From Reader to being Read

I always wanted to be a writer. Nothing else, but a writer. As a five-year old, I was always clutching illustrated story books, children's magazines and as I grew up, it was Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew and few Hindi novelists I would be having on me. There was never a time when I was without a book. Even today, I feel lost without a book.

I could read, just read and keep reading for days and weeks. If I could not find any other book, I would reread my history, English, even geography text books. Specially during summer holidays, when we were young, most of us had to depend upon our elders to take us to the market. Therefore, if an older sister or brother decided not to go shopping that particular day, too bad, we had to wait to pick up books, magazines or visits to the library as well. Text books came to my rescue.

Second hand book stores were raided regularly, so were the local libraries. Exchanging books with friends was another source that helped me expand my reading horizons. I did not leave a single stone unturned in my hunt for reading material.

Sometime during those years, I do not recall how and when but I had started writing. Nothing big, just few lines like putting my thoughts about a book, the story angle or write in a notebook I used to carry around. This little exercise of mine further lead me to creating my own plots, verses and other writings. Yes, I loved my English class in school and writing essays was something I loved and got good grades too.

Teenage years, I started noting down my observations of people, places and anything that I took a fancy for. During my first year in the university, I decided to take my journal around to ad agencies looking for a copy writer's job and newspaper offices as well. And that journal helped me get few freelance writing jobs.

Dharmayug, Hindi magazine from the Times Of India group paved the way for my writing career. Awadhesh Vyas gave me my break in a Hindi publication. He asked me to write something on relationships and I received my first cheque for that article which I never cashed.

Star&Style, a popular Bollywood movie magazine was my first break in English lifestyle journalism. Uma Rao, the editor gave me my break and I got to interview the evergreen Dev Anand.

After that, I freelanced for various magazines and then worked for daily newspapers as a lifestyle reporter/journalist and few years later worked as a senior copy editor for Bombay Times and Bangalore Times.

Ranga