uMhlanga author launches book for ‘born frees’

UMHLANGA resident, Keli Hariparsad (26) who qualified as a medical doctor in October this year, recently published her second book, a light-hearted novel that fills a niche in the literary market. The Durban Four Hundred is a story to represent the millennial generation and youth of South African.

“When you look at local authors, there are a lot of serious topics, they are all beautiful stories that are very well written, although, sometimes younger South African readers just want to read. There’s not a lot that tells of the ‘born frees,” she said.

Hariparsad described her novel as a light-hearted, character driven piece which is not politically motivated.

Her book, which is told through the eyes of four characters, follows the lives of a group of seven Durbanites who are trying to produce a reality TV show.

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“I felt there were some characters that I wouldn’t be able tor represent accurately. For example, one of the characters, Linda Dlamini is a rising social media influencer. There’s one character who is a gay male fashion designer and I don’t think that’s a story that would be fair for me to even attempt telling,” she said.

Other characters in the book include a medical student and a dancer who came from a different country to follow her dreams. Through these characters, Hariparsad explores modern topics that apply to the younger generation such as jobs that never existed before social media and the idea of taking risks to follow a dream.

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While the story began simply, Hariparsad’s experience working as a medical intern influenced the way the story developed. She worked from January 2018 until October this year, splitting her time between Addington Hospital and Mahatma Gandhi Hospital.

“When I started working at hospital, there was a large age gap between the junior doctors who are in their early 20’s and the senior doctors who are much older and we had very different views on the way the work environment should be. We had different generational beliefs which really fascinated me. I do feel that certain working conditions haven’t changed to match what younger people are expecting out of their working environments,” she said.

She said her greatest obstacle was finding the time to write.

“I actually started the book when I was in medical school. It took me nearly three years. There were times where I’d go for months at a time without writing because of other commitments,” she said.

For more information, log onto www.dbnfourhundred.co.za.

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