"Without papers, without a country, you are not a boy with a name. You are only a number."

In the shadow of Sri Lanka's Black July riots, a young Tamil boy loses his home, his childhood, and even his name. Branded only as Refugee No. 566, he flees across the sea to India - only to find himself caged again, reduced to a statistic in a crowded camp.

From the plantation lines of Lanka to the barbed-wire fences of Rameswaram, this is a story of exile, hunger, survival, and the aching search for dignity. Torn between pride and desperation, haunted by faith's silence, and driven by memories of a girl with a red ribbon, 566 struggles to answer the question that defines every refugee: Who am I, when I belong nowhere?

Lyrical, unflinching, and profoundly human, Refugee No. 566 is a powerful work of literary historical fiction that gives voice to the nameless and forgotten. Perfect for readers of The Kite Runner, A Fine Balance, and stories of displacement and resilience.

R. Shyam Nair is a writer and storyteller whose novels explore the collision of ancient traditions and the modern world. Known for his reflective voice and uncompromising honesty, his works traverse the borderlands of faith, memory, and imagination. Whether set in the quiet lanes of a South Indian village or along the sacred ghats of Varanasi, his stories uncover universal truths hidden in everyday moments.

Also by R. Shyam Nair

Bhasmam IThe Rising Stone: An Epic Saga of Indus Valley I Kaalan I Over the Top I Karma Kaanda I BrahmaRakshas