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{{short description|Author, academic and filmmaker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}

'''Sindhu Rajasekaran''' is an author, academic and filmmaker. Her [[debut novel]] ''Kaleidoscopic Reflections'' was longlisted for the [[Crossword Book Award]] in 2011,<ref name="IBN LIVE">{{cite web | url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/crossword-book-award-longlist-announced/151369-40-100.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503202728/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/crossword-book-award-longlist-announced/151369-40-100.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=3 May 2014 | title=Crossword Book Award Longlist announced | work=IBNLive.com | date=6 May 2011 | accessdate=3 May 2014}}</ref> while her best-selling book of non-fiction ''Smashing the Patriarchy – A Guide for the 21st Century Indian Woman''<ref name="Scroll">{{cite web | url=https://scroll.in/article/1011933/smashing-the-patriarchy-argues-for-a-new-kind-of-feminism-in-india-away-from-older-models | title=‘Smashing the Patriarchy’ argues for a new kind of feminism in India, away from older models | newspaper=Scroll.in | date=4 December 2021 | first=Saloni | last=Sharma | accessdate=27 July 2023}}</ref> was published by Aleph Book Company. Her latest book is ''Forbidden Desire – How the British Stole India’s Queer Pasts & Queer Futures'' published by Simon & Schuster.<ref name="Simon & Schuster">{{cite web | url=https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Forbidden-Desire/Sindhu-Rajasekaran/9788198872579| title=Forbidden Desire by Sindhu Rajasekaran | work=Simonandschuster.ca | date=20 January 2026}}</ref> She is the founder and curator of the art/culture platform The Subjective Space.<ref name="The Subjective Space">{{cite web | url=https://www.thesubjectivespace.com/|title=The Subjective Space| work=thesubjectivespace.com | date=20 January 2026}}</ref>

Sindhu's prose and poetry have appeared in internationally acclaimed literary magazines. She has also published a collection of short stories titled ''So I Let It Be''; it released in 2019.<ref name="Pegasus Publishers">{{cite web | url=https://pegasuspublishers.com/books/sindhu-rajasekaran/so-i-let-it-be|title=So I Let It Be by Sindhu Rajasekaran| work=Pegasuspublishers.com | date=28 February 2019}}</ref>

She co-founded an independent film production company, ''Camphor Cinema'', and produced the critically acclaimed Indo-British feature film ''[[Ramanujan (film)|Ramanujan]]'',<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/saluting-brilliance/article4882635.ece | title=Saluting brilliance | newspaper=The Hindu | date=5 July 2013 | first=Suganthy | last=Krishnamachari | accessdate=11 November 2018}}</ref> based on the life and times of the mathematical genius [[Srinivasa Ramanujan]].

==Early life and education==

Sindhu was born in Madras to IAS officer and Film Director [[Gnana Rajasekaran]] and Sakunthala Rajasekaran.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} She grew up in [[Kerala]] and [[Tamil Nadu]]. Trained as an Electronics and Communications Engineer at [[Anna University]], Sindhu received a master's degree in English from the [[University of Edinburgh]].{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

A recipient of the Dean's Global Research Award at the University of Strathclyde,<ref name="Strathclyde">{{cite web | url=https://www.strath.ac.uk/humanities/meetourstudents/humanities/sindhurajasekaran/ |title=PhD Creative Writing}}</ref> Sindhu's research revolves around queer South Asian pasts, creative epistemologies & queer decolonial storytelling. She has presented her research at various international academic conferences including the Association for Asian Studies AAS-in-Asia Conference, Asia in Motion: Memory, Preservation and Documentation, in South Korea,<ref name= "Asian studies">{{cite web| url= https://www.asianstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/20203-AAS-in-Asia_Program-Book_%EC%B5%9C%EC%A2%85.pdf|title= ‘AAS-in-Asia Program Book’| date=January 20, 2026}}</ref> the 50th Annual Conference on South Asia at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the [[Royal Society of Edinburgh]] Research Network,<ref name= "The British Empire, Scotland, and Indian Famines">{{cite web| url= https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/rseaward_indianfamines/events/|title= ‘The British Empire, Scotland, and Indian Famines: Writings on Food Crisis in Colonial India’| date=January 2024}}</ref> and at the Centre for Gender History, University of Glasgow.<ref name= "Hufton Postgraduate Reading Group">{{cite web| url= https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_891277_smxx.pdf|title= ‘Programme of Events’| date=September 2022}}</ref> Sindhu graduated with a PhD in Creative Writing in 2025.

