Ananta Press is delighted to congratulate Shamayita Mukherjee on the official nomination of her heartfelt contemporary fiction novel, When We Met At That Morning!!, for the prestigious Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award in the Fiction (General) category.
This nomination recognises not only the literary promise of the novel but also the author’s sensitive understanding of friendship, love, ambition, memory, and the emotional journey from youth to adulthood. Through an engaging and relatable narrative, Shamayita Mukherjee captures how one apparently ordinary morning can become the beginning of relationships and memories that shape an entire lifetime.
An Ordinary Morning That Changes Everything
When We Met At That Morning!! follows the lives of seven young friends who meet during an ordinary college morning. Although they come from different backgrounds and carry different ambitions, insecurities, dreams, and expectations, their shared experiences gradually bring them together as a family of their own.
The novel moves through the vibrant landscape of college life, portraying classroom experiences, competitions, cultural events, misunderstandings, laughter, emotional conflicts, first love, heartbreak, and the determination to build meaningful careers. These moments are presented not simply as episodes of youthful excitement but as experiences that contribute to the emotional growth of each character.
As the characters enter adulthood, their lives begin to move in different directions. Career opportunities, long-distance relationships, family responsibilities, emotional challenges, and difficult personal decisions test the strength of the bonds they formed during college. Yet the memories of their formative years continue to influence their choices and provide emotional strength during uncertain times.
At the centre of the narrative is the evolving relationship between Sankar and Sampa. Their bond develops naturally within the broader story of friendship, maturity, and self-discovery. Rather than presenting romance in isolation, the novel shows how love grows alongside individual dreams, responsibilities, and emotional development.
The journeys of Ritwik, Mili, Aditi, Abir, and the other friends further enrich the narrative by offering different perspectives on ambition, resilience, sacrifice, companionship, and hope. This multi-character approach allows readers to recognise parts of their own lives in more than one person, making the novel emotionally inclusive and deeply relatable.
Why the Book Was Selected for Nomination
The Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award committee selected When We Met At That Morning!! for nomination because of its sincere portrayal of human relationships and its ability to transform familiar experiences into a meaningful literary journey.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its balanced combination of friendship, romance, family relationships, career aspirations, and personal growth. Unlike conventional romantic fiction centred almost entirely on one couple, this novel gives importance to the development of every major character. Each individual has a distinct emotional journey, allowing the story to explore multiple forms of love, struggle, responsibility, and transformation.
The book also possesses significant literary and social value because it captures a stage of life that is both joyful and emotionally complex. College years are often remembered for freedom, friendship, and discovery, but they are also filled with uncertainty, self-doubt, difficult decisions, and the pressure of preparing for adulthood. Shamayita Mukherjee presents both sides of this experience with honesty and warmth.
Its themes are universal. Readers across generations can connect with the comfort of close friendships, the innocence of first love, the pain of separation, the pursuit of dreams, and the bittersweet realisation that time changes people and circumstances. The novel reminds readers that although individuals may eventually follow separate paths, the people who supported them during their most defining years remain an inseparable part of their identity.
The award committee also recognised the book’s uplifting message. Through its emotionally rich storytelling, the novel encourages readers to cherish relationships, preserve meaningful memories, remain resilient during periods of change, and value the people who stand beside them during moments of uncertainty.
Recognising a Storyteller at Heart
Shamayita Mukherjee is an engineer by profession and a storyteller at heart. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering and works in the field of industrial automation and instrumentation.
Her professional background reflects analytical discipline and technical understanding, while her writing reveals a deeply observant and creative mind. This combination gives her storytelling a distinctive quality: her narrative is structured with care while remaining emotionally expressive and sensitive.
A passionate reader and creative writer, Shamayita draws inspiration from human emotions, relationships, memories, and the seemingly simple moments that shape people’s lives. Her interests in painting, dancing, reading, and exploring new experiences further contribute to the imagination and emotional colour present in her work.
Her belief that every moment carries a story is beautifully reflected in When We Met At That Morning!!. The novel transforms a chance meeting into a moving exploration of how friendships begin, how relationships mature, and how memories continue to live within us long after circumstances have changed.
The Significance of the Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award
The Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award honours authors whose works demonstrate literary merit, originality, meaningful expression, and the ability to create a lasting connection with readers. The nomination process celebrates books that contribute positively to contemporary literature while presenting ideas, emotions, and experiences with authenticity.
The official nomination of When We Met At That Morning!! acknowledges Shamayita Mukherjee’s contribution to contemporary Indian fiction and her ability to present the emotional realities of young adulthood in a relatable and inspiring form.
The book stands out because it does not depend on exaggerated situations to create emotional impact. Instead, it finds significance in everyday experiences: meeting new people, sharing laughter, facing misunderstandings, supporting friends, falling in love, pursuing ambitions, and learning to accept change. Its message is simple yet powerful—some mornings appear ordinary only because we do not yet know how deeply they will transform our lives.
Congratulations and Best Wishes
Ananta Press warmly congratulates Shamayita Mukherjee on the official nomination of When We Met At That Morning!! for the Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award.
This nomination is a well-deserved recognition of her creative vision, emotionally engaging storytelling, memorable characters, and thoughtful exploration of friendship, love, ambition, resilience, and memory.
We extend our best wishes to Shamayita Mukherjee for the next stage of the award process and for all her future literary endeavours. May she continue to create stories that inspire readers to cherish relationships, honour their memories, and discover extraordinary meaning within the ordinary moments of life.
Her contribution to contemporary fiction is sincerely appreciated, and this nomination marks an inspiring milestone in her journey as an author.
