Pune | 03.03 | Rayat Samachar
A childhood spent in a small 300-square-foot room in a chawl, a newspaper as the only source of reading material, and the nervous courage it took to ask for membership fees for a home library located two kilometers away – from such a modest background began a journey that has now reached a state-level literary honor. The novel Itranama has received the H. N. Apte Award 2024 under the Late Yashwantrao Chavan State Literature Awards, earning recognition in the literary world.
Sharing more about her journey, author Hinakousar Khan said that her childhood in the chawl never felt like living in a slum. The houses were solid, the school grew along with them, and even a library gradually took shape. However, her real love for reading began with newspapers. Later, when she came to know about a home library, she felt nervous while asking for the membership fee, but her parents supported her without hesitation. During vacations, she would borrow one book and read it along with her grandfather and a friend – that was their version of a “reading culture.”
She further explained that the school library was not fully equipped, so most of the available books were biographies. As a child, she felt intimidated reading them, yet she continued reading whatever she could find. Her reading world expanded in college. At home, there was never any opposition to reading; instead, there was encouragement. Occasionally people would question why she didn’t read religious books, but her parents never imposed restrictions. For them, her love for reading itself was a matter of pride.
In this open and supportive environment, her inclination toward writing gradually developed. Initially, she was not fully aware of what writing meant or how it worked, but the feeling that writing belonged to her kept growing stronger. Whenever she chose her path, her parents always stood by her side. Although it has been nearly six years since her father passed away, his memory returns with every book and every award. She believes that if he were alive today, he would have been the happiest to see this honor. Her mother’s pride is clearly visible in her eyes, even if she does not express it much in words.
The H. N. Apte Award received by the novel Itranama is not merely a literary honor but also a recognition of the reading and writing values nurtured within an ordinary household.
Expressing gratitude, author Hinakousar Khan dedicated the award to her parents who supported her in their own way, even when reading and writing did not seem particularly significant during her childhood.
The journey that began in that small chawl home has now become an inspiration for many young people. This achievement once again highlights that with a love for reading and the support of family, no dream is too distant.