Author Shrabani Basu shares hidden histories from the Raj

Author Shrabani Basu shares hidden histories from the Raj

It was a curry, says Shrabani Basu. ‘In a way, the book started with a curry.’ The book she is referring to is Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant which explores the strong bond Queen Victoria shared with her personal attendant, a young Indian named Abdul Karim. (For the record, it was also made into a film starring Judi Dench and Ali Fazal. But about that, later.) Few things fascinate Shrabani, a UK-based Indian journalist, author and historian, more than bringing to light little known historical incidents that occurred in Britain and India during the colonial rule. And the good news is that she will be sharing some of them during the upcoming Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai. ‘My work revolves around the relationship of India and Britain over the Raj years, and there are many hidden histories from that period that I have uncovered and will be talking about,’ she says, in an exclusive interview with Friday. Shrabani will surely be discussing her first book, Curry, and Victoria & Abdul, the book that came about thanks to her research into the history of curry in Britain. Peppered with plenty of fascinating details,