Autodriver Jagath Jyoti pens novel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Autodriver Jagath Jyoti defines himself as an introvert who is not connected to other drivers inspite of being in the business for decades. However, he quickly strikes a chord with every erudite person that travels in his autorickshaw and maintains a relationship with many of them. While releasing his first novel Changing Rose earlier this week he credited many auto passengers who became his mentors.

Changing Rose revolves around a writer Krishnendu who had the ability to write things in his life before it actually happens. The story takes a turn when three youths happen to read his book. Mr Jyoti, a bachelor,  started penning the novel in 2012 despite an 11- hour working schedule.

“I wrote this in the form of a movie script. Some of the friends I made during auto journeys were Malayalam Phd holders and newspaper sub-editors. They suggested that I tweak it into a novel and take out difficult words from it. Finally I am here with the 187-page novel,” said Mr Jyoti.

Changing Rose is a popular hibiscus flower which changes colour and the changing shades in the protagonist’s life prompted Jyoti to give such a title. Born in a financially backward family at Muttada, he started penning stories since childhood.  Unfortunately, all that he had written were washed off in a flood a few years ago, says the man who is in his 50s.

After Class XII, Mr Jyoti, studied ITI but continued to read Malayalam literature from that of M.T. Vasudevan Nair to K.R. Meera. Earlier this week, novelist George Onakkoor gifted the first copy of Changing Rose to noted educationalist Achuthsankar S. Nair. Mr Jyoti says he is tense because he published the book on his own - on a credit basis - from a printer as he did not know how to get a publisher.  Though only 1,500 copies were printed, around 200 had been sold just two days after the release, he said.