In Conversation with Gaurav Sharma - The Author of Love @ Airforce

First of all, thank you for writing such a beautiful. It was such a refreshing reading. Till date all the books that we have read involving men in uniform seemed to have one recurring (and rather boring!) element - love & separation due to death. Thankfully you broke that monotony! 

RM : Tell us a bit about yourself! ( Yes. I do know a bit about you from your book! But this is for the readers - Hope you don't find it boring!!)

 Gaurav: I am an eccentric person with very unconventional views. People close to me call me intolerable. However, I have not let the child inside me die. It exists there with all innocence.

RM : Mathematician? How did that aspiration really come about? Isn't math supposed to be the dreaded area of study?

 Gaurav: I think labeling Math as a dreaded area of study is wrong and unfair. Actually, it is the most interesting subject to study in which you really don’t have to remember anything. It demands your devotion like a possessive paramour. You can’t dare to ignore it. Pamper it with the most valuable gift you can give to it-your time and it will give you everything you want.

RM : Maths and "story telling"? Aren’t those contradicting interests?!

Gaurav: Not at all, Mathematics is a pursuit of brain while writing is an occupation of the heart. If it’s a popular belief, then consider me an exception because I can cook stories while teaching Calculus which people call dry and difficult.

RM : Now moving on to your book and characters.

For a civilian, a sergeant is the same as a wing commander. In a sense, in the eyes of common any person who serves the nation is treated with high regards. 

Does this discrimination of sorts really exist in real life? ( I know it's like asking whether Bill Gates would treat his Programmers as equals. Yet please humor me!)

Gaurav: Yes, it does exist. People who have knowledge of the hierarchy of Armed forces treat a Sergeant and a Wing Commander differently.

RM : Love, True Friendship, Letting go and "re-inventing" love - Vital stuff an emotionally stable human being. All of which have been dealt beautifully in your book. Do I sniff some sort of an experience there? Or is the story inspired by some true incident

Gaurav: This is my third interview after the launch of ‘LOVE @ AIR FORCE’ and this is the most difficult question to answer probably because you have read the book before interviewing me. Others had not.It is actually both, the experience and a bit of reality. Personally, I do believe that emotions never die. However, you have to put your priorities in order and live likewise.

RM : The poem in the book was beautiful? ( The one that shabd recites in the party) was it written by you? Can we expect lots of beautiful poems from you in future?

Gaurav: Yes, the poem is written by me. In fact, there were two poems in the initial manuscript, but my beta-readers advised against putting them there. I however, adamantly kept one. I want at least one poem in every book I write as a salient feature of my writing style.

RM : What are your future plans in writing? Can we expect more novels of the same genre?

Gaurav: I am working on my next novel and planning to get it published by the end of this year. I don’t want to stick to one genre.

Few fun quickies(and totally unrelated questions) questions!

If your book was made into a movie who would you like watch as Shabd?

Gaurav: Definitely Aamir Khan.

Integral Calculus or Probability theory?

Gaurav: Probability theory as it can easily be applied to day-to-day life.

If you had 3 wishes granted what would it be?!

Gaurav: I want to meet Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad. Secondly, I wish to be an Air Force Doctor like Shabd Mishra, protagonist in LOVE @ AIR FORCE and third I want to relive the span of ten years-fifteen to twenty five years, of my age.

What is the best pick up line you have used ever to woo a woman?

Gaurav: If you allow me to adhere to my unconventional views, I don’t think words are necessary to woo a woman. However, it didn’t work for me so I wrote a poem to propose her. I will say a few lines of it-

तुम मेरी महत्वाकांक्षांओं के सितारे बैठती अपनी मांग में सजाये,

मेरी खुशियां अपनी बिंदिया में समेटे,

चूड़ीयों से मेरे कानो को झंकृत करती,

आँखों में स्नेह अपार लेकर,

अपने लम्बे, घने, मेघ से काले केश काँधे पर डाले,

अपने स्नेह सिक्त हाथों को मेरे ललाट पर फिराती,

अपनी सब कुछ भुला देने वाली मुस्कान होठों पर सजाती,

और दुखों को मेरी स्मृति से धो जाती|…..Unfortunately, it didn’t work too.

If you were a cartoon, who would you be?!

Gaurav: Richie Rich

Thanks a lot for taking time to answer us!

Gaurav: Thank you for thinking me deserving enough to be interviewed.