Synopsis "Bus Fare (in English)"
*** Set against the breathtaking landscape of the Indian Himalayas, a tale of romantic intrigue, university life and love letters has the power to transform the lives of three young people forever. For every energetic young adult university finance can be a nightmare. This is especially true of Hari, a gifted young man from a poor background struggling to make his academic dreams a reality. When he meets Aman, the wealthy son of a tea estate owner, it seems like all his problems are solved. Aman has a singular problem: he lacks the courage to confess his feelings to the woman he loves, so he needs Hari to intervene and write love letters to the mystery woman on his behalf. But life and love are inevitably complicated, and when the mystery woman turns out to be someone Hari himself has fallen for, the peace of this quiet valley in the Himalayas is shattered. *** Shiv Sharma was born in Shimla, India, and had his early education in New Delhi and Mumbai where his father was a film director. After gaining his Master's degree in philosophy he came to Britain and worked as a journalist on five national newspapers, among them the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and The Guardian. In between various high-profile jobs he helped launch the Saudi Gazette in Jeddah, and was the editor of Indiamail, a London-based weekly for the Indian community, for four years. Now he devotes most of his time to writing fiction. He is married to Dr Swatantrata Chandiok, a hospital consultant, and they have one son, Sachin.
