Saleem Sinai: Who Influenced Me?

I was born at the exact moment India gained independence, and from that instant, my life became entwined with the fate of a nation. As Saleem Sinai, the narrator of Midnight’s Children, my story is not just my own — it is shaped by the people, ideas, and forces that surrounded me. Growing up in a newly liberated country, I absorbed the voices of those around me, and they, in turn, shaped who I became. Here are the people and forces that influenced me most.

My Grandfather, Aadam Aziz

My grandfather was the first to teach me that belief is not always tied to faith. His journey from a devout man to someone disillusioned by ideology left a deep mark on me. I watched him struggle with the idea of truth — whether it could be found in religion, in love, or even in the soil of Kashmir. His skepticism and the way he grappled with faith gave me my first taste of doubt. I inherited not only his name but also his tendency to question everything — including my own place in history.

My Mother, Amina Sinai

My mother was the center of our family, but she was also deeply influenced by omens, dreams, and the unseen. Her belief in fate and the supernatural shaped the atmosphere of my childhood. She carried a silver amulet and trusted in signs — a falling star, a broken mirror — as if the world were constantly speaking to her. I grew up in a house where the mystical was treated as real, and this blurred the line between what was imagined and what actually happened. It’s no wonder I came to see my own life as something larger than myself.

My Childhood Friend and Rival, Shiva

Shiva was my opposite in almost every way. Where I was fragile, he was strong. Where I doubted, he acted without hesitation. Our lives were linked from birth, and yet we could not have been more different. He embraced his role in history without question, while I was always looking for meaning behind the events that swept us along. In many ways, I defined myself in opposition to him — and yet I couldn’t escape his influence. He reminded me that strength doesn’t always come from understanding.

The Idea of India

India itself was one of the most powerful influences in my life. As a child of midnight, I believed I was destined to shape the country — or perhaps it shaped me. The chaos, the contradictions, the endless voices and languages — they all became part of who I was. I saw myself as the voice of a generation, and when the nation stumbled, I felt it in my bones. My identity was not just personal; it was political, historical, and often painful.

Radio and Storytelling

Stories saved me. When my body began to fail and my powers waned, I turned to storytelling as a way to make sense of everything. Radio, too, became a refuge. I grew up listening to voices from far away, and later, I used my own voice to reach others. I realized that how we tell stories — and who gets to tell them — shapes reality itself. In a world where history can be rewritten, storytelling became my way of holding onto truth.