Vikas Swarup

“It is in the genes of cities to bounce back from disasters - whether natural or man made. The denizens of suburbia have no choice but to survive and move on. But it is the manner in which different cities respond to emergencies that sets them apart.”

“Sometimes street knowledge can be as important as book knowledge.”

“I am not into the unrealistic realm of magic realism where birds talk.”

“The slums are not a place of despair. Its inhabitants are all working towards a better life.”

“I get invited to many more literary festivals than I used to because I'm associated with 'Slumdog Millionaire,' the brand. Many more doors have opened up for me as a result of the global success of the film, although I believe that I'm the same person that existed before it.”

“I did not go to any creative writing workshop; I did not major in literature. If I can write, anyone can write. All it needs is imagination.”

“India may be the soul of world cricket, but IPL is its commercial heart. Just as 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' changed the ground rules for quiz shows by injecting a massive dose of money into the equation, IPL has changed the dynamics of the cricket economy.”

“Just because someone has gone to an elite school and college does not make him smarter than the person who has grown up on street knowledge.”

“The writer's is an interior world, a world of the mind.”

“I became completely addicted to 'Angry Birds' for a while.”

“It is a destiny of a woman to suffer in silence.”

“I want to show that the underdog can win. I believe we're all the same: you, a slum girl, my mother.”

“The first thing you have to understand is that I was not desperate to be a writer. I was never a closet writer filing away notes in a cupboard.”

“You should take a good look at all sides of an issue before making a decision. Put something away in case of an emergency. New neighbors will bring good cheer. A small problem may occur at home base, but you will solve it quickly and correctly. Don’t offer smart advice unless you are really asked to comment.”

“For me, the day job comes first. That's why I call myself a diplomat who writes, not a writer who masquerades as a diplomat. If the day job demands it, I won't write at all. I write in what I call 'the crevices of my day job', and that comes only on weekends.”

“I am neither a Bengali nor am I from Delhi's St Stephen's. I am an Allahabad boy.”

“The fight against international terrorism isn't just a fight against a bunch of misguided extremists; it is a fight to defend the values that we hold dear.”

“Train journeys are about possibilities. They denote a change in state. When you arrive, you are no longer the same person who departed.”

“I am very interested in human-interest stories emerging from modern India. I get my inspiration and daily dose by reading the 'Hindustan Times.'”

“People don't just want a mindless flick with a superstar; they want to connect more deeply.”