Shradha Ghale’s debut novel The Wayward Daughter has been critically acclaimed by reviewers in Nepal for treading fresh ground. Avoiding the big-ticket events of the country’s contemporary history, Ghale’s novel tells the story of a young girl coming of age in a changing 1990s Kathmandu, revealing the intersections of class, caste and identity in urban Nepal.

In our latest episode of Himal Interviews podcast, our Editor Aunohita Mojumdar caught up with Ghale on a sunny terrace in Kathmandu Valley. Ghale spoke about her novel, why her journalism doesn’t overlap with her fiction writing, and the risks of not translating the country to a wider audience.

Go to www.himalmag.com for more on politics and culture in Southasia.

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Intro and outro music derived from 'Ways of Rahjan' by Ask Again from Free Music Archive.