About Me
Political conventions. International summits. The United Nations. Protest marches. Art auctions. Movie premieres. I’ve covered a wide range of stories—from breaking news to long creative features—during twenty years in journalism. Writing for a national news magazine in Mumbai, then working in New York as a television news producer and on-camera reporter granted me the amazing privilege of watching pivotal moments up close. I remember standing barely twenty feet away from the podium on which Barack Obama was sworn in as the first African American president of the United States. It was an exceptionally cold day in Washington D.C. A lot of us journalists, out in the cold since 3 a.m. because of long security procedures, frantically rubbed hand warmers between frozen fingers, as Obama spoke. I remember the apocalyptic sight of a darkened Manhattan skyline as my crew and I drove down the FDR Highway on our way to Wall Street to cover clogged water being pumped out of downtown streets after Hurricane Sandy.
So many memories and moments—coughing desperately while covering a human interest story on a group pillow fight in Union Square, Manhattan when goose feathers got lodged in my throat; barely sleeping on the 16-hour-flight to India on the White House Press Corps plane that followed Obama’s first state visit to India; reporting live from the Oscars red carpet when Slumdog Millionaire swept the award ceremony.
I loved being a witness, reporting on these moments, analysing them. But news moves quickly. It’s no longer a 24-hour-cyle. More like five minutes, or maybe less. There were weeks where I’d lost track of what I’d covered the day before because I had moved between an average of four different television stories in a single day, crisscrossing New York, America, and occasional international travel on assignment to Morocco, Mexico, Canada, India, and the Carribbean.
I enjoyed the interviews, the opportunity to peek into so many minds, from the likes of Mick Jagger, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, to Richard Branson and Charles Darwin’s great-great grandson Randal Keynes—to name just a few.
But after years of quick turnarounds, fast-paced live shots and pressing deadlines, I craved the opportunity to dig deeper, to leave something that lasted longer, breathed deeper, tasted of infinite sea, and delved into universal themes that had fascinated me for years—healing, ancient wisdoms, and the nature of will and destiny.
Hence, a back-step from journalism and a deep dive into the writing life and the world of Monsoon Gods, my first novel.
Who Am I?
Huge fan of little joys. Investigator of small moments. Nature lover. Always dancing. My mantra is to try and not weigh myself down in seriousness, especially after having overcome my share of challenges over the years. I’m a cancer graduate (prefer that phrase to cancer survivor) and a bionic woman with a part-prosthetic leg.
Other labels acquired over the years: Two Master’s degrees. New York University (NYU) alum. Ford Foundation fellow. Magazine journalist. International television producer. On-camera news reporter. Speaker. And finally, the descriptor that’s taken the most imagination, blood, sweat, and tears: author. My first novel, MONSOON GODS, is currently in its sixth-ish draft (have lost count!). It blends and blurs genres—mystery, mythology, magical realism, a coming of age tale, and a mystical love story.
On my blog, I’ll share more about the marathon that is writing and publishing, and the many lessons learnt along the way! Please follow me there for more.
“Alien of extraordinary ability.” Yes, that’s actually a thing. It’s my official immigration status here in these United States. Happy New Yorker. Manhattan, Harlem, Brooklyn—loved and lived in them all. Grew up in India as an army brat. Studied in eight schools and three universities. Spent my childhood spying on birds and trees in charming cantonments across the vast expanse of that stunning subcontinent. Love books, words, and people who lead with their heart but handle themselves with their head. Forever nomad. Star Wars fan. Favorite animal: Cheetah. Favorite bird: Little Swift. Favorite song: Just an Illusion by Imagination, the lyrics of which serve up my life credo perfectly:
