A graduate from Cornell University with a Bachelor degree in Applied Economics and Management, Suthar says he plans to become a business strategy consultant in Boston while continuing his passion for writing and spreading words of positivity.
Nihar Suthar’s latest book, The Corridor of Uncertainty, is a story untold and a journey unexplored. It is a story of triumph in the face of adversity underlining how a sport can impact a nation’s destiny while also mapping its footsteps on the international scale. In the words of Suthar, “The Corridor of Uncertainty, [is] an inspiring narrative about how the Afghan cricket team is uniting the country of Afghanistan, because it breaks so many boundaries.”
In this book, Suthar bravely discusses topics of segregation in mainstream media such as culture and religion in the Middle East, which he closely documented while interviewing the Afghanistan cricket team in Dubai and discovering their journey. Why Dubai and not Afghanistan, you may ask? Suthar’s resolve to document the transforming and elaborate voyage teased the motives of a terrorist group, Taliban, and led them to threaten Suthar’s arrival to Afghanistan. “Before I even began writing The Corridor of Uncertainty in 2014, I marketed and promoted the background of the Afghan cricket team with my publisher through social media. Everybody loved the story, and it spread all around the Asia region. I also publicly announced my plan to go to Afghanistan and travel with the Afghan cricket team to interview players for my new book. Afterwards, within the next few weeks, I received messages threatening, ‘If you come to Afghanistan, the Taliban would find you and kill you.’ I took the threats seriously, because I was unsure if the senders of those messages were members of the Taliban. Either way, I think this experience shows that no matter what you do, you will always face obstacles and setbacks in life. You just have to find creative solutions to get around them,” Suthar explains.
For a young individual residing in the United States, it is not only brave but also inspiring to take up a challenging issue such as this. However, it seems the process has been a continuous one for Suthar who is not aloof to the social and cultural dynamics of developing countries. Hailing from India, Suthar has been a first-hand witness to the prevailing issues. The weight of negative stories in mainstream media was a trend he wanted to break, thus he decided to write and put the spotlight on positive avenues. “There are so many incredible stories that take place every single day around us… we just often fail to see them, because little attention is drawn to them. My aim is to bring those stories into the spotlight.”
His first book, Win No Matter What provides fantastic tips on how to own the terrible trio – mood, attitude, and those around us. A graduate from Cornell University with a Bachelor degree in Applied Economics and Management, Suthar says he plans to become a business strategy consultant in Boston while continuing his passion for writing and spreading words of positivity.
You have penned two books with contrasting genres – one on self-development and the other a true journey of cricketers. How do you find your inspiration?
Both of my books are certainly different from each other, but they have the same theme in common – they both contain positive messages. I find my inspiration to write such books from my guru, Pramukh Swami Maharaj. One of my favourite quotes that he once said was, “In the joy of others, lies our own.” Being able to improve the lives of other people through my writing is what drives me. I’m able to spread joy, and that in turn gives me happiness.
What would you describe as the most defining moment of your life so far?
During my first year of university, I was assigned to write a report on my family history. While interviewing some of my family members for the report, I found out that my own dad grew up in very poor conditions, living with six people in a 10ft x 10ft room in India. He never really talked much about this part of his life. My dad went through tough circumstances to make sure
my life would be comfortable. As a result of this report, I realized that everybody faces challenges in life, whether it’s poverty, or just a lack of resources. We can only overcome such challenges if we unite together and support each other. Behind every successful person, there is an even stronger support network. My most
defining moment in life was when I found out how powerful, unique, and unmatchable my own support network was.
Are you working on any new writing project at the moment?
I am, in fact, working on a new writing project! It’s a story about a man in Los Angeles who was falsely accused of several crimes and sentenced to over 17 years in prison. As usual, I’m writing the story from a positive perspective, about how the man was able to remain hopeful and good-natured throughout his isolated and sometimes even lonely years in prison. It’s a riveting, action-packed narrative that will take readers behind some of the most dangerous prisons in the world, with lessons on forgiving others even in the worst circumstances.
