Ruskin Bond to deliver Penguin annual lecture this year

Veteran author Ruskin Bond, whose works continue to engross readers of all generations, will deliver this year's Penguin Annual Lecture on December 14.
"I've had a long innings: 65 years of joyful writing, more than 20 of them in the company of Penguins and Puffins. I write about things that are dear to me: people, places, mountains, forests - and I open my words to the world. Lots to talk about on a winter's evening," the 81-year-old writer, who lives in Landour in Mussoorie, says.
"Penguin Random House India announces with pride that this year's prestigious Penguin Annual Lecture will be delivered by Ruskin Bond, an exemplary author whose wit and charm continues to engross readers of all generations," the organisers said.

Bond has penned over 500 short stories, essays and novellas and is the recipient of many prestigious awards including Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
Regarded as one of the most prestigious cultural events of the year, the annual lecture series has been featuring some of the world's most respected leaders, thinkers and writers.
It is the first annual lecture to be organised by a publishing house in India.
The eight previous lectures have been delivered by journalist and writer Thomas Friedman in 2007, diplomat and writer Chris Patten in 2008, Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen in 2009, historian Ramachandra Guha in 2010, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in 2011, former President A P J Abdul Kalam in 2012, megastar Amitabh Bachchan in 2013 and celebrated author Dan Brown last year.