An inspirational story of sheer perseverance

T. Mohanchandran, an engineer with a passion for academics and environment, manages two schools. He calls himself a villager at heart, who feels the pain of others and is always willing to extend a helping hand. His book Can My Life Be Of Any Assistance? is his attempt to inspire young people by writing about his life that began in a village, playing barefoot football and spending nights in tree houses, and going on to reach a top position at an MNC.

What made you write the book now?
I thought my experiences in India and abroad may be useful for aspiring and young people trying to make a career and life for themselves. It’s not easy for a young man from a village to get into a multinational corporation MNC and reach a top position. If I can do it, so can others.

Which genre draws you the most as a reader and a writer?
As a reader, I am attracted to inspirational stories and motivational books. As a writer, simple stories of ordinary people, whose lives appear routine from outside but hide turbulent emotions in them, attract me.

Which part did you enjoy writing the most and why?
About my career… it is not an easy task to work in a company where you feel completely alienated initially and which is culturally so diverse, and still reach a coveted position.

Which is the best opening line in a book that you have ever read?
It’s from What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey. It goes like “When was the last time you laughed with a friend till your sides hurt or dropped the kids off with a sitter and went away for an entire weekend?”