The Elephant Heist

Deft at handling snakes, finding his way through the forest, and collecting honey from hives, Heera – a tribal boy in colonial India – is well-adapted to the jungle. Saving the life of an elephant calf in his early childhood years earns him the friendship and trust of the animal whom he names Bali. But when Bali is captured during shikar, Heera’s world turns upside down. He vows to free Bali but little does he know, he is head-to-head with a sinister and powerful enemy who speaks a foreign tongue and his quest to free Bali will cause him to stumble upon a collateral truth that will change his life forever. With no friends and family, apart from his mother who wants him to abandon his quest, will Heera succeed? Longlisted – 2020 The Times/Chicken House Competition