It was bustling with activity in one moment and a heap of rumble in the next. When Poonam Chambers in the busy business district of Mumbai collapsed a few people were trapped inside. A person caught in the debris kept talking to his wife till the battery of his cellphone got drained and he had spoken his last words. Based on this real life incident is Ajay Menon’s 11.11 am, a book that narrates the story of people in and around the chambers. “My office was in the same building and this deeply touching incident is the basic premise of my book,” says Ajay who has authored a total of twelve books.
Deputy General Manger of Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO), Ajay Menon says he fell in love with the world of letters at a very young age. “And I started to pursue my passion during my days as a law student,” he says.
Though he writes in English and Malayalam Ajay says he has a soft-spot for his mother tongue, especially Malayalam poetry. And he has to his credit a couple of poetry collections including Dashapushpangal and Pranayardram. “I started writing in English when my friends urged me to do so. A lot of my non-Malayali friends asked me to write in English so that they too can read it,” he explains.
As an author Ajay Menon doesn’t confine himself to any particular genre. “My areas of interest are thrillers and science fiction. Right now I am working on a biography,” he says. If Venalmazha is a collection of poems Fourth Law Untold is pure fiction and Risk Management a book on management. He also has to his credit a couple of children’s books and a music album Ithiri Madhuram that features his poems sung by popular singers like G Venugopal, Madhu Balakrishnan and Biju Narayanan.
Being an officer in a highly responsible position, ask him how he manages his professional life and writing and he says, “Whenever I get some spare time I use it for my creative pursuits. Even at home most of the time I will be working on my books. My wife Renuka is quite supportive,” he says. The couple has two children - Aathira and Abhay.
Ajay adds each book and each author is a learning experience for him. “So it will be difficult for me to come up with a list of my favourite authors. I draw inspiration from all great books and authors,” he says.