Vinod Luthra

Author Biography

Vinod Luthra was born in India. A tryst with destiny gave India its independence from the ‘British Colonial Raj’, at the same time it made millions homeless and refugees. At that time of India- Pakistan partition, his family was caught in the Hindu-Muslim riots which claimed a million dead; next, he was packed in the back of a car in a cage of steel bars with his mother and three siblings. His father drove through bullets to Amritsar, India, from an area called Sargodha, which is now in Pakistan. He grew up in traumatic times and poverty for a few years and living with indigent orphans, he felt the plight of the poor.

His father, after starting all over again and through his hard work, became affluent once again and decided to send Vinod for higher studies to England. Within two years, Vinod lost his father and was thrown into the clutches of hardship once again. He studied English literature as an optional subject along with engineering studies in England.He, always, was passionate about writing but never had the time. He wrote short stories and articles for his school and college magazines and was actively involved in dramatics in England.

He moved to Canada in 1967 where he had been involved in design of Nuclear Power Stations, later he was CEO of a multimillion dollar Plastic Industry. When his company got sold in 2008, he started writing on full time basis.

Moved by the plight of the poor, he wrote his first book, Masala Chai, with the hope of raising awareness about the problems of the poor so that steps could be taken towards the eradication of poverty. He was also involved in restaurant business where he learnt the art of cooking, subsequently he has written two cook books on Indian food.