Four years ago, Aahana Chakraborty moved to Australia with her parents from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. Today, this seven-year-old daughter of migrants, is an author.
Earlier this month, with help from her parents, Kaushik Chakraborty and Garima Singh, she published her first book titled Buzzz The Adventures of Lily & Lotus in Sydney, which the young family now calls home.
Highlights:
- Sydney’s seven-year-old Aahana Chakraborty has published a story book, Buzzz The Adventures of Lily & Lotus.
- Daughter of Indian migrants from West Bengal, she is a Year 2 student of Darcy Road Public School in Wentworthville.
- Through her stories and drawings, Aahana explains the importance of honeybees for the ecology.
Mr Chakraborty says Aahana always loved books and stories.
As evident from her book’s title, she also loves nature and understands the significance of honeybees for the ecology at this tender age.
“Honeybees can sting, but they are so helpful! Lily and Lotus define what good friendship is all about, and with their courage and determination, they fight for the honeybees," Aahana writes in her book.
Her father calls her a “bibliophile”.
"She became a bibliophile after she started school. And one day she said she would like to write a book," says Mr Chakraborty.
7-year-old Ahana with her painting. Source: Kaushik Chakraborty
"I encouraged her and insisted I would help only if she comes up with a good topic and writes the story herself. I was impressed when she came up with a story about honeybees. I typed it out and helped publish it," he adds with pride.
Aahana says she chose to write about honeybees because “they are vital for our ecology”.
A student of Year 2 at Wentworthville Public School, this child of IT professionals says math and arts are her favourite subjects. 
But she “loves to know more about honeybees because they help pollinate flowers to make fruit and vegetables.”
Aahana Chakraborty with her family. Source: Kaushik Chakraborty
“Honeybees are, like, if they sting you once, they die. And, they live in big colonies called hives," the young author explains with wonder, characteristic of childhood.
And like many other children her age, fairies and villains are quintessential characters in a story.
“Lily the fairy learns about honeybees and she stops the Evilies the villain from hurting them. And then there are some activities after the bees say thank you to her,” Aahana says about the book, which is available online in softcover and PDF versions.
Aahana has not only written this story but has also illustrated it through her colourful drawings.
Little Aahana with her sketches. Source: Kaushik Chakraborty
A proud father, Mr Chakraborty, also the publisher of the book, says every child has talent, and all we need to do is to give wings to their dreams.
