Ashwin Sanghi Quotes & Sayings
Enjoy the top 100 famous quotes, sayings and quotations by Ashwin Sanghi.
Famous Quotes By Ashwin Sanghi
I work in a business environment forty hours a week, and writing is what I do to unwind. It allows me to transport myself to a happy place where I can indulge my hopes, beliefs, aspirations and fantasies. It also allows me to live and breathe a topic for eighteen months while I'm researching and writing. — Ashwin Sanghi
I am a part of the old school where I feel that purity of the language should be retained. But English is a constantly evolving language where new words are being added to the dictionary, so I don't see any harm in experimenting with the language. Only poor editing standards need to be improved. — Ashwin Sanghi
We can't deny that films have a bigger reach. After the popularity of the 'Slumdog Millionaire,' a lot of people started reading Vikas Swarup's 'Q & A'. From a business sense, films are a good tool to increase the number of readers. — Ashwin Sanghi
Chance encounters are often the routes through which opportunities manifest themselves. — Ashwin Sanghi
The relationship between critic and writer is similar to the one between the pigeon and the statue. — Ashwin Sanghi
While growing up, I always had to depend on foreign authors for page-turners. I think of myself as a commercial writer, and my job is simple to entertain you. — Ashwin Sanghi
The average buyer in bookshop spends 8 seconds on the front cover and 15 seconds on the back cover before deciding whether to purchase the book or not. On average, he does not get past page 18. See? The odds are stacked against us writers! — Ashwin Sanghi
Writing a mystery is like drawing a picture and then cutting it into little pieces that you offer to your readers one piece at a time, thus allowing them the chance to put the jigsaw puzzle together by the end of the book. — Ashwin Sanghi
A man who opens his mouth too often may end up meeting a tragic end, either from indigestion or execution! — Ashwin Sanghi
Lord Rama renounced his kingdom and became the most powerful king in the land. Buddha renounced the world and the world fell at his feet. Cornelia, my innocent girl, please do not believe that renunciation is to forsake power. Rather, it's the very means to power!' Chandragupta — Ashwin Sanghi
American financier Bernard Baruch once remarked, 'Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why. — Ashwin Sanghi
To many he was known as Kautilya - the crooked one; to his childhood acquaintances he was Vishnugupta; but to most he was Chanakya - illustrious son of the great and learned Chanak, the most renowned teacher in all of Magadha. He — Ashwin Sanghi
When I wrote 'The Rozabal Line,' I had no preconceived notions of what a commercial bestseller should be. I have always viewed 'The Rozabal Line' as my first love and probably my best work. The fact, however, is that it is my least read work. — Ashwin Sanghi
It is not history, theology or mythology that interest me. It is the fact that history, theology or mythology could have alternative interpretations or explanations. I try to connect the dots between the past and the present. — Ashwin Sanghi
A western audience might not appreciate 'Chanakya's Chant' because of its dependence on history and ancient statecraft. My book is a modern-day thriller that draws on a bedrock of history. My primary object is to entertain, not educate. — Ashwin Sanghi
I don't start with the characters. I start with the series of events that will provide the conflict and how it can be resolved. Characters are incidental. — Ashwin Sanghi
A young musician asked Mozart, 'Herr Mozart, it has been suggested to me that I write a symphony. Would you be good enough to tell me how to go about it?' Mozart thought for a moment and gently suggested, 'You are still too young to write symphonies. Why not try ballads first?' 'You wrote symphonies when you were ten years old,' argued the young man indignantly. 'Ah, yes, but I didn't ask how,' replied Mozart. Absolutely. Mozart — Ashwin Sanghi
Unlike a typical professional, I can't quit my job to become a full-time author; I don't have that luxury. For me, writing is therapy; if I choose to write full-time, it might start feeling like work. — Ashwin Sanghi
My life is ruled by four W's: my writing, my work, my wife, and my whisky. Not necessarily in that order. — Ashwin Sanghi
