Meet Krishna Kumar, a passionate historian and analyst delving into the depths of India’s rich past with a particular emphasis on the British Period. With an unwavering commitment to his craft, Krishna analyzes the past events and their impact on present-day India’s economy, behavior, and general life.
A resident of New Jersey, he has spent over four decades in management and entrepreneurship before retiring to focus on his true passions: writing and research. With two post-graduate degrees under his belt, he brings a wealth of expertise in management analysis, decision-making, and team leadership to his work.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Author Krishna Kumar finds joy in spending time with his wife, children, and three grandchildren. Alongside his love for writing, he enjoys indulging in theatre, watching TV, and reading thrillers.
Inspired by the Mahabharata and favorite authors like Mario Puzo and Daniel Silva, Krishna’s ultimate goal as an author is to uncover the truth. His most treasured memory? Being published at the age of 13, igniting a lifelong passion for storytelling and discovery.
Krishna’s interest in Indian history and analysis began early on, nurtured by his father’s involvement in the fight for independence and his extensive travels across the world, stimulating discussions about various global historical events and their implications.
The family’s vast library, now lost to time, served as a cornerstone for their intellectual explorations, making dinner time and post-dinner conversations a regular forum for lively debate and exchange of ideas.
These insightful conversations, often fueled by the perspectives of his father’s comrades and cousins, laid the foundation for Krishna’s insatiable curiosity and analytical prowess.
These discussions often yielded perspectives and conclusions on both past and current events that diverged significantly from the mainstream narrative found in media and books. Particularly intriguing were the insights shared by one of Krishna’s father’s friends, who had served a long time as a jailor during the British Period.
Krishna, consequently, developed a keen ability to discern and sift through information, separating fact from fiction before arriving at any conclusions or forming opinions.
Despite pursuing a career unrelated to history for most of his life, books and the pursuit of knowledge remained steadfast companions. With the advent of the internet, a vast repository of historical resources became readily accessible, allowing Krishna to explore diverse viewpoints and deepen his understanding of the past.
His thirst for knowledge transcended borders, leading him to travel extensively across multiple countries and continents. Visiting museums and travelling across multiple countries in multiple continents further enriched his perspective.
Three years ago, Krishna Kumar made a pivotal decision to turn his lifelong passion for history into a full-time pursuit. Embracing his calling as an author, with a focus on the British occupation period of India, Krishna intends to illuminate this pivotal era through a series of books, delving into its complexities and uncovering its enduring impact on the Indian subcontinent.
For readers eager to connect with the author and delve deeper into his world of historical exploration, the author can be reached at the following social media handles:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Krishnakwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krishnakumarusa/
Website: https://krishnakwrites.com/
Follow him on these platforms to stay updated on his latest works, insights, and musings on history and literature.
At bookGeeks, we were fortunate to engage in an enriching conversation with the author Krishna Kumar. Here, he shares his insights into his writing process, his love for books, and tantalizing hints about his upcoming works.
| Tell us about the work you did in your professional sphere. How has it shaped you as a person and as a writer? |
| I became interested in analyzing political and historical events because of my family background. But I pursued a career in an industry that had nothing to do with History, politics, or writing books. I did write a few articles in my professional field. My work required extensive travel, and hence, I was able to pursue an interest in reading books. My interest lies primarily in Indian and Roman History and political analysis. For most of my adult life, Google did not exist, so books and research were done differently. Another advantage of travel was visiting museums globally. The biggest takeaway from my professional work is getting to the primary matter when the information is confusing, often inadequate, and contradictory. Therefore, developing analysis and cutting to the chase has become a habit. |
| What inspired you to delve into the events of 1942 and explore their impact on British rule in India? |
| I learned from my father, who was a freedom fighter, as well as his friends, some of whom were even in British administration, that History taught to us about the freedom struggle, and life was very different in reality. Reading books/magazines, I found this to be correct as well. When I decided to retire from my profession three years back, I researched and studied more books and documents of this period. The year 1942 turned the tide of India's fortunes in many ways, and the events were so significant that these needed an entire book of their own. I continue to work on my main book on freedom struggle from 1920-1950. |
| Can you share any challenges you faced while researching and writing this book? |
| I had to get some books from India, and the biggest challenge is that, as an NRI, I can’t get access to the national information portal. I miss the fact that I cannot go to some places and research original documents due to distance. |
| Were there any surprising discoveries you made during your research that didn't make it into the book? |
| Yes, I will cover many in the other book. I could barely cover some of them in this book as the events here primarily focus on 1942, and prior and subsequent events are covered only as context. There are two examples of information that are outside of public discourse that I have covered in this book. First, Burma (now Myanmar) was the world's second-largest rice exporter and a vast supplier to India. After it was lost to the British in 1942, imports stopped, and eventually, it became one of the reasons for the Bengal Famine, as other sources did not fill the shortage. Second, according to the Chatfield doctrine, the defense of British Outposts like Singapore, Malaya, and Hongkong was the responsibility of British India. This answers why there were such a large number of British Indian Army soldiers there. |
| How did you approach the task of condensing such a vast and complex topic into just 172 pages? |
| Focusing on the topic, removing other stories/events, and intense editing, the book lost about 25% of what I had written earlier. |
| Beyond historical research, what other interests or hobbies do you pursue? |
| Travel used to be one of my primary interests earlier. Now, it is theatre, reading thrillers, and watching some TV. |
| What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are interested in tackling historical subjects? |
| I am hardly qualified to comment upon this. |
| What are some of your favorite historical books or authors, and how have they influenced your writing? |
| Many author I have read has consciously or subconsciously influenced me. The books I have read multiple times are Mahabharata - maybe about a hundred times, and I still find my understanding needs to be improved. The other one that I have re-read several times is The Godfather. I have read almost all the books of Daniel Silva. Right now, my library is about 900 books. |
| Lastly, please provide any hints or insights into your next writing project. |
| My next book is a collection of short stories in fiction inspired by Indian History and events. A history book of freedom struggle based on my research of 1920-1950, which should be pretty detailed, will follow. I'm still thinking about a Rapid Read Book about some myths of Indian History that need busting. |
| A few words for bookGeeks. |
| Your coverage is perceptive, in-depth, and fair. The fact that you cover so many genres is excellent. |
You can buy the latest book by Author Krishna Kumar ‘1942: When British Rule in India Was Threatened‘ using the link below.
