About Srujan Chowdary Panda
Srujan Chowdary Panda works as a technical lead in the software industry and is an aviation enthusiast. He is a curious and imaginative individual whose fascination with how things work has shaped his life’s journey. His inquisitive passion led him to Microsoft Flight Simulator, where he explored aviation with enthusiasm despite technical challenges. Intrigued by the mystery of MH370, he delved into crash documentaries, simulating scenarios and crafting a storyline that evolved into a screenplay. Undeterred by multiple rejections, Srujan, with his years of research, was able to transform his script into a novel, “The Mayday.”
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: I am Srujan Chowdary Panda. I have always been curious about everything. Aimlessly, I always used to think of how everything worked exactly, from microscopic elements to the massive terrestrial objects in the universe. Digging deep, I have discovered this beautiful site, fueling my curiosity about ‘how stuff works.’ Yes, it’s howstuffworks.com!
I used to explore the site every time, and everything that randomly showed up was a regular feast for my curiosity. Searching out of curiosity, I came across a simulator game with an image of a large flight’s wings spread across. It’s Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The larger the aircraft was, the bigger the game was. It weighed heavily on my machine, like fully loaded cargo. Despite the massive game running on a slower machine, I was always excited about the game with the background of roaring engines, realistic terrain, and fully loaded cockpit controls. As I played the game, passing on the levels and learning new controls, my knowledge and technical understanding grew with my curiosity.
And one day, I came across the news of the missing flight over the seas. And it was all suspense – no flight, no trace, and no clue. It was the missing aircraft, MH 370, one of the greatest mysteries in the history of modern Aviation.
With the limited knowledge I gained from the flight simulator game, I started exploring more crash documentaries and tried simulating them in my game. No engine; turn down an engine. No flaps; stopped using flaps. Unfortunately, I’ve never landed one safely, but I baked up a beautiful storyline.
Not knowing what to do with it, I started scribbling around. There is no concrete beginning and no discrete ending. As time passed, it ended as a screenplay. How easy is it to write it as (location – time – character – dialogue). I’ve managed to crush all the crashes into one document. I can’t believe it turned out to be 90 pages. I’ve tried reaching out to many for real-world information about the aircraft, but I was turned down in many aspects. The bad news is that I couldn’t find anyone to take it further for a decade, and despite all the good news, I never gave up on it.
With the never-ending quest of implanting my footprint in the world of Literacy and Aviation, the script took an unexpected turn into a novel. I’m not a voracious reader or writer; I’m just a blogger. I tried to frame each and every scene, listening to it over and over as if someone were narrating my own story to me. I finally made it this far and got copyrighted in India, the USA, and the UK.
Holding the book, I feel proud of my novel and confident about my work, which is not just framed out of thin air as an idea but as a solid memento of my life and career. Through my connections with my young and retired HAL uncle, I S Rao, reached out to my idealistic person from ISRO, who backed me through his circle, and the 7th unknown connection and well admirers of the artwork happened to be the officials of ATC, who finally suggested me with technical updates and added up suggestions from a general reader perspective.
Thus, the novel could make itself out of the distress call and stand tall as “The Mayday.”
LiFT: Why you chose this title?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: The choice of ‘The Mayday’ refers to a distress call at a pivotal moment that pilots make during their final moments. The title perfectly aligns with the story and stands as the core epitome, in line with the storyline.
LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a writer and what’s your inspiration behind it?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: I’ve always been fascinated by aviation, endlessly curious about how those massive metal giants manage to take flight. It really kicked off for me with the mystery of Malaysian Flight MH370. About ten years ago, I dove into flight crash documentaries, simulating scenarios and scribbling down everything that struck me. When I finally stepped back and looked at all the jotted notes, a storyline started to take shape.
Carefully weaving in the technical details, knitting the characters, garnishing all the incidents, and layering in the events, it all came together into a book I’m truly proud of. I’d always dreamed of leaving my footprint in the aviation world, and this novel turned that dream into reality.
What inspires me most is the chance to share aviation knowledge through my writing and spark curiosity in others. I want readers to feel the same awe I do about those metal giants and maybe even dive into the field themselves. And that’s the fire that keeps me going as a writer.
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: In ten years, I see myself as a recognized voice in the world of literature, particularly within a niche that blends aviation and storytelling. I imagine having published a few more of the novels by then, each one diving deeper into the mysteries and marvels of flight, perhaps even a series that keeps readers hooked on the technical intricacies and advancements of aviation. My goal is to have sparked a wave of curiosity, not just among readers who love a good story, but also among those who might pick up a book and then find themselves researching flight mechanics or even pursuing aviation themselves.
LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: Both quality and marketing matter in promoting a book. Well, one resonates its soul and the other remarks its presence. Think of it like a beautifully written manuscript paired with an inviting cover page where one draws readers in, and the other keeps them there. Quality builds a lasting connection with readers, and marketing ensures those readers find it in the first place.
LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: Through my novel, crafted as a compelling narrative, I aim to ignite awareness, share knowledge, and spark inspiration not only among the readers but also among the aviation community. I also want to remind the transformative power of storytelling itself.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: Apart from writing, I work as a technical lead in the field of Information Technology. Alongside, I spend a lot of time feeding my curiosity with the latest information when it comes to aviation. Beyond that, I explore astrophysics and new advancements.
LiFT: What are the activities you resort to when you face a writer’s block?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: I typically work on chunks of tasks at once. When I hit a wall while writing, I take my time off, take a power nap, or play with my pet which is my stress burster to clear my head. Then, I come back to have a fresh look at it.
LiFT: What if your story will be adopted as a movie? Whom would you want to work as a director or actors in it?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: I don’t have a concrete answer off the top of my head just yet. I’m not really a movie buff. Having said that, I can see this story having real potential for a screenplay, and I’m actually tinkering with it now. I’m currently working on it to bring it to life.
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.
Srujan Chowdary Panda: Yes, I’m deep into writing the next part, a continuation of this story. As the current book dives into the legendary legacy flight, the next one emphasizes cutting-edge aviation advancements with futuristic airlines and bold innovations taking flight.
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?
Srujan Chowdary Panda: I’m just a debut author, and honestly, I don’t have much to say about it. But I follow the principle of jotting down everything that I come across either in my notes or on a gadget. Once I’m free from the clutter of my professional work, I open my personal notes and prepare a rough draft. I polish the work with multiple iterations and prepare the final version.
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