Doing right by a book

With True Dummy, Ashish Jaiswal's purpose is not merely to entertain or amuse, but to track an ambitious youngster's journey to achievement

Doing right by a book

With True Dummy, Ashish Jaiswal's purpose is not merely to entertain or amuse, but to track an ambitious youngster's journey to achievement

There's a kind of storminess in your story. What provoked you to write True Dummy?
Part hunger. Hunger to answer my own existential quest. Hunger to reach my own meaning of life. Part Anger. Anger with the current state of affairs around me, being a young professional. Anger with the shallow fountainhead being used in the current Indian literature. We have made so many Indian Idols. How about inspiring some Ideal Indians?u00a0
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How much of yourself and your own growing up years have found their way into the book?
The character of Ira, the sweet teacher in True Dummy the one who is not confined to the boundaries of the conventional classroom is inspired by my own teacher Miss Auer. Benevolent Miss Auer was the founder principal of my school and she left a lasting impression on me. I was elected head boy and she introduced me to the importance of responsible leadership.u00a0

You talk of the private space in which you write. Are you saying the hubbub of everyday life is distracting to you as a writer?
A serene place is imperative for me to transfer my scribbled notes into lengthy prose. Solitude is integral to my writing.

Have you read White Tiger? Do you see similarities in writing by young Indians who write in English?
Yes, I have read White Tiger. I cannot speak for others but I consider myself an Indian who only happens to write in English. In the past, Indian writing (if such a term exists), in whatever language, has always addressed existential themes and human conflicts. Creation of Vedas, the romance of Sufism and Rahim and Kabir's dohe is how I identify Indian writing. I can see a chasm with respect to contemporary writing by Indian Writers in English and what Indians always addressed. The no 'hang up' street storytelling culture is somewhat forgotten.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

The allegories in True Dummy are clever and striking. Was that a deliberate technique?
Allegories have always been part of my conversation, even while I was growing. I guess I picked it from my grandmother. Now as someone who is researching Higher Education for past several years at Oxford University, I have come to conclude that allegories are the best tool to ignite a thought process u2013 the first step towards wisdom.u00a0u00a0

How would you describe True Dummy?
It's a journey in search of the purpose of life under the shadow of lazy destiny.u00a0

Whom did you first show the manuscript to? And what was the response?
It was shown to Pooja, my childhood sweetheart and my wife. I still have her sms saved in my mobile!u00a0

On your bookshelf, we'd findu2026
Purposeful and progressive literature. Siddharta by Herman Hesse, Vishu Sharma's Panchtantra, The Trial by Kafka and Crime and Punishment by Dostovysky are some of the stories that have remained with me.

About the author
Ashish Jaiswal currently lives in Oxford, UK, where is currently pursuing his PhD in Higher Education from University of Oxford. True Dummy is his debut in the world of storytelling. The book launch is at Crossword, Residency Road, at 6:30 pm today.