Writers must weave tales to enthuse young readers: Ramendra

Children take keen interest in stories and writers and story tellers must churn out tales which can entertain and enthuse young ones, says noted writer Ramendra Kumar.
This will wean away the young minds from the distractions of the virtual world, said the well-known award winning children's writer.
"The notion that children are not interested in stories is incorrect," Kumar said while narrating his experience at Jaipur Literature Festival, where he was invited to participate.
Author of at least 33 books, Kumar said he conducted story telling sessions in several schools as part of the Jaipur Literature Festival Outreach.
Kumar, who happens to be the Chief of Communications of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), visited a number of schools and interacted with the students in the age group 7 to 14 years and in numbers ranging from 100 to more than 400.

The students were from various backgrounds and were comfortable in different languages, the author said adding for the first time he even took a session in Urdu.

"But one thing that seemed common was their love for unadulterated masti and pristine madness," he said.
"Apart from telling tales I also discussed the various aspects of writing fiction," said Kumar adding he showcased his three most popular books Paplu the Giant, A Perfect Match from Pratham and Against All Odds.
Ramendra is the only childrens writer and performance storyteller from Odisha to have been invited to JLF, a statement from RSP said.

The writer has so far won 31 prizes in the competition for writers of childrens literature organised by Childrens Book Trust (CBT), the highest by any author.
His writings have been translated into 27 languages and published in school text books and anthologies, both in India and abroad, it said.