We lived in a huge bungalow in Pune during my childhood. The compound had a big guava tree. Since I was a kid, I would badger my brother, who is older than me by five years, to get me some of the guavas. But each time he went up on the tree, and I pointed out the choicest fruit, he would invariably pluck them and put them in his pocket. Then, after I had spent hours fretting over them, he would finally hand me the guavas. He also taught me how to take off the husk of a coconut, and even today I take pride in the fact that I can do the task in minutes!

In the Sixties, Pune used to be a quiet town. One could cycle from one end of town to another in just half an hour. So I would take my bicycle to school, come back, and go back again if I had practice. The town really was that small. At M.E.S. High School ? that?s where I studied ? I used to be in the thick of things outside the classroom. I was the drummer and the leader of the school band and was in charge of the team in the drill competition. I also played table tennis and throwball and, with my gang of six friends, had a great time.

Nce I was given a role in a children?s play. I was to play a friend of the princess and only opted for the role because I would get to perform three dance recitals. I loved being on stage so much that I was finally cast as the princess herself.

N my 18th birthday, I walked up to my brother and asked him to teach me how to ride a scooter. He agreed, but the catch was that I would have to haul the scooter out of the house of the house everyday and prop it up on the stand. As I dragged the scooter out, I would feel really irritated with him for making me do all the hard work. It took me only a few hours to learn to ride it, but this ritual continued for eight days. I realised much later why he made me do that ? it is much more difficult to park the scooter, than to ride it.