1. When did u find yourself lost in the world of words? 

I have always been fascinated with the world of words. My mom is a voracious reader and we always had books in our home. So it was inevitable that reading would be my favourite past time. Moreover, being an only child and an introvert, books have always been my closest friends. 

2. Do you believe that self-experience is important to keep your pen flowing? What motivates you to write and just keep writing?

As someone has famously said "life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards". So while life teaches you to learn from your mistakes, in writing it helps you to use your life's experience in creative ways; play around with it and make it relatable to people who are reading your book. 

I am not as disciplined a writer as I would like to be. LOL. But once I find a theme or premise that fascinates me, I find the motivation to keep writing. 

3. What is writing for you? 

Having no other skills I think I would be lost if I didn't write. :) I have been a journalist for well over 20 years and writing is my profession as well as a passion. 

4. For a writer, How important it is to be a good reader? 

It is hugely important for a writer to read. Anything and everything that interests him/her. Reading opens up the mind towards different ideas and also helps you understand the craft of writing. 

5. Why do we need to sensationalise the topic of feminism?

I would say the need is to make feminism relevant and relatable to both men and women. The trend towards sensational headlines, as we see in the media, does more harm than good. Discussion and debate about feminism, without falling into the trap of eye-grabbing news, is more difficult to sustain but that's what is needed.

6. Your views on online readership... 

I am in favour of all types of readership - be it physical books or ebooks. Thanks to technology, reading have become easily accessible to all. The trend of digitisation (and translation) of regional literature  is only to be welcomed.

7. What is social media for you? How do you see social media? 

It has its pros and cons. I love how it enables us to stay in touch with each other, make new friends. Social media has literally made the world a smaller place. On the other hand,  there is also an ugly side to social media as can be witnessed from the abusive online behaviour that erupts from time to time. 

8. A message for young literature enthusiasts... 

Read a lot, be observant and learn the craft of writing. But that's not enough. You need to engage with life and bring in that experience into your writing.  That's what will make your writing unique. Good luck!