PVLF 2026

Interview With Srividhya Venkat, Author of “Seeker of Truth”

Seeker of Truth brings Kailash Satyarthi’s fight against child labour to young readers, showing how courage & education spark change—drop by drop.
on Sep 30, 2025

Frontlist: Your book Seeker of Truth brings Kailash Satyarthi’s extraordinary journey to young readers. What inspired you to tell his story through a picture book?

Madhurima: With succinct text and colorful illustrations, picture books can elevate the storytelling experience for young readers. From the simplest to the most complex stories can be made accessible when told through picture books.

Seeker of Truth (illustrated by Danica da Silva Pereira) is a picture book biography of Nobel Peace laureate and child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi who has rescued over 100,000 children from child labour and exploitation. Through the book, I wanted to convey not only Kailash’s incredible life story, but also to create awareness of the problem of child labour in a concise, yet engaging manner and make an impact on readers. There could be no better way to achieve this than through a picture book format!

In addition, I would like to remind adults who are reading this interview that picture books are not just for kids. They contain messages with depth that can help any individual (age no barrier) ponder and perhaps even navigate life. Curious adults can also use non-fiction books like Seeker of Truth as quick reads to replenish their knowledge well and/or have conversations with older children or other adults.

Frontlist: The theme “Literacy to Liberation” strongly echoes in Satyarthi’s life’s work. How do you hope your book conveys this message to children and families?

Madhurima: It is my hope that young readers will realize that all children around the world don’t lead similar lives as theirs. Many children in this world are unable go to school and lack the freedom that we take for granted. Instead, they are forced to work to support their families and don’t get to play! Seeker of Truth reveals how one man named Kailash Satyarthi helped spark a movement and changed the lives of thousands of those children by giving them the freedom and education they deserve. I hope this book will inspire young readers to be empathetic and courageous enough to speak out and act for those in need.

Frontlist: Satyarthi’s fight began with small, courageous steps—helping poor children attend school, challenging caste barriers. What lesson do you hope young readers draw from these early actions?

Madhurima: I hope that young readers will be curious, empathetic, and courageous like Kailash Satyarthi. I hope that they will be inspired to help those in need and remember that no one is too young to make a difference in the lives of others.

Frontlist: Picture books simplify complex ideas for young minds. How did you approach making the fight against child labour accessible without losing its depth?

Madhurima: Great question! During the research phase, I learned about the economic and social pressures that lead children from villages to move to cities far away from their families. The children are forced to perform dangerous jobs, work in harmful conditions, endure abuse, and have other horrific experiences. Learning about all this was emotionally overwhelming and heartbreaking to say the least. I experienced self-doubt about the child-friendliness of this project. But with no other children’s books written about him and being a children’s writer, I knew that Kailash’s life story must to be told. His message needed to reach young readers.

After some initial struggles, I landed on the idea of using the hummingbird story (that Kailash shared in his Nobel Peace Prize speech and other interviews). It seemed like the right way to segue into his life story and make the book child-friendly. Using the hummingbird as a metaphor enabled the storytelling to be more accessible. In addition, I had guidance and help from my writing group, literary agent, and later, my editor to ensure that I was staying true to Kailash’s story and not undermining the harsh realities faced by the enslaved children.

Frontlist: You have written several picture books that celebrate identity, community, and courage. How does Seeker of Truth align with the values you’ve explored in your earlier works?

Madhurima: While Seeker of Truth is my first non-fiction book and very different from my previous works, you may notice a common thread running through many of them.

Seeker of Truth celebrates the power of one person to help others. You can also see this in my earlier books, whether it’s the little boy sowing a mango seed to give birds a tree-home in Lunch-Friends, or the young boy finding courage to follow his passion for Bharatanatyam and becoming the first boy in his dance school in Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps. The power of one person to make a difference is undeniable.

And while a movement starts with one person, it gains momentum with support and community, as in Seeker of Truth when people join Kailash in his efforts to save children from exploitation. Similarly, Zenie overcomes her fears of belonging in her new school in The New Girl when her classmate, Mira shows her support, and Anila in Girls on Wheels overcomes her fear and self-doubt to skateboard when her friends, Damini and Sana cheer for her. With support, what seems impossible becomes possible.

Frontlist: Having lived across three countries, you carry a global lens in your writing. How did this perspective shape your portrayal of a global changemaker like Kailash Satyarthi?

Madhurima: The issue of child labour is not restricted to India. While Kailash Satyarthi initiated the Bachpan Bachao Andolan to eliminate this evil in India, he later extended his efforts and called out to other countries to join him in eradicating this global problem. His initiatives, including the historic Global March Against Child Labour, led to international laws against child slavery.

Frontlist: The book emphasizes the idea of small acts creating big change—“drop by drop.” How do you connect this philosophy to the larger role of education in transforming lives?

Madhurima: “Little by little. Drop by drop.” is the phrase that represents the hummingbird’s actions (in Seeker of Truth) as it tries to put out a forest fire by carrying water drops in its beak.

“Little by little. Drop by drop.” is also the phrase that represents Kailash’s actions as he tries to put out the fire of social evils (like discrimination, illiteracy, child labour and exploitation), do what he can to help those in need (including education for children).

“Little by little. Drop by drop.” can also be a phrase used to represent

the role of education in putting out the fires of illiteracy, poverty, and child labour. Education enables better opportunities, improved living standards, increased awareness, and futuristic learning – all paving the way for positive changes in people’s lives.

Frontlist: If there’s one lasting message you’d like children to carry after reading Seeker of Truth, what would it be about courage, education, and liberation?

Madhurima: The one lasting message I’d like children to remember is that like the hummingbird who tries to put out the forest fire in Seeker of Truth, they too can help. No one is too young to make a difference. Sometimes, even the simplest acts can help others in a big way. With curiosity, compassion, and courage, children can bring positive change in this world. “Little by little. Drop by drop.”