Brewing Knowledge
Author Nidhi Thakur discusses her book When She Married Dr Patekar and Other Stories with Sneha at The English Book Depot.
Key Takeaways
Book’s Focus: The collection explores the NRI experience in the US from 2000–2010, a period defined by intense isolation (pre-WhatsApp) and suspicion (post-9/11).
Title Story: “When She Married Dr Patekar and Other Stories” is a fictional biopic of a Bollywood diva who loses her contextual fame upon moving to the US, forcing her to reinvent her identity.
Unique Structure: The book connects its 11 stories by having at least one character from each appear in another, creating a “small world” feel that reflects the NRI community.
Upcoming Projects: Thakur is compiling a bilingual poetry coffee table book and writing a historical fiction novel about a lesser-known Mughal-era woman.
Author’s Connection to EBD
Thakur’s connection to The English Book Depot (EBD) is deeply personal; she grew up in Dehradun and considered EBD her “second home” for non-syllabus books.
EBD was her source for quiz books, encyclopedias, Enid Blyton, and Agatha Christie, serving as a de facto library.
Book Concept & Cover Design
Theme: The book explores the NRI experience, inspired by Thakur’s own move to the US in 1999.
Cover Design: The cover visually represents this theme.
Mughal Motif: Represents the author’s Indian roots and a personal connection to Delhi.
Aeroplane Window: Added at Thakur’s suggestion to symbolise the NRI journey and the act of flying away.
Thematic Core: The 2000–2010 NRI Experience
The stories are set in the first decade of the 21st century, a period with two defining characteristics for NRIs:
Intense Isolation (Pre-WhatsApp):
Expensive calling cards ($5 for 15 mins), limited calls to family in India to once a week.
This created a profound sense of loneliness for young immigrants.
Post-9/11 Suspicion:
A shift in American society led to suspicion of brown-skinned people.
This forced NRIs to navigate public spaces differently.
Origin & Writing Process
The book’s origin was organic, not planned.
Thakur’s writing process began with journaling reflections on her own and others’ NRI emotions as a form of solace.
During the pandemic, she compiled these notes and story fragments into the final collection.
Her writing style is spontaneous, driven by an “itch” to capture ideas, though she aims for a daily 10-minute session.
Key Stories & Themes
Title Story: “When She Married Dr Pathika”
A fictional biopic of a Bollywood diva who marries an NRI doctor and moves to the US.
Theme: The contextual nature of fame. In the US, she is an unknown, which forces her to reinvent her identity without the paparazzi’s attention.
Empowerment of NRI Women
The book’s protagonists are often women navigating complex challenges.
Example: “Shaadi.com wives” who move to the US on dependent visas, losing their professional identity and financial independence. The stories explore their resilience in making their marriages work.
Interconnected Narratives
At least one character from each story appears in another.
Purpose: To create a “small world” feel, reflecting the surprising interconnectedness of the NRI community in a large country.
Bilingual Elements
Each story ends with a Hindustani sher (couplet) or a kavita (poem), along with its English translation.
The text also integrates Hindi words to add cultural flavour.
Upcoming Projects
Poetry Coffee Table Book: Compiling a bilingual collection of poems written over time.
Historical Fiction Novel: A novel about a lesser-known woman from the Mughal era.
Thakur is currently conducting research for this project, which was the primary purpose of her trip to India.
Timeline: Expected release in late 2026 or 2027.
Next Steps
Readers: Purchase signed copies of “When She Married Dr Partekar and Other Stories” at the English Book Depot.
Nidhi Thakur: Continue research for the historical fiction novel.
