Sparks of Fire

Description

Sparks of Fire is the life story of a remarkable Muslim woman born in Old Delhi in 1932 who became a legendary aid worker, most notably in Bosnia during the 1990s. Her memoirs interweave history with biography in a vivid way, unfolding a story of a life both shaped by the circumstances of the day and one person’s determination to make a difference.

The memoir is unique in providing a school girl’s account of life at the famous Jamia Millia school in Delhi established by Dr Zakir Hussain and later the experiences of Muslim families seeking refuge in Humayun’s Tomb when massacres commenced in Delhi in 1947. There is a poignant account of a young bride’s efforts to adjust to a westernised life-style as a diplomat’s wife in Geneva and then subsequent years as the family’s wage earner in Karachi and London.