BY ARTI DAS
‘Zero Percentile, Missed IIT Kissed Russia’ is not just another book based on the life in IIT. It goes beyond, to relate budding writer, Neeraj Chhibba’s growth in the institute.  During his recent visit to Goa from Delhi he spoke to ‘The Navhind Times’ about his book and also about Goa being his dream place to do some writing
Neeraj Chhibba

, a budding writer from Delhi, is like any other average Indian, who studied engineering and is now working for a MNC and leading a normal life.
But, unlike others he is among the few who thought of penning down his experiences in a book that is now among the bestsellers of India.
He is the author of ‘Zero Percentile, Missed IIT Kissed Russia’ that was released in November 2009 and is already gone for a print run five times.
Chhibba was recently in Goa for a vacation and to get the creativity juices flowing for his second book. Creative writing was something he was always good at and it was only now that he was taking it forward.
Engineering and IIT are hot topics for writers, especially after the super success of Chetan Bhagta’s ‘Five Point Someone’ that was followed by a movie based on it called ‘3 Idiots’, which was also a huge success.
However, Chhibba begs to differ, “Actually this book is a non-IITian’s perspective on IIT. It actually sends out a message that life does not stop at IIT.”
Like many first time authors his book is also based on life experiences. He confesses, “Around 25 per cent of the book is based on personal experiences, but rest all is fiction.”
Chhibba, like thousands of aspiring engineering students, tried his luck at IIT but failed to get admission. This did not stop him from achieving his dream. He then received a scholarship under the Indo-Soviet Student Exchange Programme at Volgograd, one of the five ‘Hero Cities’ in Russia to complete his mechanical engineering. “Russia is very different from India and I had to complete my studies in Russian. But, I opted for Russia as they are advanced in space and nuclear technology,” he says.
Thus, we witness a mention of Russia in his book and the challenges the protagonist faces. The book looks at the humane side of the Russian society. The time explored in the book is the tumultuous 90s when Russia was changing from a communist to a capitalist state. Interwoven in the story is the part about the lives of Russian war heroes who were a part of the World War II.
The book, very subtly, also raises the issue of AIDS and how young people need to be careful with their sex lives without being preachy.
In a nutshell ‘Zero Percentile’ is the story of a survivor who continuously finds solutions to his problems, braving destiny along the way.
It is true with Chhibba also, who is fighting hard to maintain his creative side. He admits that taking writing as a full time profession is not a very practical idea as there are not many takers. “Not so many people read now. So, it is not financially feasible to depend only on writing. But, in my heart I am a fulltime writer,” he assures.
At present he is busy with his second book, which is roughly based on the life of a person who has just passed engineering. “It is just a vague idea in my mind and I am still thinking about it.”
When asked whether he got any creative inspiration in Goa, this is what had to say. “Goa is indeed a wonderful place for a creative person. You can actually come down here, sit and write peacefully. I just dream sometimes to settle here and do my writing.”
About the book: As a brilliant young boy Pankaj never imagines that he will ever be swamped by problems. Life with his friends Motu and Priya is fun. Always destined to go to IIT, a cruel accident makes him end up in a place he had never heard of before, Volgograd – a Russian city.
At hostel, in Volgograd, life is entirely different. There, not brain but brawn rules, which lands him in jail after being induced into a gruesome brawl over food with other very powerful and aggressive hostellers. Under extreme peer pressure he tries hard to lose his virginity and then cope with the agony of his best friend Nitin getting infected with HIV.
After his father’s death, he struggles to sustain himself in a highly expensive, newly capitalist Russia. He takes the gauntlet of fighting all these adversities and emerges victorious ultimately only to succumb to love.