By D.P. Thomas
Award-winning Indian American author Ashok Rajamani, who survived a full-throttle brain hemorrhage at the age of 25, will be speaking at one of New York State’s most important rehabilitation centers, Emerge Nursing and Rehabilitation in Glen Cove, on January 31.
Rajamani, a leader in New York's brain injury community, was the keynote speaker for the Brain Injury Association of NY State (BIANYS) Conference 2024. The upcoming Emerge event is entitled “This Explosive Journey: A Talk By Ashok Rajamani,” and will feature Rajamani speaking on his astounding odyssey of survival.
Rajamani is best known for his groundbreaking memoir "The Day My Brain Exploded: A True Story," which details his incredible recovery after a near-fatal brain hemorrhage. His story is one of resilience, recovery, and hope, and the memoir has garnered global praise, including from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley. The book’s darkly comedic insights into his ordeal have made it a standout in the memoir genre, and it is now being adapted into a motion picture.
In addition to his memoir, Rajamani’s many works include the book of cultural criticism “Imagine Carnivalesque” and “If These Saris Could Talk,” a flash fiction e-monologue performed by Zehra Jane Naqvi, lead actress in the original “Bombay Dreams” on the West End. His writings have been featured in numerous esteemed publications, including Danse Macabre, 3:AM Magazine, and South Asian Review.