India, Aug. 20 -- Journalist-turned author Nilanjana S Roy was in conversation with Malika Varma of Ehsaas Women at a virtual session of An Author's Afternoon- organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement- just ahead of India's 74th Independence Day. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of the conversation where Nilanjana spoke about Kolkata, books and democracy in India

Tell us about your connection with the city of Kolkata.

I was born in Kolkata. My grandmother used to live in Ballygunge. So our connection started from the time we were very young. We would come down for holidays. I was fortunate enough to spend four years here at the end of the 1980s. Calcutta was a rocking city at that point...