“Life is about journeys and constant change, I had a fantastic run
with the corporate world for over two decades across various industries;
Telecommunication, Travel, Banking and Luxury Real Estate in senior management
roles. I experienced wonderful new people and locations due my work but like
all journeys, everything comes to an end for something new to begin. My passion
for writing was always there but it takes that one moment of pause, to realign
or be redirected to a new path,” says Istanbul-based Ann D’Silva, who left the
corporate world as Global Head – Strategic Alliances, Sahara Group of
Companies.
Ann has an interesting genealogy as she
finds her roots in Goa, “I’m a hybrid. On my father, William’s side, Goan
Portuguese and on my mother, Scarlett’s side, Anglo Saxon and East Indian. My
parents were both born in Mumbai but met and married in Delhi where my
childhood was spent, till we moved to Mumbai in 1993. My maternal grandfather
was a journalist with the Reuters and my grandmom was from JJ School of Art. My
father has passed away and my mother relocated with me to Istanbul in 2019 and
we have been here since,” says Ann, from where she found the inspiration to
write the books for her trilogy, ‘Sand and Sea’.
The trilogy is based on the first lovers
made by the Creator, inseparable for all eternity. “Feminine is in everyone,
which is why life comes through the womb of women, and sustenance comes from
nature, hence the need to respect mother nature and women, so that covers how
the books are connected under the singular message of love. The first book, ‘
Sand and Sea: Footprints in the Sand’ is the female protagonist Hannah’s side
of the story and journey while ‘Child of Two World ‘ is the male protagonist
Özcan’s side of the story and journey. Despite their worlds being totally
different, they are inseparable in spirit from each other and ‘ Kun Faya Kun’
is the story of ‘Sand and Sea’ lovers and immortal beings. I cannot give away
more but I must add, there is more in the unseen than the seen, their story is
of an unseen connection between every living being and nature,” she explains.
It was no wonder that Indian film director Premraj Soni found
the series fascinating and is working on adapting it into a Bollywood film. A
part of the writing team, Ann is excited about the books becoming a film and
she is also the co-producer of the project. She says, “I am very excited about
this becoming a film with a director and producer, who is so passionate about
the story and the social impact it will have in times that are filled with so
much rage, conflict and negativity, stories of hope and love is what the world
needs. Prem is truly a visionary and I am humbled that he is so invested in
this project. He is a very grounded and committed person, and it’s a joy to
know him and work with him.” She plans to release ‘Kun Faya Kun’ by the second
quarter of 2023.
In 2021, she released a poem book on women’s various journeys
called ‘Verses of a Risen Phoenix’. She uses the power of prose and poetry for
women empowerment. “My books and poems are on women’s vulnerability, strength,
courage and emancipation to finding their true inner strength, self-esteem and
self-awareness. I am involved with many organisations including the Honorary
Board of Asian African Chambers of Commerce and Industry and I am a nominee for
Karmaveer Chakra Awards which is in partnership with the UN. I am a speaker on
inclusion and diversity and women’s empowerment,” says Ann.
She
recently conceptualised and produced the campaign, ‘You are not alone’ a
solidarity video which was aired on Macedonian TV channel, Kanal 5, which
features voices in support of the women in Iran which featured 61 global
personalities, 18 countries and 20 languages with a singular message, ‘Woman,
Life, Freedom’. “I stress upon the importance that women cheer for another
woman, be happy for another woman; support not criticize. It’s time to stop
seeing March 8 as International Women’s Day and change the narrative to
celebrating self and other women daily. Empowerment is not a word, it can only
be experienced in actions, irrelevant of small or big, but done daily. We are
enough when we say enough to injustices in society,” concludes Ann.
