BY all accounts, Mohana Gill’s journey has been extraordinary. Born in Myanmar, the author, based in Malaysia and now in her late 80s, continues to redefine what it means to live well and eat better. With Moringalicious, her latest cookbook, she invites readers into a world where tradition meets modern health wisdom and a simple plant such as moringa takes centre stage.
Life steeped in culture, change
Born Rose Mohana in Pathein, Myanmar, to Indian parents, Mohana’s early years were marked by the warmth of close family and a landscape rich in natural abundance. Education took her to Canada in the early 1960s. By 1965, she had returned to Malaysia and began lecturing in economics at Universiti Malaya. Not long after, she met her husband and transitioned into full-time motherhood, a period she recalls fondly: “Those were the happiest years, caring for the kids.”
It was not until 2006, with her children grown and leading lives of their own, that Mohana re-emerged in public life, this time in an entirely new role.
Reinvention at 70
A conference on anti-ageing in Las Vegas sparked her creative revival. While the event focused on pills and quick fixes, Mohana saw a different path forward, one that involved food and wellness rooted in culture.
Her first book, Fruitastic (2006), was a celebration of fruits from around the world, earning her a “Best in the World” accolade from the prestigious Gourmand Awards.
“When you receive the best in the world award, you realise you are doing something right,” she said.
Vegemania followed in 2007, championing vegetarian meals, and soon, children’s books such as Hayley’s Fruitastic Garden and Hayley’s Vegemania Garden brought colour and curiosity to young readers’ plates.
Happylicious explored the emotional power of family meals, with Mohana lamenting, “Kids are not eating with parents.” The message struck a chord globally, once again earning Gourmand recognition. And by 2019, Flowerlicious, a tribute to the edible flowers of her childhood added yet another accolade to her growing collection.
