[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] No
No
No No
No
No no it can’t be done it just doesn’t work
no it can’t be done it just doesn’t work
no it can’t be done it just doesn’t work I’ve heard that so often that now I
I’ve heard that so often that now I
I’ve heard that so often that now I don’t want to hear it ever again too
don’t want to hear it ever again too
don’t want to hear it ever again too much to choose from I get 500 a week who
much to choose from I get 500 a week who
much to choose from I get 500 a week who has the time to world risky the mother
has the time to world risky the mother
has the time to world risky the mother is the antihero it won’t work it’s going
is the antihero it won’t work it’s going
is the antihero it won’t work it’s going to sink without a trace I was told mark
to sink without a trace I was told mark
to sink without a trace I was told mark my words without a trace some of the
my words without a trace some of the
my words without a trace some of the comments were a bit cruel I do hope your
comments were a bit cruel I do hope your
comments were a bit cruel I do hope your manuscript is better written than your
manuscript is better written than your
manuscript is better written than your sign OPS’s the first book will sink
sign OPS’s the first book will sink
sign OPS’s the first book will sink maybe you will be noticed with the
maybe you will be noticed with the
maybe you will be noticed with the second or the third have patience I
second or the third have patience I
second or the third have patience I groaned I did have another idea this was
groaned I did have another idea this was
groaned I did have another idea this was it
it
it you know it’s a bit like gasping for
you know it’s a bit like gasping for
you know it’s a bit like gasping for breath when the smog-filled smoke or the
breath when the smog-filled smoke or the
breath when the smog-filled smoke or the smoke-filled smog chokes you you never
smoke-filled smog chokes you you never
smoke-filled smog chokes you you never really wonder what goes into the
really wonder what goes into the
really wonder what goes into the atmosphere
atmosphere
atmosphere you take fresh air for granted let me
you take fresh air for granted let me
you take fresh air for granted let me change that I come from Delhi we no
change that I come from Delhi we no
change that I come from Delhi we no longer take fresh air for granted and we
longer take fresh air for granted and we
longer take fresh air for granted and we do watch pollution I have wandered into
do watch pollution I have wandered into
do watch pollution I have wandered into libraries like you and to bookshops and
libraries like you and to bookshops and
libraries like you and to bookshops and seen thousands of books on so many
seen thousands of books on so many
seen thousands of books on so many shelves how did they get there who wrote
shelves how did they get there who wrote
shelves how did they get there who wrote them someone must have someone must have
them someone must have someone must have
them someone must have someone must have published them I wondered how my first
published them I wondered how my first
published them I wondered how my first manuscript left me gasping I really
manuscript left me gasping I really
manuscript left me gasping I really wanted to get published I wanted the
wanted to get published I wanted the
wanted to get published I wanted the story to get to you
story to get to you
story to get to you but I didn’t know how every time a
but I didn’t know how every time a
but I didn’t know how every time a publisher sent me a rejection I felt bad
publisher sent me a rejection I felt bad
publisher sent me a rejection I felt bad every time I didn’t hear back from an
every time I didn’t hear back from an
every time I didn’t hear back from an editor I took it personally enough cried
editor I took it personally enough cried
editor I took it personally enough cried my tired brain I had worked really hard
my tired brain I had worked really hard
my tired brain I had worked really hard and was ready to give up I deleted my
and was ready to give up I deleted my
and was ready to give up I deleted my manuscript from my laptop I used to run
manuscript from my laptop I used to run
manuscript from my laptop I used to run past quickly to avoid even catching a
past quickly to avoid even catching a
past quickly to avoid even catching a glimpse of the postbox
glimpse of the postbox
glimpse of the postbox I left emails on unanswered and when a
I left emails on unanswered and when a
I left emails on unanswered and when a letter did finally reach my desk I
letter did finally reach my desk I
letter did finally reach my desk I shoved it aside words that I dread came
shoved it aside words that I dread came
shoved it aside words that I dread came back to me tread softly
back to me tread softly
back to me tread softly tread softly I whispered to nameless to
tread softly I whispered to nameless to
tread softly I whispered to nameless to faceless editors with big names and
faceless editors with big names and
faceless editors with big names and titles for you tread on my dreams I
titles for you tread on my dreams I
titles for you tread on my dreams I nursed a bruised ego found myself in
nursed a bruised ego found myself in
nursed a bruised ego found myself in tears very often because the manuscript
tears very often because the manuscript
