When I was growing up, I remember having read all the books in the library. I often tried to emulate my favourite writers.

Books of exploration have always fascinated me, like somebody going up the Amazon for the first time.

My mother wanted me to join the Indian army, as the army was seen as a decent and respectable career to have. I shocked my mother by telling her that I wanted to be a writer.

I did all kind of jobs to sustain myself. I worked at a grocery store, in the public health department, and what was then Thomas Cook and Sons. The last job was particularly interesting, but I got fired from it.