Nishad Narayanan Talks About His Book “Scars and Songs:A Journey Through Illness, Family, and Grace”

Nishad Narayanan is a man whose life flows gently between two rivers—Nature and Music. Born and raised in the green hills of Kerala, he carries within him the scent of wildflowers, the hush of forests, and the echoes of songs once played on dusty cassette tapes. A graduate in Botany from CMS College, Kottayam, his early years were shaped as much by the plants he studied as by the poetry he admired. During his student days, he was an active member—and later, secretary—of the college’s Nature Club, where his love for the environment found wings. But even before his journey into environmental science began, Malayalam poetry had already found a home in him. It was his beloved teachers, Dr. Cheravally Shasi and Dr. Babu Cherian, who held his hand and led him to the world of verses and metaphors, nurturing in him a deep reverence for language, beauty, and emotion. Later, he completed his Master’s in Environmental Sciences from the School of Environmental Sciences at Mahatma Gandhi University, securing second rank at the university level. He also became the founding editor of Avani, the environmental magazine published by the same school. For over 25 years now, Nishad has worked as an environmental expert with numerous national and international agencies. His dedication to environmental auditing, sustainable development and environmental stewardship has made a quiet, lasting impact on many projects across the country. But parallel to his professional life, another current was always flowing—his enduring passion for music. A significant turning point came when he began engaging with the legendary music director Jerry Amaldev. Their conversations ignited in him the desire to look beyond the notes and into the soul of songs. That inspiration would later blossom into his earlier book on Malayalam film music title as “Paattinte Porul”. Today, Nishad lives in Amballur, Thrissur, with his life partner Nirmala and their two sons, Sayanth and Saketh. Together, they share a home filled with songs, greenery, and the small joys that make life worth remembering. This book, Scars and Songs, is perhaps his most personal work yet. It is a tender and haunting journey through illness, loss, friendship, memory, and grace. Each chapter is drawn from lived experience—either his own or through deeply empathetic eyes—and each story is stitched with the golden thread of meaning. In these pages, you will walk through hospitals and childhood forests, you will hear lullabies and silence, and above all, you will feel. If you’ve ever watched someone you love grow old, if you’ve waited outside an operation theatre, if you’ve held a friend’s hand for the last time, or found yourself staring at a song that won’t leave you—this book is for you.