Writer, freelance journalist, lover of fiction of all sorts. Author of ‘The Shrine of Death’, a thriller novel released in April 2018 by Bloomsbury India:
Available on Amazon
Singer-songwriter and sometimes pianist. Movie geek. Netflix addict. Tennis nut. Mom of one little diva.
Former physics student, computer scientist, web developer and media studies grad student among other things. Card-carrying member of the Happy to Have Been a Gulfie club.
Welcome and thanks for dropping by 🙂
This blog has gone through multiple identity shifts since I first started it in 2008. It used to be mostly home to my articles and interviews on books, art and movies while I was a reporter for The Hindu’s Metroplus city supplement in Chennai. Then, it was mostly home to my personal ramblings on motherhood, and life in the crazy city formerly known as Madras.
Now, there’s been yet another shift — both geographically and content-wise. I moved to Dubai last year– back to being Gulfie! — and I’m also in the process of redesigning the site so that I can showcase my music and my upcoming novel(s), while retaining the all the work I’ve published in past decade. .
I suppose it’ll go through many more shifts in the years to come as my priorities and obsessions keep changing. But it will remain my little corner of the web, home to my writing and reflections on life. Do keep reading! 🙂
Divya Kumar 
Nice resume, if one may call that. and lover of old hindi film songs. hey count me in. methinks good hindi songs stopped happening after 1983, the time when panchamda went off the boil. yes there have been good ones after that but nothing classic. and movie freak, me too.
of course with junior around can’t remember the last flick i saw. and have a backlog of flicks that has been downloaded and have yet to watch them.
so nice getting to know ya.
cheers
Hey Sriram! Thanks 🙂 I agree, Hindi film music went through a serious lull in the 80s (when actually Tamil film music was at a creative peak of sorts) and the 90s. But I actually think there’s been a revival in the last decade, with more new composers, new sounds, and more experimentation.
Ah, I can imagine… I hear that from almost all parents of young children!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Divya…I was an regular reader of your post in The Hinndu”Toddler Talk”.I have missed some of the coloumns and I will be very much delighted to have a compilations of the toddler talk you have posted in the hindu as a book . thanking you.
Hi there! Thank you for being a regular reader… I’m so glad you enjoyed the column 🙂 You can find most of my pieces in the Toddler Talk section of my blog. I don’t have any immediate plans for a book, but I’ll be sure to keep you posted if one materialises! 🙂
Hey Divya, liked the informative write-up……what about good dramatist and singer (english melodies too). I read through your articles and found them very interesting. I congratulate you on your endeavors and all the very best for the future.
Thanks so much aunty! I haven’t been doing much singing recently… but I do want to get into it again! 🙂
Hey Divya, cool introduction! Great blog! Would surely be visiting again for info on new book launches! 🙂
Thanks Manali! Glad you enjoyed… do stop by often 🙂
Hi Divya,
Couldn’t find your contact ID on your blog, can you get in touch with me at writers@chillibreeze.com.
Thanks
Rekha
Hi Rekha, have mailed you 🙂
Hi Divya – I really enjoyed reading your posts. Must be a lot of fun and very stimulating to meet and talk to so many people from all walks of life. I’ll be checking in regularly!
Thanks Sowmya! 🙂 Yes, that’s the best part of the job, I think, getting to meet so many interesting people. Stop by often! 🙂
Hello Divya,
I was trying to contact you but could not find your contact details on the blog.
Can you pl. write back.
Rgds
Abhay
Hi, Divya. Signing for posterity. I was here. 😀
Hahaha glad to know it E.J.! And do drop by often 😉
Morning,
I work at Random House India and came across your site. I was wondering if you’d be interested in reviewing books?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi there 🙂 I’ve sent you an email. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, Divs. I thought this blogs was dead. Glad to see it still twitching, somewhat. LOL. Regards.
Haha. Yes, it has gone thru a bit of lean patch, hasn’t it. Hopefully it’ll do more than twitch in the upcoming months 🙂
Correction: “blog”, not “blogs”.
Hello, This is Murari from Chennai. I run a startup in the field of education in chennai. I would like to contact you by email. Mine is raghavanmurari@gmail.com. Can you please email me? Thanks.
Just happened to read your ‘Those tiresome everyday nos’,
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Good going.
Thanks so much! 🙂
your blog is too good and I quote many of your experiences to my friend, who is a mommy of 1 1/2 yr old kid, so can u contact me, coz I didn’t c ur mail info here, sophiya.dr@gmail.com
Thanks Sumaiya! Glad you’re enjoying the column 🙂 Will send you an email 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Hello Divya I enjoy reading your toddler talk in metroplus and could pretty much relate to you on many instances( mom of 11 yr old pre teen and two yr old brat). Its a kind of deja vu as I have enrolled my son in a play school nearby and yet to experience the mammoth and exhausting (mentally and physically) task of getting admission for kindergarten. Looking forward to read your blogs. I cldnt get your mail id. So here is mine. … janaky.priya@gmail.com. Waiting to hear from you. … Warm regs. Priya.
Thanks priya! glad you like the column 🙂 and you have all my sympathies regarding the school search… it truly is exhausting! thanks for stopping by… I’ll drop you a line 🙂
You are exceptionally funny!
Thanks so much! 🙂 🙂
Hey Divya, wonderful blog you have here!! Love Love Love!! I work with this parenting magazine called parentcircle would really like to get in touch with you for an article if you would be so interested. If you are, do mail me at malinig@parentcircle.com
Malini
Hi Divya Kumar….just want to confirm if you are student From Bhavans AH wadia school
Andheri west….this is some one who knows you from school days….Take care and wish you all the success .Regards
Hi Feroz,
Nope, that isn’t me. Never lived in Mumbai 🙂 But mine is a very common name! Take care.
Lucky you !! Had been watching too many cartoons.
Wondered if you could come and meet a few toddlers parents at Dinokids Saravanampatti, Coimbatore. Just a small group of 20 or so , we would love to meet you. That can be when ever you are in the vicinity.
Kindly call me on 80 5626 7007
What a nice idea! 🙂 I would love to meet with them too. I’ll get in touch and we can plan something out 🙂
Great!! Waiting for your call ! Do you often come down to Coimbatore ?
Hi Geetha… so sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I’ve been travelling recently. I’ve actually not been to Coimbatore! But I do hope to visit… will definitely drop you a line.
Hi Divya. Just wanted to let you know that I am a huge fan of your “Toddler Talk” column in ‘The Hindu’. I have a 2 year old myself and she is quite a handful :). Your column always peps me up and makes me feel better. I am happy that I am not the only one being screamed at by my daughter because I did not let her switch on the AC. I hope you share more of your experiences with us. Thank you!
Thanks so much Mithra! I’m so glad it does…. and also glad to know I’m not the only one who can’t press switches/buttons etc. without consulting her toddler! 😉 I hope to keep writing… and hope you keep reading! Thanks again 🙂
Hi Divya. Just wanted to let you know that I am a huge fan of your “Toddler Talk” column in ‘The Hindu’. I have a 2 year old myself and she is quite a handful :). Your column always peps me up and makes me feel better. I am happy that I am not the only one being screamed at by my daughter because I did not let her switch on the AC. I hope you share more of your experiences with us. Thank you!
I have never read anyone like you, because you always made me walk through your writings…chit chatting like a real friend , very close to me.
Thank you! That’s very kind of you 🙂
Hi,
Hope you’re doing well. I have been following your blog for a while now. What an interesting way to relate your parenting stories.
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