When I first arrived in Delhi to pursue my postgraduate training in Psychiatry at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, I carried with me the weight of being a first-generation doctor, the meritocratic expectations of my mixed East Indian lineage, and the lyrical intonations of my mother tongue. Over the next decade, through long shifts in hospital wards and silent reckonings, I learned that both education and life in Delhi demanded an assimilation — not just of knowledge and experience, but of cultural identity. My grandmothers and aunts have always lovingly called me “Ononya”, howsoever I chose to pen down my name in the English language. Somewhere along the way, the soft Bengali “O” in my name faded, replaced by the sharper edges of a city that did not choose to pronounce it as I once knew it.
Reading How Gourango Lost His O by Sanjoy Ghose, I felt a quiet kinship with its protagonist — another Bengali who, in his own rite of passage, found himself transformed by this city and his profession.
The story follows Gourango, a young lawyer navigating the multifaceted landscape of the Indian judiciary. The author, Sanjoy Ghose populates his novel with a cast of richly drawn characters — mentors and adversaries who shape Gourango’s evolution. These figures, eccentric and flawed, deeply human, offer a profound commentary on what it means to dedicate oneself to a profession that is equal parts calling and a test of patience and endurance.
Ghose’s writing is characterised by wit and rib-tickling humour and the ability to demystify complex legal concepts. He employs a narrative style that is both engaging and informative, making the book accessible to readers without a legal background. A glossary of legal terms at the end is immensely helpful for readers like me who are not well versed with the technicalities of the legal profession.
The nuanced use of irony ensures that the story remains light-hearted even when dealing with serious subjects. Ghose’s satire echoes the best of Bengali literary traditions — Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s wit and Sunil Gangopadhyay’s sharp social observations. Beyond its humour, the novel carries a subtle yet powerful critique of the Indian legal system — its delays, its grandstanding, its idiosyncrasies.
There were many reasons why I loved this book, even though I am a complete stranger to the intricate world of law and uninitiated into its complex layers and nuances. One of the reasons was the parallels that I could not help but draw with my own profession, as I went cruising along this enthralling courtroom drama.
Gourango’s world is the world of the Indian judiciary, a labyrinth of laws, precedents, and personalities as dense, quirky and bewildering as the corridors of a teaching hospital. His journey mirrors the trajectory of many professionals who leave behind the familiarity of home to master their craft in the capital city. The novel’s brilliance lies in its ability to render legal intricacies with humour and lightness, drawing the reader in with absurdities that, while exaggerated, never stray too far from reality.
There is an uncanny similarity between the world of medicine and the world of law. Both professions are bound by an unspoken agreement with society; both demand precision, endurance, and a relentless pursuit of justice — be it for the body or the law. And both, curiously, are described as “practice”, as if perfection is always just a little beyond reach and we must settle for what appears to be an “apprenticeship in understanding the human condition”.
And in the midst of my musings, I wondered — is this a projection on my part? Perhaps like Gourango, anyone facing the enormity of human suffering in this vast metropolis, or flung into a profession where ideals clash with reality, and where every victory is tinged with exhaustion, would relate to the superbly created and wonderfully human protagonist and the colourful cast of characters in this absorbing courtroom intrigue. And that is why although, this book qualifies as contemporary Indian legal fiction (which in itself is an exciting genre), it transcends beyond any genre or category as a narrative and deserves a wider readership. It also struck me that for young readers this book might inspire them to consider pursuing law as a profession.
For all its satire, How Gourango Lost His O is ultimately a story about transformation — Gourango’s evolution, the shaping of his legal career, losing some things and gaining some others. Gourango hustles with the law and strives to find his place in a city that transforms him in a multitude of ways; many readers will relate to his struggles and visualise glimpses of their own journey in the pages of this novel.
Sanjoy Ghose has crafted a book that is at once incisive and affectionate, humorous yet introspective. For readers unfamiliar with the legal world, it is an invitation — into its mysterious corridors and baffling inner workings. For those of us who have stood in institutions of power and hierarchies it is a mirror. And for those who have ever lost an “O” — a name, a home, an accent, an intimate part of their identity — it is a quiet recognition of all that is shed and all that is found in the pursuit of a profession, a city, a life.
1. Practising as Consultant Psychiatrist at Cognis Mindcare & Max Super Specialty Hospital, Shalimar Bagh New Delhi. She is an alumnus of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and has worked extensively as a clinician and researcher in a number of public health institutions. Her research work has been published in reputed national and international journals. She is also a writer and her short stories have been published in anthologies by Readomania and Kitaab International. Her works have been shortlisted and published in reputed literary anthologies such as The Best Asian Short Stories 2018 and the Bristol Short Story Prize 2022. She has been shortlisted twice for the prestigious Deodar Literary Prize for the year 2023-2024.
Where is this book available? I shall apprecitae if you inform the details of the Publishers, price and other details.