#609 - The Prisoner of Bhopal

by Tim Walker

“The Prisoner of Bhopal” by Tim Walker. Published by Andersen Press. A captivating historical fiction inspired by the Bhopal gas tragedy.

The year is 1984. On his tenth birthday, Amil finds himself being taken away from his family forcibly by a cruel stranger called Mr Kumar. He gets to know that the eldest sons of the Gujar family to which he belongs have to make amends to the Kumar family by working for them for free between the ages of ten and eighteen. All because of the supposed shame that Amil’s great grandfather had brought upon their family. Amil is made to work as a paper folder in the run down printing workshop of Kumar and Sons which used to be a thriving business at the turn of the twentieth century. Like his father and uncle, Amil dreams about working for the pesticide plant when he grows up.

Amil is clueless about what his great grandfather had done to cause him to go through this harrowing experience which was no less than a nightmare. The only form of solace that he finds is the occasional visits by his uncle who keeps telling him about how the pesticide plant was not doing well and laying off people. The only other person who feels empathy for Amil is Mr Kumar’s nine year old feisty daughter Chunni. While exploring the attic in the workshop where Amil is confined, he finds an old journal maintained by his great grandfather Sanjiv Gujar. The pages of the journal hold the secrets from the time of World War I which throw light on why he has to work for Mr Kumar. Amil also realises that he and Sanjiv share a unique and magical gift. Something whose purpose remains a mystery until one terrible night when the sirens of the pesticide plant go off ominously spelling disaster. Read the compelling book to find out what happens to Amil.

Well-developed endearing characters, intriguing plot, interweaving events across timelines, a touch of fantasy and adventure and a glimpse into historical events along with beautiful writing make this book such an irresistible read. Hooked to the book right from the first page, my eleven year old son and I couldn’t let go of the book. Chunni and Amil’s resilience, hope, determination, courage and strength were the highlights of the story for us. While Chunni craved for some love and respect from her family, Amil had to endure hardships for the sake of his family’s honour which was at stake. Thanks to a story like this, we could imagine how soldiers must have felt during the First World War and how people must have felt during the harrowing night of the gas leak in Bhopal. Lapses of safety measures and complete apathy by the management of Union Carbide plant led to so many deaths and misery for the survivors. The book serves as a timely reminder about the importance of corporate responsibility to prevent disasters like the gas leak. It was published to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the disaster in 2024 and parts of proceeds from its sales seem to be donated to the Bhopal Medical Appeal. Having been to Bhopal recently and watched the pesticide plant from afar, we could imagine the setting of the story well. Overall a “MUST READ” for everyone. Thank you Rati Girish for this fabulous recommendation.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 10/11 and above.