Avay Shukla became an "unserious writer" after retiring in December 2010 from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) having reached the dizzying heights of Additional Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh.
His crowning achievement was the establishment of two national parks.
Having fallen in love with Himachal's mountains and forests, he's been foolish enough to trek to its remotest regions, documenting the lifestyles of the hardy villagers, as well as the local myths, legends, and anecdotal trivia, resulting in his books The Trails Less Travelled: Trekking the Himachal Himalayas and Spectre of Choor Dhar: Tales from the Mountains.
He amuses himself with passable bridge and bad golf.
