Thirty-three-year-old writer Ravinder Singh who earned popularity after the publication of ‘I too had a love story’ came to Bhubaneswar on a mission to help people inculcate the habit of reading at the city-based mobile bookstore Walking Bookfair. In an interview with Manish Kumar, the engineer-turned-writer speaks of his journey into prominence in the literary circle. Excerpts:
You maiden book ‘I too had love story’ depicts your own tragic love story. What pushed you to write a book on the darker side of your life?
– I decided to write about my own love story while I was working with Infosys, Bhubaneswar. The story was inspired from my life where I lost my girlfriend a few days before our engagement. I thought I could not spend my entire life with the grief in my heart. I decided to share my story by writing it down in the form of a book and this sharing and reliving the memorable days through writing the book helped me cope in that dark period.
How did you manage to write a book being professionally tied up so much at Infosys, Bhubaneswar?
–People always get ample free time if they are determined to do something. I decided to go ahead with writing despite the challenges staring at me. Squeezing time from the busy schedule and writing down the stories I lived kept me in another world. However, mornings were the best time when I enjoyed writing.
Did your friends and colleagues support you in your journey?
–There were mixed reactions. Many encouraged me while there were many who mocked at me and said as an engineer it would be a Herculean task to carry on the work I was aspiring to do. However one of my colleagues, Priyanka Rathi, who was a poet, used to encourage me and helped me a lot in improvising my work. So there were both negative and positive forces, I had to decide what I wanted to absorb.
Co-founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy reviewed your maiden book. How did that happen?
–At Infosys we were fond of the luminary and his wife Sudha Murthy. Soon after writing the book I sent him a mail related to my book and wanted him to read it once. Surprisingly his mail came within a span of 16 minutes and he eagerly asked me for a copy. He completed it in around two weeks and reviewed it soon.
Many young writers have to struggle to publish their maiden work. Did you face the same fate?
Yes. The path was painstaking and challenging. Initially, a majority of the reputed publishers turned down my manuscripts. Although initially devastated by this turmoil I finally managed to carry forward my zeal for getting the book published. I wandered around the streets of New Delhi to get some copies printed locally and give it to vendors. However, ultimately it was published and soon struck a chord with readers.
Most of your books are love stories. Do you want to experiment with new genres or are happy doing what you are doing?
–I have experimented with other genres too. In my book ‘Like it happened Yesterday’ I spoke about the nostalgia of childhood days, how the days have changed and how it was like being a child and growing up. However, I often try to depict some stories through love stories, as I believe love stories strike a chord with the youth. They can better understand the issue through this approach.
Your book Your Dreams are Mine Now was inspired by the infamous Delhi gangrape case. What pushed you to write on the subject?
–The infamous case infused in me uneasiness. I saw people talking about the issue and protesting en masse. However, people seldom take a stand when such a kind of an incident happens. Hardly anybody comes to the rescue of the victim. The book was basically intended to inspire people to take stand on these issues. I wanted the fight to regain enthusiasm and go beyond protest.
Unlike in the past there are better options for young writers these days like crowd sourcing to publish their works. How do you see the future?
–Crowd sourcing has come as a boon for young writers. Through this tool, writers can upload a part of their book and get feedback before getting it published. This has really helped young writers pursue their dreams. I am also working to help young writers through one of the crowd sourcing platforms I have developed.
Word is the love of your life, your wife, is one of your most avid readers. How did you meet her?
–I have tried to narrate my stories through books. Even the story behind marrying a girl who was a reader will be told in one of my upcoming books.
Any future plans?
–I now want to keep writing. Also I have arrived here on a mission to inculcate the habit of reading among people in Bhubaneswar. I will visit different parts of the city and institutions with the city-based mobile bookstore Walking Bookfair to boost reading habit. I have started a publishing platform where young writers can publish their work and earn royalty through their work.
