PVLF 2025

Interview with Vinitha, Author of “The Girl Who Wouldn't Stay Within the Lines”

Author Vinitha brings Bhikaiji Cama’s bold legacy to life in verse, inspiring young readers with her defiance, courage, and fight for freedom.
on Jul 11, 2025

Frontlist: What inspired you to tell the story of Bhikaiji Cama through verse rather than traditional prose, especially for a younger audience?

Vinitha: I chose a verse to mirror Bhikaiji Cama’s revolutionary spirit—uncontained, lyrical, and defiant. Poetry allows young readers to feel the rhythm of her courage and the urgency of her mission. Sometimes, one has so much to say, and in a picture book, the brevity and imagery of the verse are a perfect match. I hoped that poetry would make her complex struggles accessible, but I was unsure. Luckily, the editor and publisher loved it, too, so we went with it.

Frontlist: Bhikaiji Cama is a bold, underrepresented figure in Indian history. Why do you think her story hasn’t been given the prominence it deserves in mainstream literature and education?

Vinitha: A woman and a dissenter. Why is it a mystery that she is underrepresented? Colonial narratives often overshadowed voices like hers, and post-independence, the focus remained on a select few leaders. Cama's exile and her radical methods—flag-raising abroad, smuggling literature—may have seemed too "unruly" for textbook sanitization. But her absence is a loss; she embodies the global, intersectional fight for freedom that resonates even today.

Frontlist: The Girl Who Wouldn’t Stay Within the Lines stands out for its unique form and subject matter. Do you feel the book has received the visibility and critical attention it truly deserves?

Vinitha: The book has just come out! I hope it receives the visibility it deserves, especially since Cama’s story challenges norms—much like the book’s form—so the struggle for visibility mirrors her own. I hope schools pick up the book and that kids all over India read about Bhikaji and research her. I hope that word of mouth among young readers and teachers acknowledges the work she put in, the great sacrifices she made, and the price she paid for speaking out.

Frontlist: Your book highlights a woman who broke conventions and stood up to colonial power. How did you balance historical accuracy with poetic storytelling in this book?

Vinitha: Research was of the highest priority while working on a non-fiction book. There wasn’t much available on Bhikaiji, and after ordering all the books on her and sourcing whatever I could, I first wrote down everything I had collected about her. Writing poetry is easy. Writing poetry while anchoring it in documented events, however, was about wordsmithing—finding the metaphors to convey her thoughts, her defiance. For instance, the banned publications that she smuggled back into the country via Pondicherry—which was the only place not under British rule became:

“All she wrote and all she said, reached her country’s people in time / And inspired whispers to grow louder about not staying within the lines.”

Frontlist: Do you see Bhikaiji Cama’s defiance and vision as something young readers can connect with today in the context of gender equality and civic courage?

Vinitha: I think we are slowly becoming a world where asking questions and questioning authority is increasingly seen as unsafe. And this is a global phenomenon. In times like these, a book about a young woman and her refusal to stay "within the lines" hopes to connect with every reader. We need to acknowledge that she was a woman, and she did this a hundred years ago—despite the government punishing her and her family for not supporting her. I hope the book encourages readers to learn more about her, ask questions, and reflect on civic courage.

Frontlist: What challenges did you face in adapting such a powerful life into verse—were there moments you struggled with what to include or leave out?

Vinitha: There is so much one wants to say and write when working on a book. With 30 years of writing behind me, I have learned one thing: it is not important to include a thousand details. What is essential, though, is to tell one truth so powerfully that the reader becomes invested in the story and sets off to learn more. That is the only purpose of any book. So yes, I did pull out every single piece of information about Bhikaiji that I could find, and then I hunted through all that material to “find” what I wanted to say. Poetry demands distillation, so I prioritized what would ignite a child’s imagination: her daring, her exile’s loneliness, and her unyielding love for India.

Frontlist: The title suggests rebellion and refusal to conform. In what ways do you think the form and tone of your book mirror Bhikaiji Cama’s spirit?

Vinitha: The verse is unbounded—lines break unpredictably, and stanzas vary like her tactics. The title itself rejects conformity, just as she rejected colonial borders. I think even the white space on the page whispers resistance, inviting readers to question the gaps in history.

Frontlist: Many biographies for young readers focus on well-known figures. What drew you to someone like Cama, who is less discussed but deeply influential?

Vinitha: Firstly, I was commissioned to write this book. But I fully understand and applaud Daffodil Lane Books for deciding to commission a book on her. There are far too many unsung heroes and each of their stories is incredibly inspiring. Kids deserve to know that change doesn’t begin unless someone asks why—and isn’t daunted when the adults around them try to shoo them away. Bhikaaji was that spark.