Note sull'episodio
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, Colin Mustful speaks with Jatinder Koharki, author of Against the Odds of Tradition, about a novel that begins with a woman fleeing death and unfolds against the upheaval of late colonial India. Listeners will discover how widowhood, forbidden love, national independence, and personal reinvention collide in a story that asks what freedom really means when a society denies women a future of their own.
Their conversation moves from the brutal legacy of sati and the restrictions placed on widows in 1930s India to the emotional sweep of Mina’s journey through remarriage, identity, and the chaos of Partition. Jatinder reflects on the historical realities behind the novel, the voices often left out of Western conversations about World War II and empire, and the ways private lives are transformed by public history.
Jatinder Koharki was born in Punjab, India, moved to Queens, New York, at age ten, and later built a long corporate career before turning toward writing and publishing. Drawing on family stories, historical research, and her own cross-cultural perspective, she brings a deeply personal lens to a novel about women’s autonomy, resilience, and survival.
History Through Fiction is more than a podcast—it is a place for readers, writers, and history lovers to explore how story brings the past to life. To discover more episodes, historical novels, workshops, and events, visit https://www.historythroughfiction.com.