"Being a Dreamer and World of My Own"

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1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

I’m from a closely knit family of four, my parents and a younger brother. Being a Microbiologist, I have recently ventured into management studies. Apart from that, I love indulging in new experiences, like listening to Arabic music and trying out new skills.

The earliest memory of reading dates to reading the cartoons and comics published in the local newspaper. Then started my journey of reading when I was seven years old. On retrospection, I realize I have always been a dreamer, having a world of my own. And reading enabled me to give a clear picture to my world, giving me new experiences, which I oh so love.

2. When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

As a child, I have always been an introvert. And like everybody else’s life, my life also has episodes of delightful, bittersweet and depressing moments. Adding to that, I was sensitive and an introvert, always a deadly combination for the self. This quality made it difficult for me to make peace with the bittersweet memories and make progress in life.

Yet, here I am, a successful confident individual, in a happy space today. And all this was possible only because of the books I read. That does not mean I read only Paulo Coelho or The Bhagavad Gita. I read what all other teens read, adventure, romance, fantasies and thrillers.

But the impact they had on me was not less than a miracle. Each book I read gave me a new perspective, always giving answers to the inquisitive bug in me and the strength to move on. And when I realized the impact books can have on an individual’s life, I wanted to write too.

3. Is it a financially stable career?

I have not taken writing as a career yet, so the finances do not come into play. As of now, I write in educational platforms, scripts for friends and I am also working on my first novel.

4. Who is your favorite writer and why?

Well it is impossible to choose a single author, but the one I would like to mention here is Sudha Murthy, whom I think every teen out there should know. Her books are like sugar coated pills, showcasing the realities of the social set up, in the most subtle ways, wrapped with care for the young adults.

Her books will help the younger generation to get rid of the rosy goggles and adorn the glasses of reality, in a positive way though.

5. Where does your inspiration lie?

Life is itself an inspiration for me. I take pride in acknowledging that books have made me what I’m today. And if anything has changed, I have become an even more voracious reader.

Each new book I read helps me become a better person. And these books enhance not only the thrill and joy, but also the quality of life for me, which inspires me to read more and write more.

6. What does your typical day look like?

For all the writing I do, I’m surprisingly a tight sleeper with very less dreams! MBA is quite demanding and does not let me have a fixed time to go to bed. My mornings remain incomplete without green tea, with a tinge of lemon in it, which kick starts my morning. Being in a residential B-School, classes start early and sometimes go on till late.

And after classes, the library and computer labs have been my adobe, where I spend time taking references and doing group projects. But this lock down has given a new twist to my routine though.

I get some time for a quick morning workout and to write early in the morning, which is the best time for me to write, when my creative juices are raw and flowing. Apart from that, this lock down has given me an opportunity to venture into another favorite pass time of mine, crystal jewelry making into a prospective business, which is shaping out quite well.

7. What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring writers?

My first novel which I’m working on is a contemporary historical fiction. But some months back I had this thought that when I no longer enjoy or want to read fictions, why should I write them? What is their purpose when they do not state the facts? Only then I set into self-retrospection which gave me some new perspectives.

While non-fictions are off-course more informative and useful than fictions that does not mean that reading fictions are worthless. It is the best way to inculcate reading as a habit, and off course even Mills and Boon can teach you something if you have the eyes for it. And you know what? The more you read non-fictions the better will be your fictions, for your writing will have the perfect dose of reality and imagination.

And for all the young writers out there, if you are blank and out of story or inspiration, do not look for them in films or dramas. In that case, take help of our rich Indian mythology, culture or folklore, there are thousands of stories it has, and you are bound to get your plot!

8. Which is your favorite book and why?

As I have mentioned earlier, it is practically impossible for me to choose a single book. But there are some books which have been a roller coaster and changed my life 360 degrees. The latest one in that collection is “Many Lives and Many Masters” by Dr Brian Weiss, an American psychiatrist. The human mind is always inquisitive and loves to tread the forbidden path.

But what happens when it comes to death? Death is a grey word which no one wants to explore, for it instills fear in us, fear of losing our life and our loved ones. But what happens when that fear is gone? What happens when you know that we are immortal? Life gets a new perspective and it changes the way you see and do things! This book has that incredible capacity to change your life, change you, for the good, to lead a peaceful and harmonious life.

Interviewed By - Shathika_neevisha