“One day, I got a call from a senior journalist asking if I would want to join Chandrababu Naidu’s team as a part-time social media manager. Till today, it’s one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever taken. Joining the team meant an end to my journalism career but it also meant an opportunity to work closely with the then CM, whose life and work had inspired me for years.
I took it up! Although I had the idea of writing a book (India’s Glocal Leader) on Chandrababu Naidu’s life, most of my research and observations started there. I wasn’t sure if I would be writing the book back then, but I would always observe the way he walked, talked and handled situations. These tiny things mattered a lot when I actually started writing. Initially, it was just social media & press releases. But a few months later, as a full-time communications officer, I began writing government’s publications, CM’s letters to Government of India and wrote his speeches! The kind of work I’ve done was a big learning experience for me in so many ways.
A couple of years later when I got the permission from the party to work on the book, I dived deep into his life. I met his childhood friends, relatives and dug up old stories that influenced his life and everything he did. I came across some funny stories about how he owned a bullet and rode like a racer in college! These small stories set the foundation. Although I thought I wasn’t a great writer at the beginning of my career, I did spend quality time reading my work and suggestions by editors during my stint with The New Indian Express, Deccan Chronicle & AlJazeera. I also covered businesses and met multiple politicians as a reporter. Later, I wrote political op-eds too! My interest in political writing takes me back to my childhood where my father and I would watch news and developments in politics, everyday!
When I started writing the book in 2016, I already had a decent idea of what the consequences were. I was particular about the book not affecting him negatively as a politician. When it was launched in 2018, I flew down to Delhi to give him the book as he was at an Investment Summit. I later heard that he liked it and had read it on his way back to Hyderabad from Delhi. That was one of my happiest moments. Seeing your name on the cover of a book as an author is just overwhelming. I felt like an achiever – one of the youngest political biographers.
My life hasn’t been easy. I was diagnosed with a kidney failure and hemolytic anemia when I was in my Inter 2nd year. I was extremely sick and hardly had any chances of survival. My family lost hope. Gradually, I showed signs of recovery from Chronic Kidney Disease & had to undergo dialysis for a month. I studied Maths and Science in Intermediate, even though I wanted to opt for Arts. Fortunately, things changed after my health issues. I studied Mass Communication in Hyderabad and I’d like to believe I did a good job as a journalist. People usually look back to see how far they’ve come. But I want to look ahead because I have a long way to go with my new Startup and more Books to write. From here, there’s no looking back, only going forward – One step at a time!”
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