I am alone, but never lonely. You have always books around you.

Your principle should be to see everything and say nothing. The world changes so rapidly that if you want to get on you cannot afford to align yourself with any person or point of view.

I turned to the Partition experiences, which were churning in my mind. Then came my first novel Train to Pakistan.

I discovered that a diplomat's life is largely entertaining and meeting people. At the end of the day there's nothing. So I gave up.

I haven't any close friends. Friendship needs time to interact, sit down, gossip. I don't have that time.

I was unhappy with the jobs I did after law. I got into the diplomatic service. There again I had really little to do.

The last to learn of gossip are the parties concerned