Scholar-Journalist of the Week: A missing goodbye

A talented learner, Nilohit harbours several passions. He plays badminton, writes stories and edits videos, in addition to his regular studies. A student of class 8 at Apeejay School, Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, he is extremely focused and balanced. In the month of April, he will begin to learn badminton too. “With this, I have been learning guitar for the past two years. Soon, I will be equipped to perform in front of a crowd,” he says.

In the following interview, he discusses his writing and inspiration. Read on, edited excerpts from the interview.

How and when did you begin writing?

I seek inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore, fondly addressed by many as “Gurudev”. He was an Indian Polymath who fought for our country and even rejected Knighthood for Services to Literature to support India’s Independence from the British empire. He wrote our National Anthem too and further won many accolades for Literature.

A work of Tagore you read and re-read?

I love the story – Amol O Doiwala.  The story is about Amol, a boy who suffers from an incurable sickness due to which his father disallowed him to attend school. Therefore, he is limited to his home and often finds himself secluded. Nonetheless, a Doiwala (person selling curd) crosses his house regularly and once starts to interact with him. During their conversation, the seller feels inspired by the boy to be content in his circumstances. And the boy learns virtues of kindness and generosity towards others.

Inspired by this narrative, I too am trying to be kind towards everyone. I have also written two stories on the said theme: ‘Story of Shardul and Shyam’ and ‘A missing goodbye’. Both of these were published at Apeejay Newsroom.

How much time did it take for you to pen down these stories?

I wrote it about 2-3 months ago. The ideas came to me after my reading of Tagore. He is my favourite author and biggest inspiration.

How do you imbibe kindness in life?

At home, I put the idea into practice by distributing food and water to our help. Often, we provide them with some home-based essentials too.

Any writing tips for your fellow classmates?

Research the ideas you wish to write on thoroughly. The introduction, body copy and conclusion are a must for a comprehensive write-up. Balance your narrative carefully and don’t forget to add a moral value in the end.