What was the best thing about your childhood?
The best thing about my childhood has to be the fact that I made little friends. It was early in life that I had learnt that it is great to have friends but one can enjoy by oneself as well and that it is better if you have friends who will stick all through your life. I have been more independent because no one could ever tell me that I could not do it.
What do you miss most about being a child?
The best part about being a child is that no one cares how you look, because they look at your habits, your eyes, what you speak. It gives so much more freedom, when there is no sophistication associated with you, nothing to pretend, no one to impress and living life on your terms, in the present with no care about future.
Do you think that children these days have a better or worse childhood than your generation? Why?
I think definitely, children have a better childhood than our generation. Parents are now more aware and work on their children, developing the skills of their children.You can now see children working on things like cricket, music, dance activities. However, when it comes to general development, I think our generation was better. We were more aware of our families, we had stories to share, we had met our grandparents more often, heard stories from them and enjoyed life more better.
What do you think is most important for a happy childhood?
The most important thing for a happy childhood is a happy home. It is very important for a child to grow as a happy individual to have a home where his/her parents love each other. Where, there is a balance in life.
What about your childhood do you wish you could change?
If ever I could change one thing about my childhood, it would be my relation with my brother. For some reasons, I think we as children, never talked to each other much and it was later in life that I came to know that we both were two lonely souls and could have stuck together and enjoyed life as we grew up.
Where did you grow up? How did that affect your childhood?
I have grown up in different places because of my father’s transfer. Travelling to different places as I grew up, taught me that we all are the same, fundamentally. As humans, we have the same problems and the same goals. It is just that some fight for them till the end, while others tend to lose hope and it is that one determination, love that changes and shapes our lives.
What were some of your favorite activities when you were a child?
I love cycling when I was a child. Cycling gave me the sense that I was free, that there was nothing that could stop me and I could just live the life as I want to and it was this feeling that made me love cycling even more. I remember, cycling during holidays and then evenings, even in the morning. I just loved it.
Who, besides your parents, had the biggest impact on your childhood?
I think as a child, my relatives had a very great impact on me. It was their opinions that have shaped to an extent the things that I believe in and the things that I do. It was when I started questioning their opinion, that I realized how fragile their opinion was, changing every minutes. It was through them that I learnt that we should just keep doing what we love.
What do you want to provide your children that you didn’t have when you were growing up?
Feeling of the fact that I am their friend. Yes, this is one thing that I want my children to know, that no matter what, I am their friend and whatever is happening in their lives, they can share it with me. I want to know my issues and share with me theirs. I wish to have conversations like we have with our friends.
Who were you really jealous of when you were a child? Why were you jealous?
As a child, I was jealous of those pretty girls in my class. I mean I used to wonder how could come school on time, wearing clean clothes and then score high in exams as well. I used to be the one who was always clumsy, figuring out things from here and there.