Puloma and the Bear

Costa Award-winning children’s author Jasbinder Bilan was born on a farm in the foothills of the Himalayas. Her mum told her she was born in the stables, much to the rest of her family’s delight. When Jasbinder was one and a half her family moved to Nottingham, England where she grew up. It was a big adjustment for them and they kept India alive by telling funny stories of their life on their farm with the grumpy camel and the mischievous monkey. In Jasbinder’s writing she creates magical and real worlds and tells gripping adventures inspired by her love of family and home, and of cities and wild places across the UK and India. Her debut children’s novel Asha And The Spirit Bird won the Times/Chicken House Prize, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, longlisted for the Jhalak Prize, shortlisted for the Waterstones Book Prize and won the Costa Children’s Book Award. Her second novel Tamarind And The Star Of Ishta was longlisted for the Blue Peter Book Prize and won the Indie Children's Book Award. India, Incredible India was shortlisted in the Younger Non-Fiction category of the inaugural The Week Junior Book Awards.

Seema Bowri was born and bred in the Midlands and is a busy working actor with numerous credits across stage, screen and voice. Seema was best known for playing series regular, PC Kapoor in ITV’s The Bill. Theatre credits including Dishoom!, Night At The Bombay Roxy, My Country and Calcutta Kosher. After starting in radio playing Ravinder in Westway, her radio drama credits include From Bangalore with Love, Tails You Lose and Cooking by Heart. She most recently played the supporting lead in the award-winning comedy film Little English.