With the Book Club @ The Palms, Gurugram
From Software Engineer to Writer
Developing a Psychologist's character
Who do I relate to the most?
Unputdownable! Yet again...
On writing from a Psychologist's perspective
On sadness
Gurgaon Lit Fest @ Cyber Hub, Gurugram
Speaking at the city where I spent my "wonder years" was both a privilege and a delight, thanks to the organizers' immaculate curation and organization of the event. The illustrious and eclectic speakers spoke on various challenging topics to do with mental health and kept the audience rapt.
Here's a few snippets from my panel on "Marriage and Mental Health", sharing my thoughts on relationships and happiness.
Thanks Shabri Prasad for everything :)
#DarkBlossom being awarded the "Best Romantic Thriller" definitely sweetened the deal :)
Book Reading Hosted @ The A, Mumbai
Love loss and betrayal
Gender in voice
I am Sam!
It's romantic!
On the ending
On the contribution to IIMPACT
Campus Tours
Ashoka University
Amity University
Times Lit Fest @ Jayamahal Palace, Bengaluru
My first ever speaking engagement at a Lit Fest and I wasn't sure quite what to expect. But even if I had voiced my wildest expectations, they would have easily been surpassed, and how!
From the organization and the hospitality to the aesthetics and the attendees, there was little left to the imagination as the organizers had created an idyllic setting for the cultural cornucopia.
Could it have been anything else, I ask myself, when I was in the luminous company of folks such as Amitabha Bagchi, Amrita Mahale, Harshali Singh, Manu S. Pillai, Nayantara Sahgal, Priya Malik, Richa Mukherjee, Sharif D. Rangnekar, Sushmita Mukherjee, and Wendell Rodricks?
I was fortunate enough to be speaking at two sessions that were both equally well-attended. One on "Why I Write, What I Write" and the other on "Young India Writing".
Q: If your writing was a mathematical symbol, which one would it be?
A: The infinity loop... because it's a continuous cycle of improvement.
Here's a short snippet of me speaking to the impact of social media on culture and society.
Thanks Vinita Dawra Nangia for everything :)
Book Reading Hosted by GLiterARTi
It would have been an exceptionally cold and grey Saturday afternoon had it not been for the lovely people of Gurugram. Organized by the energetic team at Rupa Publications, the discussion was hosted by Meenakshi Nath Sharma, the founder of GLiterARTi, Gurugram's premier literary club.
Even though the original guest list was restricted to the dozen members of the club, more than five times as many showed up to keep the conversation warm and glowing. Meenakshi also turned up the heat with her insightful questions.
While Nirmala Tandon, Founder of IIMPACT radiated warmth, Puneet Gulati, Barista CEO brought his usual energy and optimism, and my editor Amrita Varma her infectious laugh.
While a picture might be worth a thousand words, both Meenakshi and the audience added meaning to those words by asking some really tough and insightful questions. Here are some excerpts from the conversations of the evening.
My calling to write
Why #DarkBlossom?
Did you have the end in mind?
A story of love in spite of loss
How long did it take to write?
On parenting
Launch @ Barista!
Barista hosted a wonderful event to mark the launch of Dark Blossom pan-India at 100 Barista outlets. The event was a closed event attended by media and influencers. Here's one of the media properties that reported the event.
Free Copies for Campaign Contributors
Steering for Greatness's "Future Readiness Tour" plans to equip 4000 teenagers in 20 public secondary schools across Lagos state, Nigeria with 10 future skills stipulated by the World Economic Forum to give them the edge needed to build a future for themselves.
All Global Giving Campaign contributors received a copy of Dark Blossom!