This story is not only for civil service exam aspirants

CHENNAI: This book is a story about aspirations, peer pressure, love and disappointments involved in the life of the protagonist Vishy who prepares for the civil services exam,” said K Vijayakarthikeyan, commissioner of Coimbatore Municipal Corporation at the launch of his book, ‘Once Upon An IAS Exam’ on Sunday.

The book is set in a bustling civil services exam coaching hub of Anna Nagar and is a light-hearted account of the stress, struggle, trials and tribulations faced by millions of candidates who prepare for this exam.

“I have written the book in a way that will appeal to people of all age groups,” said Vijayakarthikeyan. “It is not a book that is meant only for civil service aspirants. I wanted it to be an enjoyable read for everyone. It is not preachy and has been written in a very conversational tone. I wanted it to be a story with motivation and fiction is a way that one can get the message across effectively,” he said.

He said the protagonist’s focus and determination to achieve success in his love and career despite rejection, failure and self-doubt made it an emotional and inspiring read. Film director Mohan Raja unveiled the book and spoke of his immense respect for bureaucrats which was one of the reasons that drove him to make his film, ‘Thani Oruvan’.

“Politicians are masters, but bureaucrats are the real rulers of administration,” he said. “People like Vijayakarthikeyan are my last hope on the Indian democracy because of their sincerity. Writing is an art and I admire Vijayakarthikeyan for managing it despite his packed schedule.” The author has written three Tamil books and hinted at a sequel to this book.  

“It is very important to do activities for your physical and mental well-being,” the author said. “I made it a point to write because it made me happy. I would sleep satisfied when I had written something. It helped me de-stress and express myself.”