SURENDRA VERMA
WRITER, AUTHOR, EDITOR AND JOURNALIST (AND A NATURAL-BORN SCEPTIC)
Based since 1970 in Melbourne, Australia; and before that in Perth, Australia; and before Australia many years in Dehradun, a picturesque town (at least, when I lived there) in the foothills of the Himalayas
67+ CONTINUOUS YEARS OF WRITING AND PUBLISHING ✍️ 13 MAY 1956 TO DATE
My first piece as a freelance writer was published in a national weekly on 13 May 1956 when I had just turned 14.
Since then, I have regularly been writing on matters related to science, technology, environment, health and education right through my high school and college days to this day. So far, I have published 1000+ non-technical general-interest articles in major national and international newspapers and magazines (including New Scientist, UK); and 20+ popular science books (internationally in many English editions and 14 languages other than English). Not even bothering to count the numerous education articles I wrote for The Educational Magazine and Education Victoria (two Education Department of Victoria publications which I also edited from 1982 to 1990) and The Times Educational Supplement (to which I contributed in the 1980s; it has now become TES Magazine and I have started contributing again in 2022), and brochures, booklets and reports for government and corporate clients.
For some 45 years of this period, I was in demanding full-time jobs (mostly in journalism and publishing, some of these jobs also involved writing), but that didn’t stop me from moonlighting as a freelance science writer. Science writing has never been my profession, only a hobby. A highly satisfying one, I must say.
Although during my long solo journey as a freelance writer, I have used a vast array of tools – pens (fountain and ballpoints), manual typewriters (desktops and portables), electric typewriters (ordinary ones to fancy daisy wheel and golf ball ones), desktop computers (with dot matrix, inkjet and laser printers; and with BSB and emails), bulky laptops and tiny notebooks, iPads and iPhones – the essential tools have always been the same throughout this period: a curious mind and resilience.
14 April 1971 to 18 July 1986
My first science piece in an Australian newspaper was published on this day in Melbourne’s major daily tabloid newspaper, The Sun New-Pictorial (popularly known as The Sun). The 1500-word article covered all seven tabloid columns, from top to bottom. 100+ pieces followed until 18 July 1986. During this period, I also published a few book reviews for The Herald, Melbourne’s evening broadsheet newspaper.
26 February 1983 to 23 April 2023
My first science piece was in Melbourne’s major daily broadsheet newspaper The Age. A 500-word piece. 100+ much longer pieces followed. The latest: on 23 April 2023 in the Faith column of The Sunday Age.
Some happy happenings
November 2004: $15,000 literature grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts for writing creative nonfiction
June 2007: Honorary Life Member of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, the association representing Australian journalists – for contribution to journalism in Australia
November 2007: $25,000 literature grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts for writing creative nonfiction
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