tears very often because the manuscript meant so much to me I nearly gave up and
meant so much to me I nearly gave up and
meant so much to me I nearly gave up and that would have been it but hope comes
that would have been it but hope comes
that would have been it but hope comes in different forms JK Rowling had 21
in different forms JK Rowling had 21
in different forms JK Rowling had 21 rejections said my daughter and look
rejections said my daughter and look
rejections said my daughter and look where she is now
where she is now
where she is now added my son you have only 15 they told
added my son you have only 15 they told
added my son you have only 15 they told me where to go I rolled my eyes fifteen
me where to go I rolled my eyes fifteen
me where to go I rolled my eyes fifteen rejections they repeated way to go
rejections they repeated way to go
rejections they repeated way to go somehow they jolted me out of my misery
somehow they jolted me out of my misery
somehow they jolted me out of my misery had put aside my bruised ego at and got
had put aside my bruised ego at and got
had put aside my bruised ego at and got on with it I pulled back my manuscript
on with it I pulled back my manuscript
on with it I pulled back my manuscript from my central
from my central
from my central I looked at all the rejections and
I looked at all the rejections and
I looked at all the rejections and actually tabulated the negative comments
actually tabulated the negative comments
actually tabulated the negative comments I opened an excel sheet bring it on
I opened an excel sheet bring it on
I opened an excel sheet bring it on I told the world bring it on and then
I told the world bring it on and then
I told the world bring it on and then and then I worked I reworked my
and then I worked I reworked my
and then I worked I reworked my manuscript
manuscript
manuscript I edited I tightened the plot I polished
I edited I tightened the plot I polished
I edited I tightened the plot I polished the characters and looked at all the
the characters and looked at all the
the characters and looked at all the negatives turning them into positives
negatives turning them into positives
negatives turning them into positives I had a manuscript that I believed in
I had a manuscript that I believed in
I had a manuscript that I believed in but something else happened during the
but something else happened during the
but something else happened during the process I no longer needed the big five
process I no longer needed the big five
process I no longer needed the big five and publishing to validate my
and publishing to validate my
and publishing to validate my self-esteem I wasn’t waiting to be
self-esteem I wasn’t waiting to be
self-esteem I wasn’t waiting to be discovered by a literary agent anymore
discovered by a literary agent anymore
discovered by a literary agent anymore I had an authentic story and at and a
I had an authentic story and at and a
I had an authentic story and at and a different plot maybe too different I
different plot maybe too different I
different plot maybe too different I realized that for the big publishers I
realized that for the big publishers I
realized that for the big publishers I was a risk I was one more Indian author
was a risk I was one more Indian author
was a risk I was one more Indian author who had written in English the market
who had written in English the market
who had written in English the market was full of us so I changed my
was full of us so I changed my
was full of us so I changed my expectations and my strategy like most
expectations and my strategy like most
expectations and my strategy like most first-time writers you will find some of
first-time writers you will find some of
first-time writers you will find some of my soul on those pages like most
my soul on those pages like most
my soul on those pages like most first-time writers I had written about
first-time writers I had written about
first-time writers I had written about something that I felt deeply about
something that I felt deeply about
something that I felt deeply about something that hurt and needed to be
something that hurt and needed to be
something that hurt and needed to be told so I got down to doing it I had
told so I got down to doing it I had
told so I got down to doing it I had been advised to write about poverty love
been advised to write about poverty love
been advised to write about poverty love and loss look at writing stories about
and loss look at writing stories about
and loss look at writing stories about the eternal problem mothers-in-law
the eternal problem mothers-in-law
the eternal problem mothers-in-law versus daughters-in-law or mythology
versus daughters-in-law or mythology
versus daughters-in-law or mythology it’s very in
it’s very in
it’s very in a publisher had told me but I had none
a publisher had told me but I had none
a publisher had told me but I had none of that I stuck it out and stood firm on
of that I stuck it out and stood firm on
of that I stuck it out and stood firm on my ground
my ground
my ground I looked for I I had flung away the list
I looked for I I had flung away the list
I looked for I I had flung away the list of top publishers and literary agents
of top publishers and literary agents
of top publishers and literary agents but now I made a different list I made a
but now I made a different list I made a
