I dedicated this award to the people of New Delhi, because I had lived in Delhi and I wrote this book there. It's a city I feel a deep connection with and I think I will move back there one day. I think the key to India's future lies in Delhi. The great Indian city of the 20th century was Mumbai. But the great Indian city of the 21st century is New Delhi because it has the space to expand. It is also the centre of government.

Now when someone from UP or Bihar decides to leave his/her village and go to the big city, now the big city means Delhi; it doesn't mean Mumbai anymore. Delhi is also where all our problems come up (much more than in Mumbai) and need to be resolved.

In the last few weeks, especially in the last few months, India has been subjected to some severe terrorist attacks also. So, Delhi is where all these problems that India faces are coming out, and is also where the solutions will be found, I believe.

Further, I want to say that as a resident of Mangalore, I was deeply shocked and disheartened by the recent communal attacks there and also by the failure of the state government to respond adequately to protect Mangalore Catholics. As someone who had grown as a Hindu in Valencia, in a Catholic neighbourhood, I feel the most important aspect of Mangalore's culture is shared; the co-existence of people of various religions, specially Hindus and Catholics who have lived together for centuries in Mangalore.

Again, this is really shocking to me and I want to say that the state government needs to act more decisively so reassure all Catholics, who are the most patriotic of all Indians, that they are safe in Mangalore and Karnataka.

Image: A police vehicle vandalised during the violence against Christians unleashed by the Bajrang Dal in Mangalore recently
Photograph: KPN Photos

Also read: Aravind Adiga wins Booker Prize for The White Tiger

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