Subhechcha Ganguly 
Vaibhav Joshi, a Senior Engineer at Kirloskar Pneumatic Co Ltd, Pune, is not your typical author. With a passion for both reading and writing, Joshi has embarked on a journey to challenge himself beyond the realms of engineering. Despite not having published a solo book yet, his upcoming work, “Kathavali,” slated for release by Rosewood Publications, promises to captivate readers with its depth and ingenuity. Joshi sees writing not just as a hobby but as a means to explore the intricacies of life and challenge his own intellect. His dedication to understanding the importance of literature in shaping perspectives sets him apart. Let’s delve deeper into the mind of this multifaceted individual as we uncover his insights on writing and the transformative power of literature.
1. What initially sparked your interest in writing, and how has it evolved over the years?
Ans: During my school days, I had written fan-fiction about my favourite cartoon shows but my initial interest in writing sparked during my MBA. In MBA, I was a bibliophile and had read about 15 to 18 books in 2 years, both fictional and Non-Fictional and that helped me to write some articles on Linkedin and get some of my articles published in college magazines of other colleges. In 2021, when I started my corporate journey, that was the first time I wrote my first short story – An important decision and got properly published in an anthology book. Since then, I have published many short stories and currently I am working on a book which I want to publish by this year.
2. As a Senior Engineer, how do you balance your professional responsibilities with your passion for writing?
Ans: Unlike my work, writing is a hobby for me, because I write every day for half an hour or an hour. My work is a responsibility/priority I will choose over my passion, but because my passion is also my hobby, I don’t miss it any day and thus balancing isn’t as challenging as it looks.
3. Could you share a bit about your unpublished book, “Kathavali,” and what readers can expect from it?
Ans: Kathavali is an anthology of 25 handwritten short stories which I wrote in a competition organised by Rosewood Publication. The original competition was about writing Poems but because I have never written a poem, I requested them to write short stories and they were okay with my idea. These short stories are related to science fiction and supernatural characters for which I have planned bigger stories (books maybe) which will come out in the near future.
4. How do you believe literature contributes to personal growth and understanding?
Ans: From my perspective, When I write something, I have to do my homework i.e. read about the topic thoroughly. The more you read about something, the more knowledge you gain in that process. I believe with literature, a person’s understanding towards a particular subject matter increases his/her personal growth and the more they read or write about it, the more they are able to explore and understand.
5. Amidst your busy schedule, how do you find time to indulge in reading, and could you recommend some essential books for our readers?
Ans: I read before sleeping. I have essentially given 1 hour for reading. It can be any book but 1 hour is a must for everyday and I read before sleeping because it is better for health. Instead of using smart phones, please read and then go to sleep, so one’s dreams will also be fruitful.
Book recommendation (as I am in my late 20s, It will be very simple):
For starters I believe These fiction books are the best – The Alchemist by Mr. Paulo Coehlo, The Hidden Hindu Trilogy by Mr. Akshat Gupta, Ten Kings by Mr. Ashok Bankar, Godan by Munshi Premchand ji, Ragdarbari by Shrilal Shukla ji.
For Non Fiction These books are great – Sapiens by Mr. Yuval Noah Harari, Rich dad poor dad by Mr. Robert T. Kiyosaki, The Monk who sold his ferrari by Mr. Robin Sharma, Atomic Habits by Mr. James clear
If you are into poems (though I haven’t read a lot of books but still I would recommend these two) – Meghaduta by Shri Kalidas ji and Rashmirathi by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar ji.
6. What challenges have you faced in your writing journey, and how have they shaped your approach to storytelling?
Ans: Writer’s Block is one of the challenges that I still face today. Because I have made writing a hobby, it creates an escapism from my daily life and helps in finding new ideas. I believe with today’s internet age, we can be far more creative with our storytelling approach. We find answers on the internet for most of our problems, but how with each new finding we are able to create problems and solutions is upto us and how well we are able to present it to our readers for them to grasp or enjoy. That is the approach.
7. What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are also juggling demanding careers outside of writing?
Ans: Never leave your current job for your passion. Keep that thing as a side hustle. I remembered a quote from the Dead poet’s society – Medicine, Law, Business, Engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But Poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
In short, I believe, we have to manage our time in a better way to keep both our responsibilities and passion flowing in the same direction. Make your passion into your hobby and in this age of the internet, find as many opportunities as you can because I also started from the internet.
