I started reading at the age of two and a half years; my first book was a fairy tale about a young panda – it was mostly pictures with an odd dialog or two. After that, I never stopped. At the age of four, my mother made me a subscriber to a local monthly children’s magazine. I still remember that I used to finish that in a week or so and used to revise it until the next one came. According to my mother, whenever I went out in the streets, I used to read all the banners and signposts, regardless to anything. At present, I am a proud owner of more than a thousand books (both Bangla and English). I simply love to read. Nothing else gives me as much pleasure. It often gets difficult for my parents to get me up to eat or bathe when I sincerely start to read a book.

The experience of reading is simply unequaled. Just a mere turn of a page takes me to places far beyond my imagination. It takes me on a journey around the world, under the sea, out in deep space or even inside the bio-mechanism of living beings.

In addition, my reading has its greatest effect on my writing. As I get in term with different styles and magnificence of writing (for example – Jules Verne, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, Isaac Asimov, Salman Rushdie, Michael Crichton, Douglas Adams, Christopher Priest), I learn to improve my own writing capabilities. In this regard, I was rewarded with an “A” grade in O-Level English Language Examination, a distinction achieved by only seven students from our class. I am very much indebted to all those writers who have guided me.

Other than books my other fascination is music. In this aspect I have a wide and strange variety of choices. On one hand I like to listen to classical instrumental music (flute, tabla, santoor etc.), while on the other hand, I listen to western heavy metal songs. Yes! It’s really a strange combination – but that’s what I like. My listening to music depends totally on my mood. I guess anyone can estimate h e mood I’m in by the music I’m listening to at that particular moment. I listen to music even when I’m studying. Actually the music (whatever kind it might be) helps to block out all the other things happening in my surroundings and so I can concentrate on my studies even better! My friends call me crazy…. but I don’t care.

Apart from these two, I like to play cricket and watch cartoons! Sounds childish? Well, that’s exactly what my parents say. But come on. I fell like having some innocent, funny relaxation from time to time. As for cricket, I had a childhood dream about being a professional cricketer, but through time pressures from study, among other things, have weakened my fascination considerably. But even then, whenever we friends get a free time, we all head out for the cricket field. You can’t just forget your childhood dream, can you?