Savie Karnel is the author of the acclaimed books, The Nameless God, and Laxmi Panda: The Story of Netaji’s Youngest Spy.
Her debut book The Nameless God was voted the Most Popular Children’s Book on Amazon India in 2021. It was also shortlisted for Bangalore Literature Festival’s Book Prize the same year. Notably, it was the only children’s book shortlisted for MAMI
Mumbai Film Festival’s Words to Screen Options Market in 2023. Her second book, Laxmi Panda: The Story of Netaji’s Youngest Spy, has been shortlisted for the Kalinga Literary Festival Book Awards 2024.
Savie grew up in the coastal town of Karwar in Karnataka and began her career as a journalist, reporting for The New Indian Express, Mid Day and Talk Magazine in Bangalore.
It was during her stint as a journalist that she came across Laxmi Panda’s grandson and learnt of the freedom fighter in 2008. She had interviewed the brave warrior then and heard her story. It was then that the seed of the book was planted in her mind. She felt that Laxmi’s valour in the INA had to be celebrated and her incredible story should be told to children and adults alike. This was her motivational behind writing the book.
Savie Karnel finds inspiration in travel and stories of those she meets. She currently lives in Kolkata.