==Literary works==

Sindhu's debut novel ''Kaleidoscopic Reflections'' was longlisted for the Crossword Book Award in 2011.<ref name= "News 18">{{cite web| url= https://www.news18.com/news/books/crossword-book-award-longlist-announced-368191.html|title= ‘Crossword Book Award Longlist announced’| date=May 5, 2011}}</ref> The novel tells the tale of an inter-caste Tamil family, spanning five generations, and how their destiny is inextricably linked to the fate of India.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

In her second book, So I Let It Be, the themes of love, loss of individuality, sexuality, and an overwhelmingly poignant and profound sense of saudade are explored. Stories from this collection have previously been featured in literary magazines. ''The Sacred Cow'' appeared in the internationally acclaimed Asia Literary Review.<ref name= "asialiteraryreview.com">{{cite web| url=https://www.asialiteraryreview.com/sacred-cow |title= ‘Asia Literary Review’}}</ref> ''The Routine'' was published in Elsewhere Lit.<ref name= "elsewherelit.org">{{ cite web| url= http://www.elsewherelit.org/sindhu-rajasekaran |title= ‘Elsewhere Lit- A journey of literature and art’}}</ref> [[HuffPost|Huffington Post]]<ref name= "huffingtonpost.in">{{ cite web| url= https://www.huffingtonpost.in/anubha-yadav/14-contemporary-short-stories-that-will-spark-your-mind_a_21464159/ |title= ‘14 Contemporary Short Stories That Will Spark Your Mind’}}</ref> listed this story among 14 contemporary short stories that will spark your mind. Her short story ''Mountain of God'' was published in Kitaab.<ref name= "kitab.org">{{cite web| url= https://kitaab.org/2016/07/10/short-story-mountain-of-god/ |title= ‘Short Story: Mountain of God’}}</ref>

Sindhu's acclaimed third book, Smashing the Patriarchy, was published by [[Aleph Book Company]] in 2021.<ref name="Aleph Book Company">{{cite web | url=https://www.alephbookcompany.com/book/smashing-the-patriarchy-a-guide-for-the-21st-century-indian-woman/ | title=Smashing the Patriarchy | publisher=Aleph Book Company | access-date=24 March 2021}}</ref> Centred around the bold voices of millennials and Gen Zs, Smashing the Patriarchy explores how young Indian women from diverse backgrounds ingeniously overcome the patriarchy in their everyday lives.

In 2021, the renowned Canadian feminist literary magazine, Room, published Sindhu’s creative non-fiction Breasts, Being and Nothingness.<ref name="Room Magazine">{{cite web | url=https://roommagazine.com/product/city-rhythms-issue/ | title=Sindhu Rajasekaran | work=City Rhythms| accessdate=20 January 2026}}</ref> Her poem Unreal love/r(s) appeared in the Association for Scottish Literature’s anthology, New Writing Scotland 42: “Don’t. Even. Ask. Too. Hot.” in 2024.<ref name="ASL">{{cite web | url=https://asls.org.uk/publications/books/newwriting/nws42/ | title=Sindhu Rajasekaran | work=New Writing Scotland 42 | accessdate=20 January 2026}}</ref>

Her poems Meghdooth and Let Me Molest You have been published by [[Muse India]] as part of an anthology of poetry,<ref name="Muse India">{{cite web | url=http://www.museindia.com/featurecontent.asp?issid=46&id=3782 | title=Sindhu Rajasekaran | work=museindia.com| accessdate=3 May 2014}}</ref> and ''So I Let It Be'' and ''Mermaid''<ref name="Two in the Bush">{{cite web | url=http://blog.eca.ac.uk/twointhebush/category/laura-dixon-sindhu-rajasekaran/ | title=Two in the Bush | date=10 March 2011 | access-date=3 May 2014 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140503170714/http://blog.eca.ac.uk/twointhebush/category/laura-dixon-sindhu-rajasekaran/ | archive-date=3 May 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> were published in ''[[The Dance of the Peacock]]'' by Hidden Brook Press, Canada in 2013.<ref name="Dance of the Peacock">{{cite book | title=Dance of the Peacock | publisher=Hidden Brook Press | location=Canada | ISBN=978-1-927725-00-9 | year=2013}}</ref>

