A tete-a-tete with author Nidhi Dalmia on the release of his book Afternoon.
Nidhi Dalmia seeks personal fulfilment in the art of writing. The authorentrepreneur has launched his latest novel Afternoon published by Rupa Publications. Set in the Bay Area, New York, Kashmir and Delhi in the late 1960s, the story intertwines with the significant cultural, student, sexual and intellectual revolutions taking place around that time. “It is the story of a young student finding the love of his life, and two young women whose lives intersect with his at different points of time. It best reflects how our lives are shaped by the choices we make and factors beyond our control,” elaborates Dalmia.
Born into one of India’s oldest industrial families of the Dalmia Group, Nidhi Dalmia was surrounded by a business and industry culture in his childhood. His late father, Ramkrishna Dalmia, was a pioneer in several new industrial fields. Through hard work, innovation and risk taking, he rose from a humble background to a top self-made industrialist. Watching his father, Dalmia learnt to be kind and compassionate. “I would see my father dealing with day-to-day factory problems. Business was a way of life,” he recalls. An alumnus of St Stephen’s College, Delhi, Dalmia pursued his postgraduate education at Oxford University and the Sorbonne and Management Education at Harvard Business School.
Spiritual leanings
Coming from a business background, what he cherishes the most was the spiritual environment prevalent at home, and the spiritual influences that were as strong as the religious ones. There were two beautiful temple rooms in the house adorned with shlokas on the walls. His father would meditate and recite shlokas loudly, which gave Dalmia an abiding belief in the Supreme Being. Vedas and Upanishads were also a part of his home schooling, making him well versed in Hindi and Sanskrit. Kathopanishad and Kenopanishad were his favourite Upanishads, and he yearned for moksha.
Dalmia acquired a vast selection of Hindi and Sanskrit books collected from Chowkhamba, Munshi Ram Manohar Lal in Nai Sarak, Gita Press, Gorakhpur and Banarasi Dass. He read the 11th skandh of the Bhagwat Puran and Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata and the Uttar Kand of Ramcharit Manas.
Brahmvaivarta Purana gave him a lot of metaphysical insight. All this spiritual influence became a part of Dalmia’s sensibilities and subliminally entered in his writing.
The spirit of writing
“Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going? My father taught me to ask these questions to myself. I would wander around the dark galleries of the house and come across a reflection in the mirror and wonder who I am!” he recalls. His father had written some books and booklets like Fearlessness and One World Government. His mother was scholarly and wrote poems, especially during the freedom struggle. His siblings also came out with home magazines with articles by the family. As a result, reading and writing became a part of his sense of values, during his growing up years, and there was always free time for creativity.
In 2017, Dalmia launched his debut novel Harp, a coming-of-age love story which made headlines due to the captivating cross-border relationship. His latest book Afternoon encapsulates the essence of love, cultural revolutions and the challenges of intercontinental relationships. The author’s unique perspective and masterful storytelling make it a must-read for anyone looking for a thought-provoking story.
Writing apart, Dalmia is a member of several prestigious professional bodies, and has held diverse business responsibilities, especially in the manufacturing sector. He divides his time between Delhi and Paris.
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