Author Ashwini Koirala’s third book, Premalaya, a novel, was launched amid a function held at the Nepal Police Club in the Capital on Saturday. 

The book was launched jointly by politician Ranju Darshana, journalists Swechhya Raut and Mahabir Bishwokarma, and actress Benisha Hamal. 

Koirala, also a journalist, has been noted for writing columns based on love in the weekly Saptahik. In his previous two books, Uni (2012)—which compiles interviews with women from various walks of life—and Zuckerberg Café, a collection of short stories, Koirala dabbled into the themes of love, sex and how social media is influencing romantic love over time. 

Speaking to the Post, Koirala said that Premalaya further broadens the motifs he had explored with his former works. “It’s ironic that a pervasive subject as love has not yet made it to the curricula in universities. Before I took on the task to the write this novel, I found out through research that there are over 1500 subjects currently being taught in schools around the world, but not a single subject about love,” Koirala said, adding, “The novel Premalaya—The School of Love—is largely set in one such school where love is the primary subject being taught.” 

Speaking at the function, journalist Biswokarma said that love is not secular but influenced one way or the other by the societal values and status. “With Premalaya, Koirala has attempted to bring to the fore how love is influenced by several social factors, by employing characters representing various castes and social statuses,” he said. 

Koirala said that even though the subject he dabbles in is broad, he has attempted to write Premalaya in a lighter vein. 

Premalaya is published by Bookhill Publications.