Bio:

Hailed as one of the most original contemporary voices in Indian literature, Sirish Rao is author of over twenty books, which range from novels to children's books to re-telling of classic myths.

Not only was Rao the director of Tara Books, an independent publishing house in India, for 10 years, he currently serves as the Artistic Director of Vancouver’s Indian Summer Festival which concluded its fourth year in 2014.

Co-founded by Rao and his wife Laura Byspalko, the annual Indian Summer Festival showcases contemporary South Asian arts and ideas. Featuring top performers, authors, musicians, chefs and more, the 10 day festival celebrates the arts and inspires dialogues between the East and West.