A community that engages readers and culturally enabled people to connect, support and harness intellectual and cultural capabilities. — Ashwin Sanghi
Mythopoeia has taken off in the Indian diaspora because there has been a change in readership from a mature audience to a younger one. This lot has a desperate yearning to reconnect. They want to consume mythology but in a well-packaged and easily digestible way. — Ashwin Sanghi
The SAGE OF RESEARCH — Ashwin Sanghi
Learning to trust your instincts, using your intuitive sense of what's best for you, is paramount for any lasting success. — Ashwin Sanghi
Vipassana proponents always stress that if you are insulted by someone and get angry, the result is not the abuser's fault. It is your fault because you choose to react. — Ashwin Sanghi
A book and a movie are different animals. You need a cinematic perspective to be involved in the motion pictures. And this is something I lack. — Ashwin Sanghi
The Egyptians saw the sun and called him Ra, the Sun God. He rode across the sky in his chariot until it was time to sleep. Copernicus and Galileo proved otherwise, and poor Ra lost his divinity. — Ashwin Sanghi
If I use the word 'khichdi' in my novel, I don't have to get into the trouble of explaining that it is a dish of rice and lentils. My Indian readers know it. — Ashwin Sanghi
If a man tells a woman she is beautiful, she will overlook most of his OTHER lies. — Ashwin Sanghi
Good luck gets a bad rap due to superstitions. — Ashwin Sanghi
In Kolkata is a temple where the deity worshipped is Amitabh Bachchan. The daily aarti is performed to the chanting of the Amitabh Chaleesa. And people still ask, 'Could our mythological heroes be based on actual people who once lived?' — Ashwin Sanghi
Master storytellers like Jeffrey Archer and Arthur Hailey use simple language. But they manage to grab the attention of the readers right from page one. I'll consider myself a good storyteller the day people believe it's OK to be late for work or postpone deadlines just to finish reading my book. — Ashwin Sanghi
It's unfortunate that the concept of Bharat - the common abode and cultural heritage of us Indo-Aryans - has been subjugated by petty rulers and kingdoms. Our scriptures, traditions, culture, prayers, and deities are common. Why is it, then, that we refer to our homes as Magadha, Gandhar, Kashi, Kuru, Kosala, Mallayrajya or Panchala? Why don't we say that we're citizens of Bharat? It's this fundamental divisiveness that will bring about our downfall in the future,' debated Chanakya — Ashwin Sanghi
Sometimes we are so focused on winning the race that we do not realize that we may possibly be in the wrong race. My — Ashwin Sanghi
I have always been a bit of an introvert. In fact, my dad used to force me to meet people so that my interpersonal skills improve. As an individual, I was happiest when left alone. — Ashwin Sanghi
What I have found is that, in a family business structure, sometimes what is needed is a sense of discipline rather than creativity. You have to take everyone's ideas and make it work. When you are dealing with money, there is a limitation on how creative you can be. — Ashwin Sanghi
We don't need to dumb down our stuff. And it's important to know how far we can push readers. — Ashwin Sanghi
some mistakes were simply too delicious to make just once. — Ashwin Sanghi
The bigger your web of friendly contacts, the better the odds in your favour. You cannot know what thunderbolt of good fortune is being prepared for you now by some distant engine of fate. You cannot know what complex interconnection of human relationships will guide the thunderbolt in your direction. But you can know, with certainty, that the probability of your getting hit is directly proportional to the number of people who know your name. — Ashwin Sanghi
There's a significant difference between lying and delaying the truth! — Ashwin Sanghi
It's foolish to call Chanakya an Indian Machiavelli. Rather, Machiavelli was possibly an Italian Chanakya. — Ashwin Sanghi
What is divine? Simply that which man has not yet been able to understand. Once understood, it ceases to be divine. — Ashwin Sanghi
I was learning book-keeping at the age of 12, but it never stopped me from pursuing literature. Over the years, I grew to love the written word. — Ashwin Sanghi
