Ananta Press is delighted to announce Harihara Arun Somasankar G as an official winner of the Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award for his emotionally moving contemporary fiction book, Finally Us. This recognition celebrates not only the beauty of the story but also the emotional honesty, literary sensitivity, and thoughtful storytelling that make the book memorable for readers.
Finally Us is a tale of love found between the waves. At its heart, the book follows Rana, a man who stopped believing in love after the sea took away the most important woman in his life, his mother. His life becomes shaped by silence, routine, and a pain he never fully expresses. Into this quiet world enters Maya, an architect who believes in love with warmth, innocence, and courage. Their connection begins through a house project, but slowly grows into something deeper through shared coffees, gentle glances, long drives, and emotions that are felt more than spoken.
The book stands out because it does not rush love. It allows grief to breathe, silence to speak, and healing to unfold naturally. The story explores how love can return after loss, not as a replacement for what was taken away, but as a new form of hope. Through Rana and Maya, the author beautifully presents the courage it takes to open one’s heart again after pain.
Harihara Arun Somasankar G, an International Lawyer and Author, brings a rare combination of discipline, emotional understanding, and global perspective to his writing. His professional background in law gives him an analytical depth, while his exposure to diverse cultures allows him to observe human relationships with sensitivity. In Finally Us, he uses this understanding to explore love, ambition, silence, emotional distance, and connection in a deeply human way.
The Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award honours literary works that carry originality, emotional impact, meaningful storytelling, and a lasting contribution to readers. The award committee recognized Finally Us for its graceful writing, emotional depth, relatable characters, and its strong message about second chances, healing, and rediscovering love after loss.
The six-member reading committee carefully reviewed the book and found it to be a sincere, heartfelt, and engaging work of contemporary fiction. The committee appreciated how the story balances romance with grief, hope with silence, and emotional pain with gentle recovery. Finally Us was selected because it connects with readers not through dramatic excess, but through quiet truth and emotional honesty.
Feedback by Glenville Ashby
Glenville Ashby found Finally Us to be a deeply touching and emotionally layered story. According to him, the strength of the book lies in the way it handles silence, grief, and love without making the emotions feel forced. Rana’s pain feels real because it is not written loudly. It stays inside him, shaping his life, his choices, and his fear of opening up again. Glenville appreciated how Maya enters his life not as a sudden solution, but as a gentle presence who slowly helps him feel again. He felt that the sea as a recurring emotional symbol gives the book a strong poetic quality. It represents loss, memory, fear, and finally, healing. He also admired the slow-burn nature of the story, as it gives readers enough time to understand both characters. For him, Finally Us is a moving reminder that love can return quietly, even to hearts that believe they are no longer capable of feeling.
Feedback by Roxana Jaffer
Roxana Jaffer appreciated Finally Us for its warmth, simplicity, and emotional sincerity. She felt that the relationship between Rana and Maya develops in a natural and believable way. The book does not depend on unnecessary drama, but instead focuses on small moments that carry deep meaning. Shared coffees, silent glances, long drives, and unspoken conversations become important parts of the emotional journey. Roxana especially connected with Maya’s character because of her hopeful nature and her belief in love. She felt Maya brings light into the story without losing her own emotional depth. At the same time, Rana’s grief is written with care and sensitivity. Roxana observed that the misunderstanding between the characters adds pain to the story, but it also gives both of them space to grow. In her view, Finally Us is a beautiful story for readers who believe that love is not always loud, but it can still be life-changing.
Feedback by Apeksha Gupta
Apeksha Gupta found Finally Us to be an emotionally honest book that speaks to readers who have experienced loss, silence, or heartbreak. She felt that the author has written Rana’s inner world with great patience. His pain does not disappear quickly, and this makes the story more realistic. Apeksha appreciated that the book gives importance to emotional healing rather than only romantic union. She also admired how Maya’s dreams as an architect add colour and hope to the narrative. Her personality brings contrast to Rana’s quiet life, creating a beautiful emotional balance. Apeksha felt that the house project is not just a plot point, but also a symbol of rebuilding. As Maya designs spaces, the story also shows how two people slowly rebuild trust, comfort, and love. For her, the book’s greatest strength is its message that healing is possible, but it takes time, courage, and the right connection.
Feedback by Asha Seth
Asha Seth appreciated the literary value of Finally Us and found the book graceful in both theme and emotion. She felt that the author has chosen a very sensitive subject, love after grief, and handled it with maturity. Rana’s relationship with the sea and the memory of his mother adds emotional depth to the book. It gives readers a better understanding of why he fears love and why he hides behind silence. Asha also admired Maya’s role in the story. She is not written as a perfect character, but as someone who loves deeply, feels deeply, and is also hurt deeply. This makes her relatable. Asha found the misunderstanding in the story painful yet meaningful, because it shows how fragile love can be when feelings remain unspoken. In her view, Finally Us carries a strong message for modern readers, that communication, patience, and emotional courage are essential in any relationship.
Feedback by Neel Preet
Neel Preet felt that Finally Us stands out because of its calm and reflective storytelling. He appreciated that the book does not rush the emotional journey of the characters. Instead, it allows readers to sit with Rana’s silence and Maya’s hope. Neel found the contrast between the two characters very effective. Rana represents pain, memory, and emotional fear, while Maya represents warmth, colour, and belief. Their journey together feels meaningful because both of them change through the relationship. Neel also liked how the sea becomes more than a setting. It becomes a part of Rana’s past, a reminder of loss, and later a place where truth and healing become possible. He felt that the writing has a cinematic quality, especially in the scenes built around quiet moments and emotional distance. For him, Finally Us is a tender love story that will appeal to readers who enjoy emotional depth and thoughtful romance.
Feedback by Deepak Seth
Deepak Seth found Finally Us to be a sincere and impactful contribution to contemporary romantic fiction. He felt that the author successfully brings together love, grief, ambition, misunderstanding, and second chances in a balanced way. Deepak appreciated the emotional maturity of the story. The book does not present love as something simple or magical. Instead, it shows love as something that requires courage, patience, and honesty. He also admired Harihara Arun Somasankar G’s ability to capture unspoken emotions. Many of the most powerful moments in the book come from what the characters are unable to say. Deepak felt that this quality makes the story realistic and relatable. He also noted that the author’s professional background and global exposure seem to reflect in the disciplined structure and thoughtful emotional development of the book. In his view, Finally Us deserves recognition because it leaves readers with hope, reflection, and a renewed belief in healing.
Finally Us is a book that reminds readers that love is not always about grand declarations. Sometimes, it lives in silence, in patience, in waiting, in forgiveness, and in the courage to begin again. Through Rana and Maya’s journey, Harihara Arun Somasankar G offers a story that is tender, meaningful, and emotionally resonant.
Ananta Press proudly congratulates Harihara Arun Somasankar G on becoming a winner of the Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award. We extend our best wishes for his continued literary journey and honour his valuable contribution to contemporary fiction. May Finally Us continue to touch hearts, inspire readers, and remind many that even after loss, life can still lead us toward love.
