The title of your book “One Step at a Time” is really intriguing. What is your view on the same and what is it all about?
Yes, the title is intriguing. This book is the story of a man who fought all odds at every step of his life… The life that we take for granted was a tough, tough ride for this man, who stood all his life for others – though he could never stand without support.
The book is a narrative of grit, determination, faith and will-power – the journey, trials and tribulations of a man who faced adversity every step along the way. The man who walked for others, even though he could never walk without help. His life is a living testimony that we should value our life and our journey – one step at a time.
What made you to turn a writer?
I was always a writer, first as a journalist covering different beats and sectors and countries – be it India, Oman, Bahrain and the UAE. Later, I ventured into Corporate Communications and Public Relations, and writing remained one of my core competencies.
This story is a compelling saga that needed to be told.The life of the central character in this book is a roller-coaster of emotions and a saga of tragedies. Every time he attempted to stand up, he was knocked down.
I knew that if ever I wrote a book, this would be my first one – about the man who never let his inadequacies overpower his grit and will-power.
How much research and efforts were required on your part to complete this masterpiece?
A book that captures the life history, encapsulating the many struggles, the few successes, ups and downs of one man involves years of efforts and research to reach its goal.
For someone to write a life history of such a man without help is an improbable task. An outstanding group of individuals and family members came together to make this book possible.
How do you manage writing along with your profession?
As I mentioned earlier, writing is very much a part of my daily work routine. But writing this book required some effort – particularly on the research part, which was a difficult ask. My previous job gave me the liberty of some free time in the evenings and this helped me in putting this project to shape.
Writing inspires me. So, juggling my personal and professional passions came easy.
Which writers inspire you most?
I like the writings of Robin Sharma – from the way he tells the story to the personal transformation bit that comes through his writings. I have learnt that we all need to take ownership for what we do, and with this the world would be a better place to live in.
What according to you in unique about your book?
The uniqueness of the book is in its central character – the journey, trials and tribulations of a man who faced adversity every step along the way. A journey that was punctuated with lots of obstacles, and how he overcame them one step at a time.
How do you view the future of young authors in India?
The future for young authors is undoubtedly bright. With the social media and self-publishing options available everywhere, every aspiring writer now has a platform to express himself or herself.
As an adjunct faculty at a university, I used to inspire budding media professionals and writers to pursue their passion for writing. Write it first–just go with the flow, and later you can edit it. Writing, and with clarity of thought, is the key.
