New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- On an otherwise unremarkable afternoon, I learned that Arundhati Roy was at Ekta Books in Kathmandu, Nepal, for the book signing event of her memoir, Mother Mary Comes to Me, released in September 2025. The thought of her being suddenly, improbably close, seemed to thin the air around me.

Inside Ekta Bookstore, I saw Arundhati Roy signing books while readers gathered around her. I was unsure whether to move forward or remain still. The room was held by the attentiveness directed at her presence. I joined the line and, over three turns, had three of my books signed.

For me, Arundhati Roy matters not as someone to be idealised or placed on a pedestal, but an extension of a shared conscience. She uses her visibility t...