Born in Amritsar and brought up in Delhi, Kevin Missal passed out of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, last year. He became a bestselling author with his first book Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu. Relaxing after the release of his Satyayoddha – Eye of Brahma (Fingerprint, Rs 250), the second part of the Kalki Trilogy, he gives an insight into his life. Excerpts from an interview:
Do you believe in extraordinary powers of an ordinary man? If yes, who do you think fits the bill today?
Absolutely, ordinary man has so much power — to do good, to have a choice to be better. To me, JK Rowling fits the bill because she donated everything she earned, to the community. If I ever earn that much, I would do the same.
Do you feel there is a similarity between Kalki and the common man today?
Certainly. Kalki is a naive boy who learns to be a great hero through his failures. Likewise, a common man today must accept where he failed and learn from it. It’s okay to fail, but one should know how to stand up and dodge the next attack.
When was the first time you felt the urge to write?
At 12, when I read the first chapter of Oliver Twist.
Who inspires you the most and why?
My parents because they teach me how to be humble, truthful and loving. No matter where you go, you must never forget where you came from.
Who has influenced you the most?
Rick Riordan — it’s just how he blended mythology and contemporary to create an interesting tale. I also wanted to give a superhero to the Indian readers. I now get mails from readers telling me how they get inspired from the feats Kalki performs. Words have power and they can change a reader’s life.
Was it always your deep-felt desire to be an author or do you have some other professional goals in your mind (considering you are just 22!).
I always wanted to be a writer. I did History as a whim so I could write for theatre in my college but I failed miserably. They thought my writing was bad but criticism made me want to write more. Today,
I am a bestselling author.
It feels good to prove the naysayers wrong.
What do you do when you are not writing?
Reading, watching authors’ interviews and getting as
much knowledge about writing from podcasts.