Raising the stakes: How investment banker Anurag Tripathi became a bestselling author

(September 29, 2024) Anurag Tripathi, an acclaimed author known for his gripping thrillers, has made a mark in the literary world with his keen ability to capture human ambition and greed. His debut novel, Kalayug, delved into the underbelly of the art market, earning a nomination for the Raymond Crossword Book Awards, while his subsequent works, Dalal’s Street and The Goa Gambit, were praised for their riveting narratives set in high-stakes environments. Now based in Singapore, Tripathi’s foreign experiences deeply influence his writing, as seen in his immersive research in global casino cultures for The Goa Gambit. His extensive travels across Asia, Europe, and beyond add an authentic global dimension to his stories, making him a storyteller with a truly international lens.

A few years ago, on a flight to Goa, Anurag Tripathi bumped into a young man, from a village on the outskirts of Delhi NCR. The youngster had made 15 trips to Goa that year and was addicted to gambling, and everything that came along with it. He told Anurag that there were 40 other people from his village on the flight.

He went on to tell Anurag a fascinating story about gambling, booze and sex. The story got Anurag hooked and from there, he began his research into the seedy world of casinos, and the interesting lives of its patrons. Almost three years later, came The Goa Gambit — his third book.

Author Anurag Tripathi

Anurag is a social gambler and does like the occasional casino trip a couple of times a year. “However, once I began to research on this topic, I made several trips to the casinos in Goa along with those in other parts of the world,” smiles the acclaimed author, speaking to Global Indian.

Filled with his keen observations of people, Anurag’s debut novel Kalayug, which was on the art market in India, was nominated for the Raymond Crossword Book Awards in 2017. Dalal’s Street, his second, was called the Indian equivalent of the iconic Liar’s Poker by stock market veteran Manish Chokhani.

The Goa Gambit

The Goa Gambit is set in the glamorous world of the casinos of Goa, where powerful politicians, famous celebrities, the ordinarily rich, even the hoi polloi with money to lose, and those with dreams of just making a fast buck all gather to play. “There is glamour and high stakes and underlying menace in this fast-paced thriller, where a single roll of dice could win you an unimaginable fortune and a small misstep could cost you your life,” says Anurag, who visited casinos in Las Vegas, Monaco, Cairo, Colombo and Nepal, as part of his research on casinos.

The book takes readers into a high-stakes world where politicians, celebrities, and dreamers chase quick fortunes. The plot masterfully blends suspense, mystery, and a hint of romance, ensuring a thrilling reading experience from start to finish. “It took almost two years of research and writing to finish the first draft. Thereafter, almost another year for editing,” informs the author.

Kalayug

Among his three books, Kalayug, a thriller on the underbelly of the art industry in India stands out for Anurag. “It was my debut novel and is close to my heart. It is fast paced, with a simple plot involving 4-5 characters. When I began writing this novel, I knew nothing about the art industry. I researched along the way,”’ explains the Singapore-based author.

Kalayug gives readers an insight into the working of the Global Art Market, from art auctions, to art authentication process, to the world of fakes. “It has all the masala required to make a good thriller.”

So what are the ingredients that make for a thriller?  “An edge of the seat thriller needs to be fast paced, unputdownable, with a good balance between suspense and mystery. The plot needs to be tight and intriguing. The characters need to be flawed and unpredictable,” explains the author.

He says the entire process of researching, writing and publishing a novel takes approximately 3.5-4 years. “The first year is spent researching. I take around 12 months to write the first draft. Another 6 months is spent on editing and refining the draft,” informs Anurag. Once a publisher signs a contract, it takes another 12-18 months for the book to be available at bookshops.

Investment banker to writer 

Anurag says he was always a story teller with an uncanny ability to make the most mundane aspects of day-to-day life sound incredibly interesting and funny. “However, like everyone else, I was in a rat race doing a nine to six corporate job. I was never passionate about my work. I did it because it helped me to pay bills and make a living,” quips Anurag.

In 2013, his wife got an opportunity with her employer to take on a larger role in Singapore. “I quit my existing corporate job in India and joined her in Singapore. Thus, the writer who was always lurking in the shadows came to the forefront. This was beginning of the writing journey.”

Allahabad boy

Born June 15, 1977 at Allahabad, Anurag Tripathi’s father was in the Indian Civil Service. He is now retired. His mother is a housewife and Anurag has two younger siblings. He did his schooling from Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi.

He was an all-rounder in school. “I was above average in academics, played football for the school team and also dabbled a bit with quizzing. For my all-round personality, I was appointed a School Prefect,” informs Anurag, who took Science with Economics in his class 12th exam and passed with distinction in 1995. Thereafter, he did B.A.(Hons) Economics from Ramjas College, University of Delhi.

“I grew up reading James Hadley Chase, Frederick Forsyth, Jeffrey Archer and Sidney Sheldon. I like edge of the seat thrillers. I also read a lot of non-fiction,” he says.

At Work

Post college, Anurag joined a consulting firm, Arthur Andersen in 1998. He worked with them in the Tax and Business Advisory Practice for four years. Thereafter, he did his MBA from the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad in 2002-2003. He then joined ABN AMRO Bank from the campus on the consumer banking side.

In 2015, Anurag did a course in Advance Creative Writing from the University of Oxford, Department of Continuing Education. In 2021, he did a Masterclass in Script Writing from Aaron Sorkin.

Anurag Tripathi has been living in Singapore since 2013. An early riser, his day starts with a cup of coffee followed by a walk with his Toy poodle. By 8.00 am, he retires to his den. “I don’t leave the writing den unless I have penned down 500 words. Usually, I am done by noon, by which time the Indian stock markets open,” smiles the author, who then spend a few hours dabbling in the stock market.

So what’s coming next?

The acclaimed author says his first three novels are commercial thrillers which have dealt with human greed and ambition and he gradually raised the stakes with each successive novel.

“While in Kalayug and Dalal’s Street, money was at stake, in The Goa Gambit both money and human lives are at stake. Going forward, I wish to raise the stakes significantly. Perhaps, a spy thriller on the India-China border, or a thriller involving the takeover of a nuclear power plant,” informs Anurag.

Foodie and Traveller

“Most people eat to live. I on the other hand live to eat,” smiles Anurag, who describes Singapore as a melting pot of different cultures and cuisines. He savours Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Korean, Indian, Srilankan, Greek, Turkish, French, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Peruvian, and many other cuisines. From 2016-2018, he lived in Paris, where he tried a variety of cuisines.

Anurag Tripathi has travelled extensively across Asia, Europe, Middle-East, North America, parts of North and East Africa. “I would like to further explore the African and the South American sub-continent. As for my next destination, it will be Mongolia,” informs Anurag, who confesses that he suffers from a severe case of wanderlust, travelling and exploring worlds lesser known.

Among the few books he recently read are Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, Quit by Annie Duke, and The Republic by Plato.

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