Sharing Stories Interview with Author Yash Tiwari

2020-09-042020-09-21 Sharing Stories 0 Comments

In Conversation with Author Yash Tiwari

SS: As a motivational speaker, Yash Tiwari advocates “Belief in Self” and “Power of Positive thinking”, please tell our readers how can someone practice this and make it part of their lifestyle choice? What are the simple methods / steps to achieve this state of mind?

From what I’ve experienced in my own life, Believing in Yourself and Positive Thinking are two sides of the very same coin. Without having a sense of positivity within yourself, you cannot believe yourself. And without having belief and faith in yourself, developing positivity is impossible. Or at least, not sustainable, I’d say. So how does a person really does that? By understanding his/her individuality in this world. You need to remember that no matter how much support you have, or how big of a fan-base you might have – at the end of the day, what you do is on you. Unless you do not take a stand for yourself, no one else will. If you do or work upon yourself, then how can someone else do that for you? It all starts with ‘You’. So if you don’t even have a positive outlook on who you are as a person and have a sense of belief in yourself, how will you be able to stand tall with your head held high in this world? As I quoted in my Josh Talk, there a huge difference between Surviving in this world, and Thriving in this world. Now it’s on you, which side of the story you step into. I think a clear thought-process like this is what helps a person in achieving the state of mind that we’re talking about.

In everyone’s life, there is a tipping point, what was that moment in your life which made you choose the path of a Motivational speaker for the Youth? What is your larger Vision?

Well, my journey as a professional public speaker and a Motivational Speaker in specific started exactly two years back – right after the release of my now internationally acclaimed and awarded Debut Novel, “A Celebration in Tribulation”. I was just 16, still navigating my way in this wide, wide world of ambitious and inspiring people who were creating a substantial positive change in this world, unbeknownst to the fact that one day soon I’d also be counted amongst them. So after my first novel started generating a great deal of global buzz, I was invited to deliver my first TED talk at TEDxHBTU. That, precisely, was the point that kick-started my journey as an International Youth Mentor and a Motivational Speaker. The vast impact that I saw my first TED talk generated on the masses all around the world made me realise that this is what I’d like to do in my life ahead – to utilise my voice and clarity of thoughts that I have for creating some form of social positive change in the world. That, eventually, is what my vision is at large and that is what the art of Motivational Speaking is all about as well! This is the reason, I believe, why I feel so much connected with this field.

“Sometimes, we do not get a chance to thank each one who has helped us in our Journey.” Let the readers get a chance to know about all the important people who have played a part in this fabulous Journey of Yours.

To begin with, my family of course. Whenever this question comes up, they’re always the first one I pay my gratitude to. I’ve said this countless times that wherever I am in my life today at this young age of 18, and what all I’ve accomplished would not have been possible without them. My family has always been there to push me, support me, encourage me and appreciate me. Secondly, my best of mates have always been there for me as well. Now these friends already know who they are, so I needn’t mention their names, haha! But seriously, the extremely appreciative friends that I’ve got are nothing less than a family away from family for me. Would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart, all those teachers and mentors I have had in the past eighteen years who sculpted me and contributed a great deal in building up my persona. Last but not the least, I’m extremely very grateful and will always be to those who might not have been directly very close to me or in my immediate circle, but still did support me, guide me, nurture me, and push me – right from the point when I was authoring my first novel at 16 to this point where I’ve delivered 4 TED talks and a Josh talk, with multiple awards and acclaims. Always grateful to my roots, and always in immense respect of where I come from. Thank you, forever grateful and humbled.

Can you share a few lines from your latest book, Pandemic 2020 and maybe give a bit of background?

An impoverished boy in China, a helpless doctor in the U.S., a stranded traveler in Italy, and a blooming journalist in India – PANDEMIC 2020- Rife Of The Virus, World’s First Fiction Novel On The Novel Corona Virus Outbreak, provides a harrowing look at how the pandemic turned the lives of everyone around the world upside down. The story is a globally-interconnecting tale, intriguingly blending majorly affected regions around the world through characters facing the severity of one common pandemic, the Corona Virus outbreak.

