Author Meet with Dr. Brenda Coutinho: Celebrating Reading, Writing and Creative Expression

The Library & Information Center, in collaboration with the Department of English & Cultural Studies and The Readers Club, organized an engaging Author Meet with Dr. Brenda Coutinho on 16 September 2026 at 4:30 p.m. at the Gazebo, Central Block, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune–Lavasa Campus. The event brought together students, faculty members, and Readers Club members for an inspiring literary interaction focused on creative writing, publishing, observation, literature, and the journey of becoming a writer.

Dr. Brenda Coutinho, Assistant Professor of English at Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Khandola, Goa, was the guest speaker. With extensive experience in teaching, research, and creative writing, she shared valuable insights from her literary journey and discussed her published works, including A Matter of Time: Vignettes of a Golden Childhood in Goa and Paw Prints: A Collection of Pet Stories for Children.

The event began with a warm welcome, a silent prayer, and an introduction by Harshita Mathur, President, The Readers Club. The introductory session highlighted the importance of reading, literary engagement, and discovering new perspectives through books.

Dr. Coutinho then shared her experiences as a teacher and writer and spoke about how her observations, memories, and everyday experiences became sources of inspiration for her writing. She also circulated copies of her books among the audience, allowing participants to engage directly with her published works.

The session became highly interactive during the Q&A segment. Students asked questions about the origin of writing ideas, publishing, writing for children, storytelling, observation, consistency in writing, memoirs, social media expression, artificial intelligence, and the ethics of keeping and training pets. Dr. Coutinho encouraged participants to observe their surroundings carefully and combine real-life experiences with imagination to create authentic stories and characters.

She also shared her experiences of writing during her academic journey and emphasized that creative writing should be an enjoyable and refreshing activity rather than a source of pressure. On the subject of memoir writing, she encouraged writers to remain truthful and original and to focus on personal satisfaction rather than external judgment. When asked to recommend a book for university students, she suggested Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist for its accessible language and message of perseverance and pursuing one's dreams.

A memorable part of the programme was the live story-reading session, during which Dr. Coutinho read an excerpt from her story about a squirrel named “Precious.” The engaging narration gave participants an opportunity to experience storytelling directly from the author and demonstrated how everyday experiences can become meaningful literary narratives.

The event also included the felicitation of Dr. Coutinho, followed by the induction of new Readers Club members, with official Readers Club badges presented to the new members. The programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Mo Hassan Raza, Vice President, The Readers Club, who expressed gratitude to the guest speaker, university authorities, Department of English & Cultural Studies, Library & Information Center, organizers, volunteers, and participants.

The formal programme was followed by tea and refreshments, providing an informal opportunity for students and faculty to continue their conversations with the author and fellow participants.

Overall, the Author Meet successfully promoted reading, creative writing, observation, literary curiosity, and meaningful interaction. The event provided students with practical insights into the writing and publishing journey while strengthening the connection between the Library & Information Center, Department of English & Cultural Studies, and The Readers Club. It also contributed to creating a vibrant literary environment and encouraging students to read, write, create, and express themselves with confidence.