HYDERABAD: Kovi is determinedly different. She is not the gum chewing, ‘nonstop texting’ teenager. Neither is she the giggling, selfie-clicking girl. What sets her apart is what she does: conducting mentor workshops for runaway teenage girls, giving piano lessons at a charity school, music and drama enrichment programmes through “Reading With The Tunes” (reading and music, two major components of her childhood), the organisation that she founded two years ago. At 17, her maturity reflects in her composure. Her talk echoes her seriousness in understanding fellow humanity. Her high voltage confidence on/off stage comes with knowing exactly what she wants to do.
Kovida Yalamanchi launched her book, “The Window Seat and Other Stories” in a star hotel, in the city. The event also featured screening of a short film on Asritha and ‘Swashakthi’- a contemporary dance ballet that followed, both of which focussed on women/girl empowerment.
The only child of software professionals, Padmaja and Prasad Yalamanchi, Kovi was born in the US, but raised in India as an American. She says, “My mom, who inspired me the most, grew up in the States. My International schooling with an American curriculum, watching American TV shows and movies and our annual visits to my maternal grandparents in the US, all these have influenced me. Though I am here physically, my mind is always in the US. I know that I will go back there for my undergrad”.
“The Window Seat and Other Stories” is a compilation of 11 of Kovi’s writings that are on the lines of short stories, musings and her observations of life – 70 per cent of them set in the US. Kovi calls her book ‘non-fictional fiction or fictional non-fiction’. “These are all instances taken from my life – some I have changed and others are pure fiction.” Illustrated by Amritha Immaneni, the last few pages of the book have a dozen photographs of Kovi doing her bit of social work.
What took her to writing? “I have a knack for writng, my wry sense of humour and sarcasm were much appreciated. My parents always encouraged me to write and people found my stories funny. What started as a portfolio story in school later took shape as a book with reworking on earlier stories and writing new ones. They are written from the perspective of a five-year-old to that of a 40-year-old, so the target group can be anyone who can relate.
Hope my peer group too will read, though they are mostly not interested in sitting down and reading a book. Since the stories are short, they can be read within 30 minutes.” The sale proceeds of the book go to Asritha Foundation, supporting hard working and deserving underprivileged girls.
A trained pianist in western classical music ( eighth grader ABRSM- London), Kovi performs and teaches as well. She plans to start her orchestra, give concerts, set up stalls at these upcoming events and sell her books. So much at 17!? Yes, that’s called starting young.
We wish her all the best!!