I grew up in Mumbai and had a very active childhood. All our summers were spent outdoors. In fact, my English teacher once told me that my grades were not important because I was doing so well in every sport that I needed to concentrate on them.

I went to Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, and I loved it. In school, I was always playing rugby or swimming, boxing, or dabbling in gymnastics. I was not a quiet child. My father was always being called to school for they wanted to suspend me for one thing or the other. He would hear them out and then all of a sudden, hit the ceiling. He would tell them that it was hard enough taking care of me at home, but did they want him to sit with me in school as well?

During a certain phase in my childhood I wanted to work in a wildlife reserve or a marine sanctuary. But then, I also wanted to be a commando, a fireman, and a steam engine driver.

I took to reading later. One of the first books I’d read outside my textbooks was called Flat Stanley. I started reading independently when I was in Class VII. The Outsider by Albert Camus made quite an impact on me. I also loved reading the parables in The Bible (the illustrated version) for the narrative in them.

I had a great group of friends. Each of us have followed a different path and we don’t meet much, now. But when we do it seems like yesterday once more.

I love travelling. I’d gone to England once, to sail back in a four-man yacht, but as luck would have it, I missed the boat. I lived in caves in Matala in Crete for a full month and only spent $147. I had an argument with our trekking guide in Bhutan who ran away during the second night on a week-long trek. The problem was, he ran away with half our food! There are several more bizarre things that happened to me in a number of places — Tibet, Vietnam, Peru and so on. In fact, I’m planning to write a book on all my misadventures.

Just remember you have to get up and act on your dreams. My bank balance fluctuates between relative comfort to embarrassingly abysmal depths. But I sleep well, knowing I have made the choice myself.