Delhi Launch of The Hills Are Burning

by Author Anirban Bhattacharyya

on Apr 25, 2023

On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, Fingerprint launched their new book, "The Hills Are Burning," by Author Anirban Bhattacharyya. The book is based on the Gorkhaland Agitation of the 1980s. The launch was held at Kunzum, Delhi.

During the event, Kaveree Bamzai, a renowned journalist, engaged the author in an insightful conversation about his experiences growing up in Kalimpong during the insurgency in the 1980s. Anirban shared poignant recollections of the mayhem that took place, with innocent lives being lost, people torn between GNLF and CRPF camps, and the streets burning with arson.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Anirban infused moments of humour into the conversation, sharing stories of his teenage experiences of love, friendship, and adventure. The audience was in splits, and many shared personal stories of how the events affected their lives and those around them. Even those who had since moved out of Kalimpong to pursue other paths spoke of the ache they still carried within their hearts.

Towards the end of the event, Anirban presented a few audience members with Khada, the traditional ceremonial scarf, to facilitate their contributions to the book. The author then signed copies of the book for the attendees.

About the book

The Hills Are Burning is a memoir that traces the lives of three friends studying at a boarding school in Kalimpong—Tukai, Norong, and Roshan—who experience love, friendship, and loyalty but are forced to grow up when they come face-to-face with death, destruction, and violence. Based on true events, the story is set against the violent backdrop of the Gorkhaland Agitation of the late 1980s in the hills of West Bengal.

About the author

Anirban Bhattacharyya wears many hats—a bestselling author, a stand-up comedian, a movie actor, a television and media professional, a poet, and a motivational speaker. He is the author of the No.1 true crime bestsellers The Deadly Dozen: India’s Most Notorious Serial Killers, which has been endorsed by actors John Abraham, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Anurag Kashyap, and India’s Money Heist: The Chelembra Bank Robbery. His young adult fiction, The Adventurous 6: The Sinister Summer Holiday, has received critical acclaim, and his debut collection of poetry, Mumblings & Musings, has been praised by celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Amir Khan. He is the creator, producer, and writer of one of India’s most loved true crime shows on television—Savdhaan India. His day job is as a television content producer, producing hit TV shows on Indian television channels like Crime Patrol, Fear Files, and Ishq Kills.