Archive · 31 Dec 2025
Anuradha Roy's Himalayan Memoir Reflects on Nature, Greed, and Belonging
Anuradha Roy wrote a book about her life in the Himalayas.
She talks about how she and her husband made a home in Ranikhet and how the mountains have always been special to her.
She describes the beauty of the forests, the animals, and the people.
But she also worries about how the environment is changing.
The snow on the mountains is disappearing, and animals like foxes and flying squirrels are vanishing.
She thinks this is because of greed and carelessness.
The book is like a mix of her personal stories and bigger worries about the planet.
She wants people to think about how to live well in a place that is fragile and beautiful.
Anuradha Roy's memoir 'Called by the Hills' explores her 25 years living in Ranikhet, Kumaon hills, focusing on her connection with nature and the region's ecological changes.
Roy reflects on the disappearing snow on the Himalayan peaks and the impact of climate change on local wildlife and agriculture.
She criticizes the lack of ecological responsibility in government projects and individual actions, driven more by greed than survival.
The book discusses the tension between belonging and intrusion, highlighting the complex relationship between long-time residents and newcomers.
Roy's essays blend personal memories with broader ecological anxieties, using watercolors to visually represent her experiences.
- Who
- Anuradha Roy, a writer, and her husband Rukun Advani, a publisher
- What
- A memoir about living in the Himalayas and reflecting on ecological and social changes
- When
- Over a span of 25 years
- Where
- Ranikhet in the Kumaon hills, with references to Sikkim and Himachal
- Why
- To explore the relationship between humans and nature, and the impact of development and climate change
- Author
- Anuradha Roy
- Book Title
- Called by the Hills: A Home in the Himalayas
- Location
- Ranikhet, Kumaon hills
- Time Period
- 25 years of living in the Himalayas
- Key Themes
- Climate change, ecological anxieties, belonging, human-wildlife interactions