Rajat Mitra
Rajat Mitra holds a PhD in Psychology, is a social entrepreneur and an Ashoka Fellow. While enrolled in Harvard's program in refugee trauma, Rajat saw the way art and literature depict trauma in various societies, which further helped him to chisel and enrich the voice of the characters in the book.
During his thirty year career, he has worked with individuals suffering from severe emotional disturbances, those in prison for terrorism, and radicalized youth serving long sentences. For years he worked with law enforcement agencies and criminal justice systems to provide psychological support to victims and their families.
Rajat works with cases of violations of human rights. Ha has worked with survivors of mass violence, ethnic violence, and genocide. more recently he has worked alongside human rights defenders across Asia.
Rajat is currently associated with a radicalization program for youth. He lives in New Delhi, India, with his wife and daughter. The Infidel Next Door is his first book.
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Book Reviews
“An unforgettable read…enlightening….tells us why healing and forgiveness can take place in the midst of mass violence…”
– Vamik Volkan, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, internationally renowned peace activist and the author of ‘Enemies on the couch’
“Weaves through Indian culture and perspectives as if in a delicate dance, each step precisely described and intriguing.…one needn’t be familiar with Indian society to appreciate this compelling story which draws together disparate lives in an engrossing saga that is hard to put down.”
– Midwest Book Review
“I have read many books set within the culture of Indian subcontinent including Malala’s autobiography but none has brought the ways of thinking to life as well as this book. I now have a gut level understanding of how Hindus and Muslims see the world….the book has the feel of a parable, a thriller and a story with characters who teach us what religion stands for…You may have nightmares after reading this book but it will also tell you how to lift us from savagery to truly serve God.”
– Robert Rich, author of ‘Ascending spiral - Humanity’s last chance’
“Few authors have the courage to talk about such a topic…has the marks of a bestseller.”
–ThinkerViews – Views and Reviews
“A moving story between tolerance and bigotry…argues against radicalism in all religions.”
– Kirkus Book Review
“A deeply moving book about human condition.”
– James Lavelle, Founder, Harvard Program for Refugee Trauma
“A must read…Reader may take a long time to forget Aditya and Zeba, the imam’s daughter.”
– Kevein Book Review
“ ... Recommended for all enlightened readers of politics and religion.”
– Mehreen Ahmed, author of the award winning novel ‘The Pacifist’
“Immersive and fascinating…”
– Portland Book Review
“Tells how the inner turmoil of young lives impinge on a community....A story with stark intimacy and sensitivity…”
– Andrew Spacey, author of ‘21 Bird Poems’
“A moving and profound work….To see the world through the eyes of a priest, a survivor of pogroms and exile is to see the limit of what we thought of as humanity…highly recommended.”
– Professor Vamsee Juluri, Author of ‘Saraswati’s Intelligence’
“A beautifully narrated and skillfully woven tale.....”
–Professor Ramesh N Rao, Columbus State University
“Read this book. It has a lot to offer whether you are an Indian or a secularized European… teaches us about the eternal questions of human life.”
– Bo Brautigam, renowned psychologist
“A sensitive and tragic tale…written in the midst of religious intolerance.” Peter Polatin, George Washington University
“A moving story.....should be read widely.”
– Sudhir Kakkar, renowned psychoanalyst and author of “The inner world”
“A page turner….has all the adornments of a literary work….Unlike Arundhati Roy’s ‘Ministry of utmost happiness’ which presents a cynical view, ‘The infidel next door’ has engaging perspectives on historiography, politics and religion.”
–Professor Jagdish Batra, English Department, O P Jindal Global University
