About Me

 I am Atul Chaturvedi, from Firozabad, a city known across the world for its glass industry.

I have spent a large part of my life in business, particularly glass manufacturing and international exports. My work gave me opportunities to travel, meet people from different countries and backgrounds, and experience things that went far beyond business itself. Looking back, I feel that some of the most valuable lessons came not from books or offices, but from people, places and situations I encountered along the way.

History, literature and travel have interested me since my younger days. I have always enjoyed discovering the stories behind places, events and people, particularly those that do not always find a place in conventional accounts of history.

My book Siyahat Meri Syahi Se grew out of this interest in travel and storytelling. I have also been working on the history of India's glass industry, a subject closely connected with my family, my city and my own experiences.

Politics and public life have been another important part of my journey. My association with the Indian National Congress, including contesting the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Firozabad, has given me an opportunity to understand politics beyond newspaper headlines and television debates. I am particularly interested in democracy, social justice, governance, and the concerns and aspirations of ordinary people.

Over the years, I have come to believe that life rarely teaches us in a straight line. Our experiences, successes, failures, friendships, travels and even seemingly insignificant incidents shape the way we think.

I enjoy writing about these experiences, sometimes seriously, sometimes with humour and occasionally with a little nostalgia. My memoir series, ज़िंदगी मेरी?, is one such attempt to revisit the people, places and incidents that have stayed with me over the decades.

This blog brings together my interests in literature, history, travel, business, politics and society. Some articles are based on personal experiences, others on historical research or observations of contemporary events. There will also be opinions with which readers may agree or disagree.

I have never believed that growing older should mean becoming less curious. There is still much to read, understand, question and write about.

And perhaps that is the real reason I continue to write.

Atul Chaturvedi

Firozabad, India