MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Senior United Nations and New York journalist Yoshita Singh was honored with a citation as she presented her newly released book, a scholarly and analytical critique on satire in Indian literature based on the work of one of India’s most renowned authors, to Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos.

Singh is an acclaimed and experienced journalist and has been covering New York and the United Nations for India’s most prestigious news agency Press Trust of India since 2011.

She presented a copy of her debut book ‘Shrilal Shukla’s Raag Darbari: Satire in Indian Literature. A Critical Analysis’ to Maragos at his office in Nassau County on Au-gust 18. Also present on the occasion was Deputy Comptroller for Minority Affairs Dilip Chauhan. Maragos honored Singh with a citation that noted her new book.

Singh has “accomplished extraordinary success and have distinguished yourself among your peers,” the citation read adding that Singh has “demonstrated selfless commitment to our community and its residents that warrants attention and gratitude.”

The citation from the Nassau County Comptroller’s office recognizes outstanding individuals who have rendered significant contributions for the enhancement of the community.

Maragos congratulated Singh on her new book, expressing confidence that the book will be a notable contribution in the field of literature, not only in India, and will enhance readers’ understanding of the use of satire in depicting prevalent political, social and cultural realities.

Chauhan also congratulated Singh on her literary achievement, saying the book will definitely add to a reader’s perspective of the use of literary genres to highlight social best practices as well as ills.

“Singh brilliantly demonstrates in her book that every form of literary expression, be it satire or humor, should be respected for the enduring messages they portray about life,” Chauhan said.

Singh said she was honored to be able to present her book to the Comptroller and expressed gratitude for his words of appreciation for her and the citation. She said her book is a scholastic analysis on satire in Indian literature, with special focus on ‘Raag Darbari’, a brilliant novel by the late Shrilal Shukla, who is known as among the most accomplished writers in India for his political and social satires. Shukla was awarded India’s highest literary honor, the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ in 1969 for Raag Darbari.

Singh said through her book, she has attempted a critical analysis of Shukla’s use of satire in depicting the realities and sensibilities of rural life in post-independence India and whether circumstances have changed or remained the same 70 years after the world’s largest democracy attained independence.

Yoshita Singh is Senior Correspondent based in New York for the Press Trust of India. She covers the United Nations and New York for India’s largest newswire, which is headquartered in New Delhi. She has 14 years’ experience and has worked in Chicago, Boston and New Delhi.

Singh has a Master’s Degree in English Literature from the University of Lucknow in India and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism through distance education from the Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communications in Pune. She also did a digital journalism course from Harvard University.