring a small rice cooker along for our family holidays to America and Australia. This was during a time when vegetarian and vegan diets were not yet trendy. So, when it came to food, my mother would never leave anything to chance. This meant that even in the strangest of locations, we were always well-fed. You would be astounded by how creative she got with the cooker! Funnily enough, I picked up the same habit when I moved to Sydney for some time in my mid-twenties. All my rice cooker recipes are from her.
If you would like to read more essays like those written by Prasanthi Ram or works with similar themes, here are some good reads:
Girlhood by Melissa Febos
American writer Febos’ ambitious new collection, Girlhood comprises eight essays about coming of age from a female perspective.
Borrow Girlhood here: Physical Copy
Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami
An insightful collection of essays that explore Murakami’s love for the craft of writing.
Borrow Novelist as a Vocation here: Physical Copy, eBook, Audiobook
Known and Strange Things by Teju Cole
Collection of over 40 essays on politics, photography, travel, history and literature.
Borrow Known and Strange Things here: Physical Copy, eBook, Audiobook
Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
Nine essays that touch on feminism and our interactions with the internet amongst many other topical issues.
Borrow Trick Mirror here: eBook
Making Kin: Ecofeminist Essays from Singapore by Esther Vincent
This collection re-centers the subjectivity of Singapore women vis-à-vis family, home, ecology, and nation.
Borrow Making Kin here: eBook
India on our Minds by Tharman Shanmugaratnam and 50 Singaporean Friends of India
This book brings together 52 of Singapore’s thought leaders with each writing an essay on India’s past and present to celebrate the close diplomatic relations between Singapore and India.
Borrow India on our Minds here: eBook
About Prasanthi Ram
Dr Prasanthi Ram is a full-time writing lecturer at Nanyang Technological University. Her short stories and personal essays can be found in Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume Five (Epigram Books: 2021), and Making Kin: Ecofeminist Essays from Singapore (Ethos Books: 2021) among others. She is also the co-founder and fiction editor of Mahogany Journal. Her debut short story cycle Nine Yard Sarees will be published by Ethos Books later this year.
Text by
Luke Xavier Cross, Keegan Ho, Ellynn Soh & Charlene Tan
Catholic Junior College
