In India, I spotted an elephant at this hippy street called Paharganj. In Canada, one doesn’t see animals on the streets. I never liked religion then but I tried to look at faith - the ability to believe without evidence. In India, I saw things that I had never seen before. I travelled the northern part of India for a few months in 1996. So, how and when did you get around to weaving a book like ‘Life of Pi’ that incorporates both the themes? You have said that neither religion nor animals are popular in Canada, your country. They do not care if daddy wrote ‘Life of Pi.’ They are not particularly impressed. My children were born after the book was published. However, all I had to do was close the door of my studio and write another book, one after the other. ‘Life of Pi’ created a lot of noise in my life. Creatively, however, life hasn’t changed much. The book has been translated into 55 languages, including seven Indian languages. It talks about zoos, something looked down upon in the western world. The book talks about religion, whereas the west is largely very secular. The book was dripping in irony and had a philosophical angle. Well, I did not anticipate the success of the book. How has your life changed due to the book?

In the past, you have said that you were surprised by its success. ‘Life of Pi’ continues to garner acclaim and has an international readership. Here are the excerpts: Yann Martel, celebrated author and winner of the prestigious Man Booker Prize, shared his experience of working on the book 'Life of Pi', at an event in Gurugram, on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.(HT Photo) Hindustan Times caught up with the author on the sidelines of the event. Yann Martel, the celebrated author of ‘Life of Pi’ and winner of the prestigious Man Booker Prize, was in Gurugram on Tuesday to speak to students at Shri Ram School, Aravali.

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