but now I made a different list I made a list of publishers who were also India’s
list of publishers who were also India’s
list of publishers who were also India’s largest distributors I needed someone
largest distributors I needed someone
largest distributors I needed someone who had the courage were bold dynamic
who had the courage were bold dynamic
who had the courage were bold dynamic and less risk-averse and I found them
and less risk-averse and I found them
and less risk-averse and I found them for every tunnel at the end of every
for every tunnel at the end of every
for every tunnel at the end of every tunnel there is light
tunnel there is light
tunnel there is light they took my manuscript and made the
they took my manuscript and made the
they took my manuscript and made the negative comments from lead to gold my
negative comments from lead to gold my
negative comments from lead to gold my book which had been written off climbed
book which had been written off climbed
book which had been written off climbed up the charts I was an India stop 10
up the charts I was an India stop 10
up the charts I was an India stop 10 list and stayed there at reading
list and stayed there at reading
list and stayed there at reading sessions women wept and opened up they
sessions women wept and opened up they
sessions women wept and opened up they told me stories that paralleled what I
told me stories that paralleled what I
told me stories that paralleled what I had written they said it was a
had written they said it was a
had written they said it was a reflection of their lives New York Times
reflection of their lives New York Times
reflection of their lives New York Times interviewed me it felt good I spoke at
interviewed me it felt good I spoke at
interviewed me it felt good I spoke at the University of Oxford and at
the University of Oxford and at
the University of Oxford and at Cambridge the oldest school in the world
Cambridge the oldest school in the world
Cambridge the oldest school in the world organized a seminar to discuss the
organized a seminar to discuss the
organized a seminar to discuss the themes of my book and yet I have to tell
themes of my book and yet I have to tell
themes of my book and yet I have to tell you that it wasn’t easy to get there I
you that it wasn’t easy to get there I
you that it wasn’t easy to get there I had written about paired patriarchy I
had written about paired patriarchy I
had written about paired patriarchy I hold up a mirror to society in India I
hold up a mirror to society in India I
hold up a mirror to society in India I had written about contemporary India
had written about contemporary India
had written about contemporary India with its glory and its problems I wrote
with its glory and its problems I wrote
with its glory and its problems I wrote about bullying on the play field as well
about bullying on the play field as well
about bullying on the play field as well as bullying in families that continues I
as bullying in families that continues I
as bullying in families that continues I write still do about how actions of a
write still do about how actions of a
write still do about how actions of a generation can singe those that come
generation can singe those that come
generation can singe those that come later
later
later obviously I had very powerful detractors
it didn’t feel good when a senior editor
it didn’t feel good when a senior editor told me I’ve been advised to let my team
told me I’ve been advised to let my team
told me I’ve been advised to let my team know that they are not to review your
know that they are not to review your
know that they are not to review your book for my book launch whenever I call
book for my book launch whenever I call
book for my book launch whenever I call someone they would say well we’ve been
someone they would say well we’ve been
someone they would say well we’ve been told not to turn up for the book launch
told not to turn up for the book launch
told not to turn up for the book launch it hurt
it hurt
it hurt it really did but in some ways I made it
it really did but in some ways I made it
it really did but in some ways I made it and so goes the story I really have no
and so goes the story I really have no
and so goes the story I really have no one to advise you on careers because
one to advise you on careers because
one to advise you on careers because I’ve lived a very unconventional life
I’ve lived a very unconventional life
I’ve lived a very unconventional life I’m the same person who was told that my
I’m the same person who was told that my
I’m the same person who was told that my talents were a waste that I wasn’t going
talents were a waste that I wasn’t going
talents were a waste that I wasn’t going to cut it I was I wasn’t going to do
to cut it I was I wasn’t going to do
to cut it I was I wasn’t going to do well that English literature didn’t mean
well that English literature didn’t mean
well that English literature didn’t mean anything the subjects of the new world
anything the subjects of the new world
anything the subjects of the new world were economics and maths my mother’s
were economics and maths my mother’s
were economics and maths my mother’s voice haunted me I nearly gave up I was
voice haunted me I nearly gave up I was
voice haunted me I nearly gave up I was told and this despite the fact that I
told and this despite the fact that I
told and this despite the fact that I studied English literature at st.
