Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Keerti Singh, Jamia Millia Islamia
The Proustian self-introspection.
[By The Delhi Proustians]
The Proust Questionnaire represents a form of interview that owes its structure to answers given by French novelist Marcel Proust, the author of In Search of Lost Time, at two birthday parties that he attended at ages 13 and 20 in the late 19th century.
In 2013, The Delhi Proustians takes Les confidences de salon (Drawing room confessions) around the city to explore people’s lives, thoughts, values and experiences. This series involves interviews across Delhi and is conducted by writers Manika Dhama and Mayank Austen Soofi.
For the ninth instalment in the series Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire, Keerti Singh made confessions to Manika within the precincts of Jamia Millia Islamia, where Ms Singh is pursuing her Masters in Psychology.
Your favorite virtue or the principal aspect of your personality
Peace-loving nature
Your favorite qualities in a man
Strong headed, knows what he wants and how to get it
Your favorite qualities in a woman
Loving, comforting
Your chief characteristic
Friendliness
What do you appreciate the most in your friends?
Their helping nature.
Your main fault
I get too complacent at times and in turn lose focus
Your favorite occupation
Artist! Just being able to express through any medium – colours, music, anything
Your idea of happiness
A hill-top house, a fire place, a big library of books (even if I don’t read them much), a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and someone special to share all this with
Your idea of misery or what would be your greatest misfortune?
To lose someone before you have all of him/her.
If not yourself, who would you be?
An Egyptian queen
Where would you like to live?
High up on the mountains in the lap of nature
Your favourite colour and flower
Red or blue, sunflower
Your favorite bird
Little sparrows. Sadly they are endangered
Your favorite prose authors
I haven’t read much literature. But, some works of Oscar Wilde intrigue me
Your favorite poets
Oscar Wilde again
Your favorite heroes in fiction
Batman, Ethan Hawke in any film
Your favorite heroines in fiction
Invisible woman
Your favorite composers
Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley and the Indian duo Vishal and Shekhar
Your favorite painters
Myself
Your heroes/heroines in real life
My dad
What characters in history do you most dislike?
All of the ones who chose violence to attain power
Your heroines in World history
Margaret Thatcher
Your favorite food and drink
Pasta and chicken salad with a glass of red wine
Your favorite names
Antariksh
What do you hate the most?
Liars and people who conspire for selfish motives
The military event you admire the most
World War II and the Kargil war
The reform you admire the most
Women empowerment and education reforms
The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with
Higher mental abilities
How do you wish to die?
I wish to die enjoying old age
What is your present state of mind?
I am calm because today’s agenda was met with (submitting my Masters’ assignments before the deadline). I am also excited because the next few days have their own to-do list
Faults for which you have the most tolerance
Impatience
Your motto in life
Live and let live
Diving deep within, like Marcel
1.
2.
3.
4.
🙂
I’m the editor of Jamia Journal – JMI’s independent student newspaper. I wish to get in touch with the author Manika Dhama? An email address maybe? Or you can pass my email address: editor[at]jamiajournal.com.