Teaching is in my blood. Although there is more knowledge than ever in the world, it isn’t going to be of any use to us unless we learn how to select and prioritise. That is why we need teachers. My grandfather was a great believer in education for all. My mother's dream was to become an upper secondary school teacher of English and Latin. That dream never came to anything: university studies were not feasible in the early 1950s when you were working full time. But I get to carry on the torch: I've had the pleasure and the privilege to teach and give lectures.

I have immense respect for the teaching profession. The teacher is the one who can either ignite or extinguish the desire to learn. The most important aspect of teaching is to impart a passion for the subject and to make the students see why it is worth their time and study. When teaching Sanskrit I have laboured to make the difficult seem easier. By giving mass lectures I have expanded both my audience and the range of my own interests.

I also act as a cultural guide in India, and there I share the knowledge I have gathered at the University. Writing popular non-fiction is a continuation of my teaching. Rakkauden Atlas ('The atlas of love', 2005) and Tarujen Kirja ('The book of tales', 2007) are collections of essays my husband and I have written on topics dear to us both. Minun Intiani ('My India', 2014) is a travelogue, a travel guide and a cultural history all in one. In addition I have written a number of articles on my own field as well as on my teaching.

Hämeen-Anttila speaking on literature and writing here.