She has contributed articles on politics and culture to the Scottish magazine Bella Caledonia <ref name= "bellacaledonia.org.uk">{{cite web| url=https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/09/06/what-scottish-independence-means-for-asia-for-india/ |title= ‘What Scottish independence means for Asia, for India’}}</ref> and India's Impact. She was one among the youngest writers invited to participate and speak at the [[Hyderabad Literary Festival]] in 2013.

==Theatre and film==

Sindhu co-wrote and acted in a play titled ''The Tiara Gynaelogues'', staged at the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe]] in 2011.<ref name="The Tiara Gynaelogues">{{cite web | url=http://www.cityofliterature.com/whats-on.aspx?sec=5&pid=20&item=2819 | title=Literary Events in Edinburgh | work=cityofliterature.com | access-date=3 May 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503222302/http://www.cityofliterature.com/whats-on.aspx?sec=5&pid=20&item=2819 | archive-date=3 May 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

She performed spoken word for the premier performance groups Illicit Ink<ref name= "edinburghspotlight.com">{{cite web| url=http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2011/09/feature-illicit-ink/|title= ‘FEATURE – Illicit Ink’}}</ref> and Writers' Bloc in the UK.

With ''[[Ramanujan (film)|Ramanujan]]'' Sindhu forayed into the world of screenwriting and film production; she is the Assistant Scriptwriter<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.indianoon.com/news/entertainment/ramanujan-shoots-of-the-film-at-cambridge-and-london-13646.html | title=Ramanujan shoots of the film at Cambridge and London | work=indianoon.com | accessdate=3 May 2014}}</ref> of the film and also the Producer of the film. She set up the production house, Camphor Cinema, in 2012.<ref name="Box Office India">{{cite web | url=http://www.boxofficeindia.co.in/camphor-cinema-presents-their-first-film-ramanujan/ | title=Camphor Cinema Presents Their First Film Ramanujan | work=boxofficeindia.co.in | access-date=3 May 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820212249/http://www.boxofficeindia.co.in/camphor-cinema-presents-their-first-film-ramanujan/ | archive-date=20 August 2013 | df= }}</ref>

Critically acclaimed, ''Ramanujan'' won an award for Best Production at Norway's NTFF in 2015, the Ananda Vikadan Best Production Award and V4 Entertainers Film Awards. The Rashtrapati Bhavan invited Camphor Cinema to specially screen the film for the President of India, who felicitated the producers at the event <ref name= "newindianexpress.com">{{cite web| url= https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2015/mar/30/prez-pranab-wowed-by-ramanujan%e2%80%99s-story-735574.html |title= ‘Prez Pranab Wowed by Ramanujan’s Story’| date=March 30, 2013}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

Sindhu is [[bisexual]]. She has written widely about gender and sexuality, writing about her personal experiences in Gaysi,<ref name= "Gaysi Family">{{cite web| url= https://gaysifamily.com/lifestyle/bisexuality-being-and-nothingness/ | title=Gaysi }}</ref> Room and in her book ''Smashing the Patriarchy''. Sindhu is a jury member of the inaugural Rainbow Awards for Literature and Journalism <ref name= 'Rainbow Awards'>{{cite news| url= https://scroll.in/article/1049736/inaugural-rainbow-awards-to-honour-queer-literature-and-journalism | title= Inaugural Rainbow Awards to honour queer literature and journalism }}</ref> – instituted to honour queer literature and journalism in India.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2011/09/feature-illicit-ink/

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajasekaran, Sindhu}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Chennai]]
[[Category:Women writers from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Women writers from Kerala]]

Sindhu Rajasekaran - Revision history

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