studied English literature at st.
studied English literature at st. Stephen’s College University of Delhi
Stephen’s College University of Delhi
Stephen’s College University of Delhi how the world has changed this year
how the world has changed this year
how the world has changed this year English honors had the highest cutoff at
English honors had the highest cutoff at
English honors had the highest cutoff at Delhi University I was told that I would
Delhi University I was told that I would
Delhi University I was told that I would never get into an MBA school no
never get into an MBA school no
never get into an MBA school no half-decent school will accept you but I
half-decent school will accept you but I
half-decent school will accept you but I did I went on to do my masters from the
did I went on to do my masters from the
did I went on to do my masters from the London School of Economics and got a
London School of Economics and got a
London School of Economics and got a full scholarship
I went on to work in the corporate world
I went on to work in the corporate world and rose to CXO positions but I have to
and rose to CXO positions but I have to
and rose to CXO positions but I have to let you into a secret promise not to
let you into a secret promise not to
let you into a secret promise not to tell anyone else
tell anyone else
tell anyone else I pledge to my strengths at the LSE I
I pledge to my strengths at the LSE I
I pledge to my strengths at the LSE I applied to the only department that did
applied to the only department that did
applied to the only department that did not require a math test or a GMAT I also
not require a math test or a GMAT I also
not require a math test or a GMAT I also was in the communication team which
was in the communication team which
was in the communication team which meant that my talent was valued life’s
meant that my talent was valued life’s
meant that my talent was valued life’s been tough it really is it really has I
been tough it really is it really has I
been tough it really is it really has I continue to have challenges but I live
continue to have challenges but I live
continue to have challenges but I live by a quote and I’m going to share that
by a quote and I’m going to share that
by a quote and I’m going to share that with you you never know how strong you
with you you never know how strong you
with you you never know how strong you are until being strong is your only
are until being strong is your only
are until being strong is your only option
option
option Bob Marley said this and I believe in it
Bob Marley said this and I believe in it
Bob Marley said this and I believe in it so don’t give up don’t give in stay the
so don’t give up don’t give in stay the
so don’t give up don’t give in stay the course and remember creativity has no
course and remember creativity has no
course and remember creativity has no start date it cannot be boxed it does
start date it cannot be boxed it does
start date it cannot be boxed it does not come with an instructions manual
not come with an instructions manual
not come with an instructions manual ideas cannot be put down and that is
ideas cannot be put down and that is
ideas cannot be put down and that is your strength be the Pied Piper and
your strength be the Pied Piper and
your strength be the Pied Piper and dance to your own music for whenever you
dance to your own music for whenever you
dance to your own music for whenever you are successful it feels good
are successful it feels good
are successful it feels good Mozart wrote his first symphony at the
Mozart wrote his first symphony at the
Mozart wrote his first symphony at the age of 8 that doesn’t mean that teenage
age of 8 that doesn’t mean that teenage
age of 8 that doesn’t mean that teenage musicians who Pro compose music or sing
musicians who Pro compose music or sing
musicians who Pro compose music or sing and dance are old or not successful
and dance are old or not successful
and dance are old or not successful unbox of fear of failure of not being
unbox of fear of failure of not being
unbox of fear of failure of not being good enough unlock unlock your talent
good enough unlock unlock your talent
good enough unlock unlock your talent unleash your potential go for it but be
unleash your potential go for it but be
unleash your potential go for it but be smart if
smart if
smart if I for the story begin yours today for
I for the story begin yours today for
I for the story begin yours today for until the lion learns to write every
until the lion learns to write every
until the lion learns to write every story will glorify the hunter so you
story will glorify the hunter so you
story will glorify the hunter so you have a choice I made mine you have a
have a choice I made mine you have a
have a choice I made mine you have a choice
choice
choice are you the lion or are you the hunter
are you the lion or are you the hunter
are you the lion or are you the hunter thanks
thanks
thanks [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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