Goodreads asked Rahul Mitra:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Rahul Mitra I got the idea for this novel during the India Against Corruption/Nirbhaya rape case/Jan Lokpal protests that took place in 2011-2012. I remember feeling very upset about the water cannons and lathicharges that students were subjected to at Rajpath in Delhi.

At that time, I was also searching for a suitable subject to write about and given the general feeling of dejection and gloom, I thought about writing of a similar period in Indian history where things looked very bleak on the surface but soon led to a period of renewal and hope. So essentially, I wanted to write to give myself and my readers hope.

I struck upon the period just following Alexander's invasion, a period when it looked like all of India might fall into the invaders lap, but which, instead, led to the emergence of the first all-India empire and to the Greeks being kicked out of India within the next 15-20 years. I was also struck by images of students being beaten and the parallels with the legends of the revolt of Takshashila University students under Chanakya which ultimately propelled Chandragupta Maurya to the throne of Magadha, and Bharatvarsha.

By any standards, it is a fascinating story and I feel that this period of Indian history, which was a glorious one, needs more books dedicated to it.

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