About the book
Between Two Skies brings together nineteen true stories of Indian migrants in Australia: a story of migration, identity, belonging and the remarkable journey of the Indian diaspora in Australia.
The people in these pages come from many walks of life. There are doctors and dancers, academics and actors, engineers and entrepreneurs, each telling how they crossed over and built a life Down Under.
Praise for the book
“Indira Laisram comes bearing the gift of stories of crossing for the reader. In nineteen chapters, she unpacks snippets from the complex and poignant life histories of people of Indian heritage who crossed over Down Under to build lives for themselves and their families. Each story is narrated with poise and patience, as she helps her subjects relive their journeys. This is a book to be savoured for its ability to balance diasporic nostalgia, aspirations, and hopes of people of Indian heritage in their adopted home, Australia.”
Sanjoy BarboraAssociate Professor, University of California, Santa Cruz
“Indira Laisram’s Between Two Skies tells the stories of 19 Indian migrants in Australia. Her subjects are a diverse bunch; they come from different walks of life and hold unique identities. There are doctors and dancers, academics and actors, engineers and entrepreneurs, and many other backgrounds. Some are gay with wrenching stories to tell. Laisram narrates their life journeys with care, passion and precision. A must read for anyone interested in the changing face of Australia!”
Pradeep TanejaDeputy Associate Dean (International, India) and Senior Lecturer in Asian Politics, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne
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Browse the full archive on her blog, writing since 2007
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Hello, I’m Indira.
I grew up in Northeast India, a long way from the newsrooms where I would eventually build my career. After university, I moved to Delhi and spent 17 years in mainstream media, working at the Press Trust of India, The Times of India and Businessworld magazine. I wrote and edited stories across politics, business, lifestyle and culture, and learned that the best ones almost always begin with a person.
In 2009, I moved to Australia, returned to student life and studied Social Policy at the University of Melbourne. Later, I found my footing in community media, where stories feel closer to home and the people you write about are often your neighbours.
Today, I am passionately involved with The Indian Sun, a leading platform for the Indian diaspora in Australia. I also profile surgeons and doctors for Surgical News, the official magazine of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
In 2020, I received a Judith Neilson Institute grant for community journalism. Covering the pandemic was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, telling stories of pain and resilience, separation and solidarity.
I contributed to But I Am One of You, the 2024 HarperCollins anthology, and my first book, Between Two Skies, brings together true stories of the Indian diaspora in Australia.
What draws me to all of it, whether I’m writing about a surgeon, a migrant, a community organiser or a stranger with a story, is people: what shapes them, what they carry with them, and where they belong.
If you have a story to share, you can reach me at ilaisram@gmail.com.
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