Writing was my route to creative expression, and I needed to write about the things that interested me. — Ashwin Sanghi
Politics is like a stage. Each politician plays his part according to the lines that are given to him. But backstage, the hero and the villain enjoy their drink together. Everybody — Ashwin Sanghi
Humankind would improve if we concentrated less on being human and more on being kind. — Ashwin Sanghi
Combine two words, Myth and History. What do you get? Mystery. — Ashwin Sanghi
The cleanest book on a dusty bookshelf is usually a dirty one. — Ashwin Sanghi
To remain standing one often has to fall. — Ashwin Sanghi
I was a businessman for 16 years of my life, so when I started writing, I wanted to keep my literary identity separate. — Ashwin Sanghi
Chanakya loved anger. It was a wonderfully energetic emotion and could be used very productively if channelled in the right direction. — Ashwin Sanghi
After writing each novel, I would spend days poring over suggestions from my editor. — Ashwin Sanghi
I've always been fascinated by books. When I was young, my grandfather used to hand out a book - which would be anything from a biography to a classic - to me every week and ask me to write a piece on what I thought about it. On the other hand, my mother used to love reading thrillers and bestsellers. — Ashwin Sanghi
Some animals hunt. Others hide. And a few hunt while they hide. — Ashwin Sanghi
What should a man strive for? Kama - love, dharma - duty, artha - wealth, and moksha - salvation. — Ashwin Sanghi
Conspiracies fascinate me. When I visited the Rozabal shrine in Srinagar before writing my first book, I remember thinking that the person enshrined there was no ordinary mortal. History is rife with mysteries, and that visit ignited a fire to unveil some of them. — Ashwin Sanghi
I must admit that i am fascinated by the glories of ancient India. But when will the purveyors of Indian culture realise that not everything about our past was glorious? — Ashwin Sanghi
Eventually, the British came to overrule India because there was too much diversity in our unity. They were great expotents and impotents. They started by expoting salt from India and then impoting cloth.' One of the more difficult questions related to Chanakya, — Ashwin Sanghi
There is one person who can help solve 'writer's block'. His name is Mr. Johnnie Walker. — Ashwin Sanghi
Honesty is a most dreadful quality - it makes people difficult to manipulate, — Ashwin Sanghi
I believe that the day one stops being spiritual, one ends up being religious. I live by the adage that the only certainty in life is death. We should, therefore, learn to live for the day and be content. — Ashwin Sanghi
Acharya, is war the only solution to political differences?' 'Wise pupil, politics is war without bloodshed and war is simply politics with bloodshed. — Ashwin Sanghi
I like to joke that I probably hold the world record for rejection letters. Yes, the truth is that I was fed up of being rejected repeatedly, and self-publication was an act of defiance at traditional publishing. But life works in strange ways. — Ashwin Sanghi
Being a bestselling author is a wonderful feeling. My publisher loves me (almost unconditionally). My contracts — Ashwin Sanghi
My wife is troubled by the things I forget. I am troubled by the things she recollects. — Ashwin Sanghi
There is a method to the madness of James Patterson's success. Co-writing with him is a terrific learning experience, particularly in the art of crafting a perfect thriller. The collaboration also gives me an opportunity to access a wider global audience. — Ashwin Sanghi
Initial work is on period research where the historical markers are absolutely non-negotiable. Once that is established, a writer can take creative liberties in terms of chronology to suit the story. — Ashwin Sanghi
Never judge a book by its cover; a movie by its book; or a video game by its movie. — Ashwin Sanghi
There's nothing glorious about dying - anyone can do it. — Ashwin Sanghi
Group, was only 29 when his father died suddenly in New York. His elder brother took the reins, but died of cancer just five years later, leaving behind a young widow and three children. Prior to that, another brother had decided to quit the family business. In parallel, a one year long textile strike spearheaded by Datta Samant had brought the textile industry to ruin; Morarjee Mills, the family's mainstay, was incurring massive losses. Piramal recounts that he survived those troubled times by reminding himself of one particular story: — Ashwin Sanghi