As for some of the lines from the book, PANDEMIC 2020 – Rife Of The Virus itself, I’d like to quote what you’ll get to read on the very last page of the first chapter of my book, titled Mayanagri.

“The thrill that I had on the previous day about a nationwide lockdown was turning into a chill of fear in my body – not about the severity of the issue growing rapidly, but about how much I or anyone will be able to do when the flu hits the city. I feared not its presence, but what it was about to do to the Mayanagri of crores and a country of billions that had already given passage to an incurable ailment – spreading rapidly with every second that passed by.

Oh, and it was just the beginning.” – Yash Sharma, Chapter 1 – Mayanagri (PANDEMIC 2020)

Can you talk about any interesting character from your book?

So the forerunners of my novel, PANDEMIC 2020 – Rife Of The Virus, are four distinctly inter-connected characters. Firstly, we have an ambitious journalist in India named Yash Sharma, who is navigating through the rights and wrongs during this worldwide outbreak. Then we have Alanna, a medical worker in the US, reflecting the helplessness of all the doctors and medical staffers during the COVID19 Pandemic. Thirdly, we have Huiqing, who is an impoverished boy in China and reflects the privations and sufferings of the poor ones during past few months. Lastly, we have Terrell, who is a stranded traveller in Italy with his partner who is pregnant. Overall, PANDEMIC 2020 gives us an exact creative account of what all went down, all around the world, in the past couple of months during this Corona Virus Pandemic.

SS: According to you which are the 5 books everyone should read and also Who are your top 3 Authors?

Books – A Song of Ice And Fire by George R.R. Martin, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Authors in that order as well.

SS: Tell us a bit about your family, likes and dislikes as a person.

So I have 4 members in my family including myself. My father works in the Volleyball Association Of India. My mother is a homemaker. My sister is pursuing her MBA, and has previously been the university Gold Medalist not once, but twice. I come from a long-line of writers, some of whom were inclined towards literature like me, while others more so towards academics. My paternal grandfather had been in the Army, and was a renowned academician. My maternal grandfather, too, was a reputed academician but he’s also an author of many acclaimed books and literary pieces of works.

What I like as a person is, well, so much of work to do that I feel completely caught up all day long. Seriously, haha! Being busy and in action is what I like the most; to be on the stage, address huge gatherings, or creating an impact with my words and endeavours.

What I do not like is sitting idle, and/or not doing anything. Even on the “relaxation-days” I try to keep myself busy with something or the other. That’s how I am, so yeah!

SS: Could you share few lifestyle changes for Young people of your generation?

I think self-doubt is perhaps one of the greatest issues that the youngsters of today are burdened with, or end up burdening themselves on their own with. We have so many youngsters with so much potential. Yet, they doubt whether they’re capable or good enough or not. And at the end, sometimes, they end up giving up on their own dreams and goals. As a youngster myself, I can assure you that our youngsters can do wonder. The best way to cope up with this self-created psychological issue is by trying- by taking that first step toward whatever you’re passionate about, no matter how difficult it might seem like. Just try, take that first step, and don’t look just at what was but more on what “Can Be” – what all you can achieve in life if you simply take begin working towards all your latent capabilities.

SS: Reading helps people to learn from others experience, while writing helps in self-realization, our limitations, aspirations and strengths can be weighed against what I perceive to what I am as an individual. Shouldn’t writing be given equal importance to reading? What do you think about sharing stories initiative of, “World Harmony Through Writing”?

Absolutely. Reading and Writing goes hand-in-hand. Like we say that whatever you get to learn or take in, you need to practically implement it as well. Just like that, I think the process of reading is all about taking in and the process of writing is all about giving it out. I myself am more of a writer, actually, than a reader. But still, I surely acknowledge the fact that both of these are equally important in our society today.

This initiative of yours is really remarkable, and definitely the need of the hour. You’re not just promoting literature, but also the torch-bearers of the literature of today. That is an excellent step being taken, and I wish the team of sharing stories all the very best for it!