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Quick take

Last Updated 23 January 2016, 18:35 IST

Born and brought up in Mumbai, 46-year-old bestselling author Ashwin Sanghi graduated in Economics from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

A businessman by family profession, he has authored three bestselling novels — The Rozabal Line, Chanakya’s Chant and The Krishna Key — while also co-authored Private India with James Patterson, which made it to the UK Top Bestseller List.

A specialist in the conspiracy thriller genre, Ashwin is often referred to as the Dan Brown of India. He also enjoys the distinction of being in the Celebrity 100 list of Forbes India.

What is the last thing you read that made you laugh out loud?

The Code of the Woosters by P G Wodehouse.

Where do you write best?

My study. The cigar smoke gets my creative juices going.

Who would you most like to sit next to at a dinner party?

Sam Harris, the American author, philosopher, atheist and neuroscientist.

Who would you choose to play you in a film about your life?

Benny Hill if he were alive! William Shatner also.

What are you scared of?

Losing my mind.
Literally.

What music helps you write?

Indian classical, sufi or symphony.

What keeps you awake at night?

Reading.

What would you change about yourself?

Eat, drink and smoke less.
Meditate and exercise more. Die anyway.

What book do you wish you had written?

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie.

What are you most proud of writing?

The Rozabal Line. The first book is always the hardest.

What novel would you give children to introduce them to literature?

Malgudi Days by R K Narayan, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson or Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling.

Who is your perfect reader?

One who anxiously waits for my next book!

Do you have a writing routine?

Most people have a 9-to-5 routine. Mine is 5-to-9. I’m up at 5 am and done with four hours of writing by 9 am.

When do you feel most free?

While researching a new novel.

Which is your favourite place in the world?

The Lake District of England and the tea estates of Darjeeling.


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(Published 23 January 2016, 16:07 IST)

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