IIT student writes on Love, Life and Dreaming On

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, known for churning out the country’s best engineers and scientists, is now nursing a writer among its students. Animesh Verma, a postgraduate student of chemistry, was inspired to write a fictional account of students’ life across campuses, against a backdrop of the anti-reservation protests that rocked the country in 2006.

The 23-year-old writer was in Delhi University, pursuing his graduation degree, when the reservation issue reached a fever pitch. The turn of events and its impact fired his imagination, becoming the backdrop for his first novel, in which four students set out on a journey of self-discovery.

“I was fortunate to get a publisher for the book. Generally, they take 15 days to approve of manuscripts, but mine was approved in a day,” the first-time author said.
His book, titled Love, Life and Dream On, sold 5,000 copies and has already gone for a second print run of 10,000 copies. It is published by Delhi-based Shrishti Publications.

Verma, originally from Jamshedpur, took just three months to complete the 190-page book. “Love, Life and Dream On is dedicated to the student fraternity across the country. It is about the callowness, fallibility and irresponsibility of today’s youth.
The characters are fictitious but the incidents portrayed are real,” said Verma, who says he got immense support and encouragement from his friends and faculty at IIT.

Verma is not impressed by the writings of fellow IITian, Chetan Bhagat, a Delhi campus alumnus and the only other IITian who gained prominence as a writer. Bhagat’s book Five Point Someone — What Not To Do At IIT, was on the bestsellers’ list in 2004.

“Chetan Bhagat is in a different league. I have been guided by the author Tuhin Sinha, who wrote That Thing Called Love. He was  a major source of inspiration and guidance,” said Verma.