My mom would always say, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door for yourself!”. Well, this is what I believed growing up. Born in a middle-class family, all I had in the name of a family was my mother, maternal grandma, and a younger brother. However, that is not to say that my life was Read more…

First experiences are always special and remain close to the heart. Ever wondered what it would be like to have many such first experiences all happening at the same time? Well, they simply get etched in your memory forever. I would have been seven or eight years old when I experienced one such set of Read more…

As a kid, I loved reading children’s stories and fables, and that was largely due to those exquisitely illustrated books. My mother would get me all these storybooks – from the stories of Akbar and Birbal to the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to Aesop’s Fables and whatnot. However, I could not stand the books that Read more…

I was born in a middle-class family where one usually spends their life thinking about how to save money for the future. There is no scope for dreams about anything but a traditional 9-to-5 job. I started my schooling at the age of three. Until the seventh grade, my eyes were devoid of any dreams. Read more…

Books were my first friends ever. They have been a true soulmate for me, having healed my soul in more ways than one. There are times when I am still transported back to the old days, when I was a rather shy, timid girl. Picture a seven-year-old girl who cannot so much as say hi Read more…

Books are one of those few addictive things that my mom has no problems with. In fact, if you are looking for something that can help you kill time productively and is interesting, then look no further than books – storybooks, if I am to be precise here. Interestingly, my initial interest in books was Read more…

I was surprised to run into a familiar face at the café I used to frequent. And before I knew it, I had butterflies. It was, after all, my school-time crush. I still remembered him as a complete bookworm. On the other hand, I… well, I was just the opposite. It took a wave of Read more…

I was born among books. I remember seeing colorful, boring (boring for a five-year-old means books sans any illustrations or pictures) books around the house during the formative years of my childhood. Thick and thin paperbacks and hardbound books kept me constant company. That is why it should come over as no surprise that I Read more…

Have you ever anxiously waited to open a new book, feel the serenity of those crisp pages and smell the freshness of a new journey? No? Just me? As strange as it might sound to you, I am sure most book lovers would relate to my story. The beginning of my wholesome adventure goes back Read more…

I come from Bihar. I am sure this four-word sentence was enough to tell you all you need to know about my command of English (or the lack of it). My whole school life, I rarely talked to my teachers. I even shied away from asking any questions I had during my classes. All this Read more…