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New South Asian Superheroine Takes Flight
13 Jul
Summary
- Author Gurd Chahal was inspired by Indian mythology and spirituality.
- The debut novel features a South Asian super heroine.
- Chahal pioneered drive-through pharmacies before writing.
Gurd Chahal, now 69, has realized a long-held dream by publishing his debut novel, "Cha'nir and the Light of Nam." This marks the first installment in a planned trilogy centered around a South Asian super heroine.
Chahal's journey began with stories heard in his rural Indian childhood, which he carried with him after immigrating to the UK at age eight. He later found inspiration in epic fantasy novels, envisioning a saga rooted in Indian spirituality and mythology.
Before embarking on his literary career, Chahal pursued pharmacy at Aston University and innovated in-store and drive-through pharmacy concepts across the UK. The desire to create a mythological story with an Eastern basis, akin to Western epics, persisted throughout his life.
The protagonist, Cha'nir, is designed as a warrior heroine, symbolizing the resilience of Indian women who anchored their families, particularly during the 1960s in Birmingham, a period Chahal recalls as marked by open racism. He aimed to showcase female power and the struggles many Indian women face.
