India, Nov. 17 -- Your wordless picture book When The Sun Sets got you the Mehlli Gobhai Award for the Best Illustrator of Children's Books, and was also shortlisted for the Neev Book Award. How does this sort of public recognition make you feel about your work?

Actually, while working on When The Sun Sets, I told Canato Jimo, my art director at Pratham Books, that I am not a writer and do not want to pretend to be one. During the storyboarding process, we realised that it would work perfectly as a picture book. I am glad that we could tell this story in a way that has connected with readers across different age groups.

Winning the Mehlli Gobhai Award and getting shortlisted for the Neev Book Award has given me a sense of validation and...