WriterStory Interviews of Writers
Kochery completed his MA Eng Lit from Pune University. He later completed MSC Def studies from Chennai University. He is the author of the novel Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar. Let us know more about his writing.
What inspired you to start writing?
Writing has always been my passion and I have been planning to write a novel since my school days.
What did you like to read when you were a boy?
Enid Blyton, Famous Five and Secret Seven series, Adventures of Tom sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Biggles series by WE Johns, Harriet Stowes Uncle toms cabin, Cry the beloved country by Alan Paton etc amongst others
What is the greatest challenge in writing a book?
Being able to get a continuous flow of thought and an over all plot that you like.
How much research do you do before writing the book?
I have been a voracious reader and all that reading comes in handy. I do a lot of research with each character and each aspect of the character whilst writing.
What motivated you to write the book “Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar”?
I had been closely associated continuously with hydro electric projects for a long period whilst writing the book. The life in a hydro electric project is unique for each project with people coming from various walks of life and working together for a few years till commissioning of the project and then they disperse. Each project has this life cycle, which is unique. Most of the workers who work on remote hydroelectric projects come with a dream. Each of them have a story to tell and often inspiring. It was this exposure that inspired me to write with the life in the project as the back drop to the novel.
Can you tell us more about your latest book?
“Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar is a debut novel about the life of people in a Hydro electric project in the Himalayas. It is based on the author’s experience of numerous years working on Hydro electric projects.
Set against the backdrop of the sub-regions of the Himalayas, the novel depicts the culture & life styles of the local people, as well as portraying a slice of life of the project with the pulse and aspirations of the people and the dreams that drive them.
Life in hydroelectric projects is unique with people from various regions who come together at the project site for a few years during the construction period only to disperse once the project is commissioned.
The novel has attempted to capture this uncharted facet of project life in the Himalayas. The numerous characters who become a part of the project in some way or other and whose stories have been woven into the novel reflect the hopes, aspirations, trials and tribulations of people of modern India. The terrorist threat looming in the background is a very real part of our lives today, especially to large infrastructure projects, a dam based project in this novel, in vulnerable areas.
The novel is built around instances where nature and man come in close contact. Dreams, struggle, success and failure are integral to the story as it unfolds. It is about men and women striving to realise their dreams and their ability to come to terms with personal loss, as they face life’s challenges and move on. In many ways this novel is a tribute to the indomitable human spirit and the power of dreams. The book is a work of fiction meant for readers of all age groups and is expected to inspire continuous reading
How did you come up with the idea of writing fiction genre book?
I have always been inspired by the challenge of creating a fictional work.
Who are your favourite authors?
RK Narayan, Wole Soyinka, Dostoyevski, Harrold Robbins
How much time do you dedicate to writing on a daily basis?
During the four years period that I wrote the book I used to dedicate three to four hours daily towards writing.
What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring writers?
Just Keep writing.
You can buy his book now:
