From street to CEO seat with 'Slumdog' author

The opening line of The Accidental Apprentice, the third and latest novel by Vikas Swarup, reads: "In life you never get what you deserve: you get what you negotiate."

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Published: 1:28pm, 14 Sep 2014

The opening line of , the third and latest novel by Vikas Swarup, reads: "In life you never get what you deserve: you get what you negotiate." Through the world of corporate business, Swarup tells the coming-of-age story of the novel's narrator - a 21st-century version of the story in which, he says, "instead of Prince Charming, Cinderella is offered the CEO-ship of a US$10 billion company". Swarup, who has worked as a diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for 28 years, shot to international acclaim after his debut novel, , was made into the 2008 film . His latest book questions the stereotype that to be successful in the corporate world, an executive must have a formal education. Swarup spoke to about his writing career and why he believes the qualities required to become a top CEO aren't very different from what it takes to succeed in everyday life.

When I was looking for a subject for my third book, it struck me that old books such as by Machiavelli and , the ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, talked about the attributes of a good king. Today, most business books talk about the attributes of a good CEO. In fact, CEOs have become the equivalents of kings. So I thought it would be an interesting premise to set a story in the world of business - but with a total greenhorn as the protagonist who gets a tantalising offer to become the CEO of a company.

The point I am trying to make in the book is that the qualities you need to succeed in business are the same qualities you need to succeed in life - resourcefulness, decisiveness, integrity, courage.