‘How to Win Admissions and Influence Visa Officers’ by Dinesh Pundir
“How to Win Admissions and Influence Visa Officers” is meant to help the growing community of students who plan to study in key international destinations for higher education, and are at different stages of the application process. Some are applying to secure admission, some are waiting for the tricky study-permit (visa), and some are stuck after being denied admission or a study-visa. The book, a first-in-the-series, is a compilation of assorted “Statement of Purpose” written by the author on behalf of the students.
These have helped innumerable students with admission, study-permit, and re-application after visa-denial. A must-have handbook for the aspiring international students. The last section of the book under “Miscellanea” is for everyone. Especially, the readers who have an interest in entrepreneurial careers will find it useful.
Author Interview
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I’m an IIT graduate and education consultant with over 14-years of experience in overseas education-counselling. After earning a first-class degree in engineering, I worked across India in various roles as a technical service engineer and marketing specialist, gaining hands-on experience in both technology and business development. Seeking broader opportunities, I relocated to the United States, where I explored professional roles in California and New York. On returning to India, I established a successful global education counselling & consulting enterprise, which continues to guide aspiring students in their academic journeys abroad. Additionally, I’m pursuing final-year Law studies with specialization in immigration and international law, in addition to civil and criminal law studies.
2. When did you decide that you wanted to be a writer?
On completion of five decades of my life, I began jotting down my ideas on paper for the first time. Gradually, a few hours of consistent writing developed and resulted in the first draft of my manuscript, “Memoirs of an Unknown Indian;” Sub-title: On religion, philosophy, & politics. This was the time when I decided that I wanted to be a writer. I’ve been writing ever since, and have written five books so far – fiction and non-fiction both. One is published and the rest are in progression. My upcoming books include: - ‘Memoirs of an Unknown Indian’ – a powerful non-fiction duology on religion, philosophy, and politics. - ‘The Final Wedding’ – a captivating romantic thriller partly based on true events. - ‘Around the Solar System in Ninety Days’ – a gripping science-fiction novel involving space exploration and international legal conflict.
3. Is it a financially stable career?
Writing being a creative field like music, arts, and cinema, may or may not be a financially stable career, but if one is willing to go the distance, through thick and thin, then, with a bit of luck on one’s side, it can turn out to be a highly rewarding profession.
4. Who is your favorite writer and why?
Stephen King! I like his writing style; he directly talks to his readers through his books, using a conversational tone and active voice. His style is a fusion of straightforward narrative and careful pacing, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.
5. Where does your inspiration lie?
My inspiration lies in observing nature, people, and events, besides my own life’s experiences, memories, and personal challenges. I also find ideas in deeper forms of engagement like science, mythology, philosophy, history, politics and through creative processes such as imagination, brainstorming, and being insanely inquisitive.
6. What does your typical day look like?
I begin my day around 5:30, with doing my bed as the first task of the day, which is followed by one to two hours of meditation. By 9:30, I’m at the desktop, with my computer on, doing my consulting work until 5:30 pm, with an hour of lunch break followed by a short power nap; and of course, squeezing time in between to read and write. A half hour in the evening is reserved for a moderate-intensity walk in the neighborhood park, with another half to one for getting news updates on TV and listening to some old evergreen Bollywood songs. An hour or so, before dinner, goes into the second session of the day’s meditation. Finally, I spend after-dinner hours with my laptop, catching up on my writing, promoting my literary and consulting work on social media until 11:30 to 12 midnight, before retiring to bed - to naturally re-energize myself for the next day’s stimulating work.
7. What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring writers?
My advice to the future aspiring writers is to maintain consistency, as it’s the only thing that can make possible what appears impossible – in every field, not just writing. Read a lot and write a lot, every day. Force yourself to open the book and begin reading, to open the manuscript and begin writing; as starting is tough, finishing is easy. Even reading a chapter and writing five-hundred words a day can aggregate to big accomplishments over time. With self-discipline and perseverance, it is indeed possible to become a published author of several books, even writing part-time, and who knows, with some luck on your side, you could become a famous author one day.
Available on:
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From the Editor's desk
Vanshika Gupta