I am defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. — Ashwin Sanghi
In India, we never distinguished between history and myth. Our Puranas as well as Itihasas contain fantastical tales. They are lies that convey deeper truths. — Ashwin Sanghi
Stop worrying whether the grass is greener on the other side. Find out how to own the other side. — Ashwin Sanghi
Surprise is when a prime minister is assassinated during his speech. Suspense is when an assassin lurks while the prime minister speaks. Balancing surprise and suspense is the job of the thriller writer. — Ashwin Sanghi
Shooting and stabbing of victims seemed almost humane when one considered the ghastly catalogue of other horrors that had been perpetrated. — Ashwin Sanghi
Once upon a time, I was a workaholic clocking more than 80 hours per week. That changed after I began to write. I now work only around 35 hours per week. I do not work on weekends because these are the days that I use for research as well as for my writing. — Ashwin Sanghi
One does not need to pluck fruit from a tree that is about to be chopped down. The fruit will fall by themselves. Focus on the bigger purpose and the rest of your manifesto will follow as a matter of course. — Ashwin Sanghi
Man has free will and creates his destiny based upon his actions. — Ashwin Sanghi
What I would not like is to be ignored. I write from the heart. I don't write for me. I write for my readers. — Ashwin Sanghi
a clear conscience is usually a sign of bad memory. — Ashwin Sanghi
I was always taught that book keeping was more relevant than book reading. The only thing worth reading was meant to be a balance sheet. — Ashwin Sanghi
Physicists explain creation by telling us that the universe began with the Big Bang, an intense energy singularity that continued expanding. But who created the singularity? — Ashwin Sanghi
Modern scientists now believe that there are seven broad forms of energy - mechanical, heat, chemical, radiant, electrical, sound, and nuclear. It is my reasoned guess that the ancient yogis knew this. They also knew that each of these could be broken into seven constituent elements! It's impossible to understand how they knew this, but they did. Even their most important and exalted river - the Sarasvati - was part of the Saptasindhu, the seven rivers. Vedic knowledge was derived from the Saptarishi - the seven sages. Even Dwarka was the embodiment of Saptadweep - the seven islands. — Ashwin Sanghi
He watched the scene unfolding at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President was administering the oath of office to the charismatic woman. She was dressed in her usual off-white cotton saree, trimmed with a pale gold border, and wore no jewellery except for a pair of simple solitaire diamond earrings. She quite — Ashwin Sanghi
I feel luck plays a vey crucial role in determining the success of the book. Marketing a book is also very important. You need to try all tricks in the trade. — Ashwin Sanghi
Write when drunk. Edit when sober. Marketing is the hangover. — Ashwin Sanghi
Though it is very easy to do valuations, eyeballs and brand prominence surveys, you should never allow any of them to influence the balance sheet. — Ashwin Sanghi
Writing is a intensely personal activity. I can pen down my best thoughts when I'm alone. But when one is elevated into the stature of an author, you have to think about your books in terms of their business angle. — Ashwin Sanghi
a sermon was meant to be like a woman's skirt, long enough to cover the essentials and short enough to keep one interested! — Ashwin Sanghi
Writer Leo Rosten famously quipped: 'Money can't buy happiness, but neither can poverty.' The — Ashwin Sanghi
Oral storytelling goes back so long ago, and those stories that were told orally were always layered and changed with time. — Ashwin Sanghi
I don't care if my books don't sell abroad; we have a large enough market in our country. I write for Indian readers. — Ashwin Sanghi
Rule number one: your accounts must always present a true and factual picture of your business operations.' 'And what's the other rule?' asked Arvind. 'Rule number two is to occasionally forget rule number one. — Ashwin Sanghi