Tiger by the Tale is set in 1935 British India and follows Ram Sarvarkar, an enthusiastic teenager with a loving family who quickly finds himself amidst poverty, emotional turmoil and political fervor in pre-independence India. Fifteen-year-old Ram and his two siblings struggle to make ends meet in the deserted suburbs of Bombay after they lose their parents and elder brother Gaurav to a violent raid at their home on allegations of conspiring against the British government. Ram and his two younger siblings are haunted by their past and are curious to investigate their family's death. When they unearth Gaurav's journal, they learn of his membership in the Bombay Nationalist Association (BNA), which forms the crux of the novel as Ram and his sister Megha join the association to learn more about its activities. Veda and Ravi, who are BNA loyalists and Gaurav's friends, enlist the help of Ram and Megha to spy on Scott Wilson, the local police superintendent, who is keen on dismantling the BNA through violent measures. The story unfolds in a dramatic climax to reveal a series of betrayals clouded with bribery and corruption, showcasing the hypocrisy of a totalitarian government bent on dividing the nation.
About the Author: Born on April 22, 1993 in Bangalore, India and currently a senior in a high school in Temecula, California, Lakshmi Prathivadi scripted this story that is set in pre-colonial India. The story draws from her childhood experience in India, before moving to the US when she was eight. By applying modern writing techniques and style to a more traditional storyline, the book draws from various historical sources to portray a society bound by colonial chains. She first developed her zeal for writing in fourth grade, when she wrote short stories that were later published in the school publication. In middle school, she began to read a variety of books that inspired her to write her own book. In high school, she finally decided to script a story that related to her own background after she visited India in 2009. Expecting only a relaxing and fun-filled vacation, she instead found herself enthralled by the extent of Indian history. This book captures the essence of India in 1930s when the country was embroiled in political upheaval and the social struggle for independence is thus revealed through the eyes of the protagonist Ram Sarvarkar.