PVLF 2025

Interview with Varsha Seshan, Author of “Sisters at New Dawn”

Author Varsha Seshan talks about quirky subjects, sisterhood, and self-discovery in Sisters at New Dawn, a heartfelt story set in a unique school.
on Jun 18, 2025

Frontlist: Sisters at New Dawn is full of magical realism and quirky surprises. What inspired you to create such an imaginative school setting, especially with subjects like ‘Pot of Gold’ and ‘Maths and Beauty’?

Varsha: I wouldn’t say Sisters at New Dawn is full of magical realism! It’s a work of realistic fiction set in a fictitious school.

Pot of Gold is an entirely wacky subject that I introduced for the sake of humor. I meet so many children who choose subjects solely based on how scoring they are, and Pot of Gold is a humorous take on how random that choice can be!

Maths and Beauty, on the other hand, is something that I would have chosen if I had been at New Dawn. A lot of people think of mathematics as almost contradictory to the arts, but the two go together! As a classical dancer myself, I need arithmetic for rhythm and geometry for the lines and shapes that we instinctively find beautiful. We can’t choreograph without maths! I wanted New Dawn to be a school that celebrates the joy of learning and discovering the quirky world around us through imagination and experience. Wouldn’t that be the best kind of school?

Frontlist: Summer often brings the magic of transformation and discovery for children. How does the theme of self-discovery unfold for the sisters in your story?

Varsha: Self-discovery is a central theme in Sisters at New Dawn. The protagonists, Kannagi and Padma, gradually blossom throughout the story. Despite their initial skepticism, they settle into this new, unconventional school that encourages individuality and creative expression. Even when they feel isolated, they start to realize that if they allow others in, friends and family are more than willing to support them.

Many children go through phases when they have a secret they’re too afraid to share. This could be something they’ve done, the fact that they’re being bullied, or even their true identity. Finding a community—family and friends who are always there for you—is part of finding the courage to be your authentic self.

Frontlist: New Dawn High has a sense of freedom, curiosity, and unconventional learning. Do you think children today need more spaces like this in real life, and why?

Varsha: Absolutely! Schools (and parents!) still focus too much on marks. Although there are efforts to shift toward holistic report cards, we still need to do more. Children learn best when they’re excited to learn. I see this when I teach as well.

A lesson on the rules of punctuation needed for dialogue?

Boring.

But put it into a story—a funny, twisty story—and everything changes.

When we spark curiosity in children and give them the freedom to explore, they create magic.

Frontlist: Bullying and self-doubt are tackled gently but firmly in the book. What message did you hope young readers would take away from Padma and Kannagi’s struggles?

Varsha: If you’re being bullied, talk about it. It’s as simple (and as difficult) as that.

Children often fear being dismissed or laughed at, which is why they tend to stay silent. On some level, many children believe that being bullied is a price they have to pay to keep other parts of their lives unaffected. They need safe spaces to share their experiences—places where they don’t feel threatened. Talking to an adult isn’t always easy; children need multiple ways to reach out, and this is where schools play a crucial role in providing support. Counselors and teachers are essential, but just as vital is having an anti-bullying student group where children can speak with their peers before involving an adult. I hope young readers feel encouraged to take the initiative and create something like that!

Frontlist: Your book beautifully captures the bond between siblings. How important was it for you to explore sisterhood as a central theme?

Varsha: Crucial! The book is dedicated to my sister Nisha, my forever best friend. We’ve always shared a bond unlike any other. We look out for each other, laugh together, and cry together. In some ways, Padma and Kannagi are Nisha and me!

Frontlist: With your background as a teacher, how did your experiences in the classroom help shape the characters or classroom scenes in Sisters at New Dawn?

Varsha: New Dawn is an unconventional school that allowed me to draw deeply from my book clubs and writing courses. I am free to choose what I want to teach, stray from my original plan, and focus on things that excite my students. All of this found its way into New Dawn, where homework assignments included building a terrarium and launching a YouTube channel!

Frontlist: This is your first novel for young readers. How different was the process of writing this compared to your previous works like picture books or short stories?

Varsha: Sisters at New Dawn was not my first novel for young readers. Before Sisters, I wrote The Prophecy of Rasphora (Mango Books), as well as a series of railway adventures that formed part of a project with the National Rail Museum in New Delhi. I enjoyed the process of writing Sisters. I loved how it evolved into something very different from the rough, unpolished story I had envisioned when I began.

Frontlist: You’ve been writing since you were six! What would young Varsha have thought of New Dawn High—and do you think she would have fit in there?

Varsha: Young Varsha would have been completely bewildered by the place! Yet, like Kannagi, New Dawn would have been enlightening. I would have loved to find myself there, exploring new ideas and creating imaginative projects. A school like that would have changed my childhood!