Edgy, alternative and never by the book

Since its inception in January 2004 in New Delhirsquos Connaught Place Yoda Press has stuck by the virtues of the eponymous character of Star Trek mdash it published LGBTQ writing when few Indian publishers dared to maintained an academic stance while other publishers dumbed things down and crossed over to popular writing travel memoirs with equal ease Its last thoughtprovoking book on the Partition Boria Majumdarrsquos impeccably researched Once Upon a Furore Lost Pages of Indian Cricket is proof enough that Yoda Press isnrsquot one to shy away from experimentationArpita Das founder of Yoda PressIts founder Arpita Das says it was only a matter of time that the publishing house ventured into childrenrsquos literature An understandable ambition given Duckbill Books was founded in Yoda Pressrsquos neighbourhood two years ago followed by Penguin Rupa and Scholastic launching their young adult imprints soon after So many of us felt that childrenrsquos writing in India was instructive and only too ready to force messages and morals down childrenrsquos throats I wanted to have narratives stand on their own mdash good literature without its pedantic morals always makes some impactrdquoBut ambition wasnrsquot enough to cut it for Das mdash the childrenrsquos book too had to have the alternative spirit of Yoda Pressrsquo previous titles Das took four years to work on the indie publishing housersquos first childrenrsquos and onlyebook title Humans In My Backyard author Vishal Menon a wildlife photographer The book is about a tusker Thyagarajan lovingly called Glue who roams the forest drifts away to form his own community as an adult but cannot escape the harsh realities tuskers in India face every dayThe true story is based on the elephant Menon came to know over 15 years in a forest at the foothills of the Nilgiris near Ooty Menonrsquos friend Mark Davidar to whom he dedicates the book built his home in a way that was friendly for the tusker ldquoI approached Das with a few photographs and the good olrsquo PowerPoint presentationrdquo says Menon with a chuckle He adds that the images were made over the life of the tusker and coincided with the musings he had been having about his purpose as a wildlife photographer ldquoOn one hand I knew how violent tuskers can be and how serious the animalhuman conflict is in many areas On the other hand I saw this one tusker trusting Davidarrsquos home coming in when it pleased for food water and shelter It was a story begging to be toldrdquo says MenonWhat worked for Das was that Menonrsquos wasnrsquot just another ldquosimple cuterdquo story for children with a happy ending ldquoTherersquos joy but therersquos also sorrow and I like the complexity Some believe children should be kept away from say ideas of death or poverty But I believe childrenrsquos lives are more complex than we like to believe This story does justice to their worldrdquo feels DasThe challenge for an indie publisher as always is visibility adds Das and her decision to have her first childrenrsquos title only in the ebook format mitigates that to an extent For her forthcoming childrenrsquos titles Das is working with a writer on an LGBTQ themeldquoThrough Yoda Pressrsquo children books I want to discuss what it is to come across difference mdash be it LGBTQ themes sexuality politics even wildlife conservation The best of schools inculcate uniformity in children and later on kids really struggle with ideas that do not fit the stereotype parents and schools uphold in the name of success I want to bring out these complexities and what better way than to publish a book on itrdquo says Das