The author Aditya Singh is a full-time writer. His book The Caterpillar begins with a teaser and continues as the author coaxes his super-wealthy host to divulge more of his life story. The host shares the pitiful beginning of his life and how his indomitable determination and wit are what see him on the way to school. 

In our interview with the author, we shall learn more about his journey from the garbage heap to the luxurious edifice…

How did you pick the title of your book?

I didn’t have to think much about the title ‘The Caterpillar’.

It was the story itself that helped me to think and come to the decision to name my novel “The Caterpillar”. The novel’s protagonist lives the life of a caterpillar metaphorically and becomes an enlightened philanthropist (butterfly).

Could you share your feelings after you met your silent saviour?

To answer the question about the silent saviour, the protagonist would feel blessed or cursed. The protagonist indeed finds himself blessed to have a master like him who shelters him and takes care of his dreams.

Does the novel render high value for literature?

Yes, the novel renders high value for literature. It brings forth social discrimination where

people from the privileged class take advantage and look down upon the less privileged or

working class. This also emphasises the pathetic condition of an orphan rescued and raised in the slum to secure his existence as a human being with dignity.

Can the characters of your book enliven the reader when they start reading the novel?

Yes, the characters can bring the reader to the common plain of the story. The characters are

written with extra care and made sure that every little thing is mentioned, their human side,

inhuman side, sacrifices, and social compulsions.

Do you try to be original to your readers or deliver what they want?

Yes, very much. I have made sure that the readers receive the authentic details of the period the novel is based upon.

Can your experience in the slum and beyond make this novel a unique one to read?

The slum dwellers and their lives have always been my shared curiosity. I feel for them, and the hardships they face to keep them afloat on the turbulent ocean of needs would keep me thinking about them. The novel is unique because it renders the idea of the slums and slum dwellers. The slum where the protagonist’s life began did exist once, a small mufassil in Purulia where the shellac industries bloomed and made many rich.

What do you owe the real people you base your characters on?

It is indeed a tricky question to answer. When a writer conceives an idea/plot, the seed is always taken from the surroundings, people, places, incidents, and so forth. The characters in the novel would make the reader feel or connect with people who exist in reality.

The tides and ebbs of life, the “rags to riches” story, runs parallel with the spiritual and philosophical development of the protagonist.

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