S4E170: Nalini Ramachandran on Mythology for Kids, Dashavatara and Writing Children's Books | The AboutHer Show
Can a three-year-old understand the ten avatars of Vishnu? Author and graphic novelist Nalini Ramachandran thinks so. In this episode, she talks about her new Penguin board book, My Little Book of Dashavatara, and her journey from TV and print to Tinkle, where she wrote Shikari Shambu and Suppandi. We talk about retelling Indian mythology for children, why girls need to see themselves as heroes, what Nava Durga can teach young readers, and the reality of building a career in children's writing in India.
Hosted by Dr. Sangeeta Relan. The AboutHer Show is ranked among the Top 3 Indian Women's Leadership Podcasts 2026 by Feedspot.
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Chapters
(00:00) 🎙️ Welcome to The AboutHer Show
Sangeeta introduces Nalini Ramachandran, author, graphic novelist and storyteller.
(02:30) 📖 My Little Book of Dashavatara
How Nalini's new board book with Penguin came about.
(04:30) 🪔 Why Start Children on Mythology Early
Why three is not too young to meet India's myths.
(08:00) ✏️ Ten Avatars in a Few Pages
How she turns battles and demons into a simple story for toddlers.
(11:24) 👵 The Storytellers Who Shaped Her
The people who told Nalini stories as a child.
(14:39) 📺 From TV to Tinkle
What television, print and Shikari Shambu taught her about holding an audience.
(18:11) 💛 The Women Who Taught Her Most
The women who shaped her career and what she learnt from them.
(21:36) 🦸♀️ Girls as Heroes, Not Helpers
How she makes sure girls see themselves in stories full of male heroes.
(26:25) 🔱 Nava Durga: The Goddess in Nine Forms
What she wants girls to take away from the goddess.
(29:14) 🚀 Going Independent
What freedom cost her, and what it gave her.
(32:01) 📚 The Reality of Writing for Children
What nobody tells you about building this career in India.
(35:31) 👩💼 Being Taken Seriously as a Woman
A moment she was underestimated, and how she handled it.
(37:04) 🌱 If She Were Starting Out Today
Her first-year plan for new writers with no contacts.
(39:51) ⚡ The Reveal
Our quick-fire round. First thing that comes to mind.
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