Page 56 - MASALA Vol8 Issue4 February-March 2017

Considering the tough times we live in, would you
recommend an ambitious 20-something who would like to
pursue entrepreneurship to rst start o working in the
corporate world?
Yes, I believe that entrepreneurs who start o very early and
do very well are needles few and far between in a haystack.
You’re always going to make mistakes, but to have that
foundation where there are systems and processes in a
working environment, as well as a ow of how things are
done, makes you disciplined in the long run.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I write poetry and prose, which sometimes I like to script
with calligraphy. So far, I have 600 pages written – around
30 short stories and 40 poems in the inventory. I also like
to draw and cook. I cook every day after work because I
nd it therapeutic. I’m cooking recipes from Dali’s wife’s
cookbook called Les Diners de Gala at the moment.
I’ll throw in a little Indian masala and make it mine. I
understand taste and avours quite well, so rarely do I
make something that disappoints me. I push myself to do
di erent things. It’s the best use of my free time.

How did you get into these artistic passions?
I have been writing poetry since a very young age.
However, writing prose and short stories happened to me
only two to three years ago. Drawing just recently piqued
my interest as well.

I also enjoy writing songs such as rap. My lyrics are usually
centered around the news, like what is happening with
Donald Trump or the religious wars that we hear about. I can
write rap anytime, but the time it takes to perfect it requires
serious investment. Spending the time to gure out how to
rap and mix a beat over my lyrics takes longer and requires
a lot of practice. However, if I make a mistake in one of my
drawings, I can augment my picture with colour or strokes
even though it requires a lot of e ort. These hobbies have
helped me slow down and become more patient. Being a
banker, working around the clock, drains your energy and
you become more impatient. My artistic side has helped
me on that front but it also takes a lot out of me.

What type of rap do you write or sing? an example of rap I’ve written. I’ve written a cleaner version of the
I really enjoy rapping. When I was 13 years old, I listened to term scene of the crime that I called ‘Scene of the Rhyme.’ I have
gangster rap and my writing mimicked the lyrics. Now some rapped for poetry shows. The organisers know that there is a poetic
of it is spiritual and some of it is thematic to public issues element and meaning to my rap. So the microphone accepts me
and things that have been going on in the world. I’ll give you with open arms. There was this one time in India around three years
ago when I went to a bar where they had a DJ who played Rajasthani
I push myself to do classical instruments. The beat was good and he was clicking the
different things. It’s the khartal, a precussion instrument. I was standing next to the stage
best use of my free time. rapping to his beat. He ultimately pulled me up and we went on for 10
minutes mixing rap with classical Rajasthani music. Rapping makes
me happy, and I hope it makes other people happy, too.

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