Introduction

In his words- "I am a management professional who has nurtured a deep-rooted fascination for the written world for as long as I can remember. From Amar Chitra Kathas and Chacha Chaudhary comics in my younger days to the works of all-time legends like Franz Kafka and P G Wodehouse, books have remained a constant companion for the whole of my 34 years. My first published work, Pillars of Success was a self-help book that came out when I was 25. Since then I have authored 6 other titles including bestsellers like The Legend of Amrapali, The Quest for Nothing and Of Tattoos and Taboos.

Reading and writing aside, I like to travel, play basketball and spend time with my family and friends. I believe in living life one day at a time and in the bargain it is my constant endeavour to make the most of what each day has to offer.."

Give us an insight into your educational background

I completed my schooling from Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, my graduation in Economics from Delhi University and my M.B.A. from Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Delhi. While I was never really considered a threat by the top rankers in my class, I remained an above-average student throughout my aca-demic pursuits. It was in extracurricular engagements that I found my true calling. Be it sports, debates, dramatics or creative writing, I was always one for acquiring and honing new skills. The certificates and trophies that I earned during my student years stand deeply treasured even today.

Tell us about your work whereabouts

I have recently moved to Gurgaon from Mumbai and am working with Coca-Cola India here. This is my 2nd stint with Coke in my decade long corporate career and it is a matter of immense pride for me to be associated with the most widely rec-ognized brand in the world today.

What is inspiration according to you and who is your inspiration?

An inspiration, to me is anyone or anything that helps us in clearly forming a set of objectives, personal or professional and motivates us to work towards their achievement.

My inspiration to write my first book came from my association with the NGO, UNES during my college days. I was involved in the Youth Development Program of UNES, training school-going children across the country on aspects of personality and ways to develop them. The book, Pillars of Success was a summary of the knowledge I gained through my interactions with these young and curious minds.

Once I saw my book on the shelves and people expending their time and money on reading what I had to say, there was no looking back thereon. Since then, the high of watching people pick up my book and receiving their feedback has contin-ued to inspire me.

What is success according to you?

Success is a mirage, a never-ending quest that keeps the human race in a continual state of frenzy. The definition of success differs from one individual to an-other and is also known to change over the due course of time. When you achieve success as per your own definitions of yesterday, it suddenly loses its sheen and you once again find yourself striving for a redefined version of it. Success continues to elude you and the chase never ends.

Is it wrong then to wish for success? No! Certainly not. As long as we define our milestones of success objectively and are able to see success for what it is - a means of achieving the overarching end: peace and happiness - it is as worthy pursuit as any.

Brief us about your journey of success.

As I have mentioned, success for me is not some carved-in-stone pedestal, concrete and stationary, that I have been gunning for. Instead, it is a bunch of several tiny accomplishments which make me happy. And by that logic, each of my seven books is a success in its own right.

Initially while starting to work on a manuscript, I would find myself grappling with a flurry of questions - Will I find a publisher willing to invest behind the book? How will the readers react to it? What all should I do to market the book well? I was fearful, and the rejections I faced only worked towards compounding this fear. I started writing on subjects that I thought publishers and readers would be receptive to, taking cues from the then bestselling works. However, I found myself unable to complete any of these manuscripts. I would write a few thousand words, sometimes more before losing interest and abandoning them midway.

It was then that I realized that as an author my primary job was to write and that is just what I should be focusing on. I took to writing stories that appealed to me and on subjects that were close to my heart and suddenly things began to fall in place on their own. It was something that I always knew, the need to focus only on the fish's eye and nothing else, but only when the realization came from within that I was actually able to do so.

What are the responsibilities that an author holds towards the society?

Books share a give-and-take relationship with the society. While they draw from the extant moral and societal fabric to base their stories on, they have also been known to elicit reactions from the society at large on what they preach. And thus, it becomes an author's responsibility to ensure that the contents of his or her work are not contemptuous or derisive towards any particular section or segment of the society.

I am not for once advocating any kind of censorship in writing or the cessation of an author's freedom to express himself. I am only talking about our obligations as responsible members of the society and I am certain that most, if not all, authors exercise such restraints in their writing.

Which was the toughest phase of your life?

The one challenging phase of life I distinctly remember is when, at the age of five, I was sent to a boarding school in Darjeeling. Then, it seemed like the cruelest thing that my parents could have done to me. It was difficult to let go of the comforts of home, all the love and affection, and find ones footing in an environment more hostile than friendly. But in the hindsight, hostel life was the best thing to have happened to me. It not only prepared me well to negotiate the vagaries of life, but also brought me in contact with several interesting people, some of whom remain dear friends till this day.
What were the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them?

Challenges are a part of life and each day comes with its own share of challenges, sometimes big while sometimes small. It is therefore impossible to summarize them all here. However, I firmly believe that the human mind is ca-pable of overcoming all odds it encounters. All that is needed is a strong enough will and determination.

Message:

Keep reading, for there is no other form of entertainment as gainful. And if you happen to be making a list of titles to watch out for in the near future, you might wish to include, Where the Rainbow Ends, my next work of contemporary fiction. The book is slated for release this October and promises to take you on a gripping and emotionally turbulent journey through its pages.