'Egyptians think of India as successful democracy'

Kolkata, Feb 1 (IANS) Egyptians consider Indians hardworking, and feel the country has a successful democracy, says an author from the land of the Nile, Ahdaf Soueif.

"We think yours is a hardworking country, a successful democracy," Ahdaf Soueif told IANS while attending the Kolkata Literary Meet here Friday.

Soueif, a renowned short story writer from Cairo, is also a political and cultural commentator. Her bestselling book "Map of Love" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1999.

According to Soueif, youngsters in her country nowadays are keen to know more about the East. "They want to reactivate and rediscover the ethnicities and relationship with the East," said Soueif, who loves Rabindranath Tagore's works.