You were studying civil engineering in Benares. What led you to take up writing?
I was always interested in writing. Even through my years at IIT-BHU (1999– 2003), I wrote lots of skits and some plays for various youth festivals and college competitions. My first short story was published at the age of 10—in the children’s monthly magazine Baal Hans (Rajasthan Patrika). I had my sights set on becoming a full-time writer. It’s just that it took me my graduation years to gain some clarity on how to achieve that.
Emotionally, what inspired me to become a writer was the impact of stories I read as a kid and as a young adult— Premchand, Satyajit Ray, Daniel Defoe, Jack London, [Miguel de] Cervantes.
The palpable worlds created simply by [putting] black text on white paper felt magical and unreal back then.
Have you been told to stay away from commenting on politics?
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