Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: Chief Secretary B B Vyas today released “Every sky is not blue” a compilation of short stories penned by KAS officer Vishal Sharma, who is presently posted as Additional Secretary to the Government, Finance Department.
Principal Secretary Home, R K Goyal and Principal Secretary Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary were also present on the occasion.
The author before joining the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service was working as a professional journalist. Besides working with Asian Age he was also a regular contributor for several leading dailies.
Vishal’s first book is a collection of 12 short stories and runs into 181 pages. The stories are set in the unique socio-political milieu of Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion Vyas lauded Vishal for his creative capabilities and said that despite having to work under tight schedule, he has been able to take time out to pen the stories of life. He wished the author great success in his future creative endeavours.
The compilation of stories by Vishal captures the quirks and eccentricities of everyday life. The author deftly moves between descriptions of life-changing events and moments of playfulness. Although, the characters often have to face difficult situations and make tough choices, they follow their heart. The diverse stories in this book are filled with wonder, excitement, curiosity, and intense emotions.
According to Vishal, these stories are a roller coaster ride of love and laughter, misery and loss, acceptance and escape. “These stories are about the choices that define the human struggles and enable, in the process, the protagonists to find greater meaning and purpose in life,” he said and added that the stories focus on the dark and the beautiful, right and wrong, black and white, and all shades of grey in between. “They are a tribute to the human spirit, an ode to the tireless struggles of ordinary men and women,” he said.