It was a function by the children and for the children. “Ruby Rush” a sci-fi penned by Harshita Magdum, a seventh standard student at Delhi Public School was released on the occasion.

Renowned historian of international fame Prof S Shettar, Devaru Bhat, secretary, BBPA were present.

The students of Gurushree Vidya Kendra, Doddabidarakallu reviewed the novel. Abhinava Publications has published the debut novel of this youngest novelist. Priced at Rs 100, the novel is available at all the leading book stores in the city.

Though Youngest Novelist She Aims to be Astronomer

Age, it is said, is just a number. It does not come in the way of realizing ambitions, if you have the will. And Harshita is an example. She is the youngest in India to have penned an English novel.

A student of std VII at City’s Delhi Public School, Harshita is a sworn bibliophile. Bitten by the book bug, she has a small library of her own and reads at least two novels a week. ‘Ruby Rush’ a scientific fiction, is the maiden novel of this 12-year-old prodigy.

Set in the United Kingdom, a place Harshita is yet to visit, the 110-page sci-fi deals with a scientist infusing life to an inanimate object. The object then goes missing and what follows is a heroic mission to recover it. The subtext of the plot is that science cannot infuse life into an object and even if succeeds in doing so, the attempt is sure to be misused.

Inspired by her mother Shivani and author like Stephenie Meyer, Harshita took about one year for Harshita to complete the novel.

However, Harshita does not nurse the ambition to become an author. She wants to pursue higher education in astronomy. Her writing hasn’t come in the way of her academics. She uses her leisure hours for her passion. Keen on going through the new releases, Harshita visits all the prominent book stores in the City at least thrice in a month. And her parents purchase the books of her choice without any second thought.

Her wish of launching website too has come through. Her creative and her literary ideas can be seen on
her website - www.harshitamagdum.net.

Her second novel, ‘Desperate,’ a 300-page work on vampires is on the verge of completion. She has also
penned a few poems. Her father, Basavaraj R Magdum, a CBI officer is the pillar of strength for Harshita’s advent into the world of words.