#MeToo: Chetan Bhagat says he's not a harasser; allegations have affected him, his family

"In a jungle, a lion's cub, initially fed by his/her mother, eventually has to learn how to hunt. He/she needs to sharpen the claws and learn how to use them. For humans, claws represent the mind," Bhagat said.

According to Bhagat, a sharp mind can do wonders in any situation. And for those with no material wealth in life, education is the stepping stone to sharpen one's mental faculties, and rise above one's station, he shared with the audience.

While he loves surfing the Internet (he has a sizeable social media following), chatting with friends and watching cute puppy videos, his mantra is very clear: ‘Work first, fun later’.

If ol' habits die hard, good habits stay. And that's why the bestseller writer feels that it's essential to inculcate good habits that will see you through life. And if you've ever been lazy or lacked discipline to complete a task, fret not: what matters most is getting back on track.

Bhagat said that as a child he would seek refuge in the local, video game parlours for Re 1 instead of studying. But, somewhere, good sense prevailed and he didn't let that become a (bad) habit.

"Good habits are hard to develop and can seem like a pain, but are worth it," he added.

When Bhagat decided to choose a college, he started preparing for the IITs because it would make him employable and independent. In other words, empowered to look after himself.

And his message to the audience was: Equip yourself to one day not be dependent on anyone - this applies to everyone, but especially to girls, and women.

As more women break barriers and assume non-conventional roles, they are setting new limits for themselves, he said. And this is becoming possible because women are feeling empowered to take on challenges and excel in roles that were previously dominated by men.

Failure, often, pulls one down, and pushes a person to the brink of taking an extreme step. Bhagat revealed that he, too, once wanted to end his life in school because he didn't fare well in Chemistry exams.

"Anxiousness and failure can play mind games with you. But, it is up to you to learn from your experiences and move on," he shared.

In an increasingly cynical world, it's important to hold one's stead, and stay positive.

Wonder why people love reading Bhagat's novels? Well, the author when asked, quipped: 'Because I care for my readers'.

"I have made reading easy, try to keep my stories fun, and my books highlight problems of my readers," he said.

And the engineer-turned-author reiterated that while it is okay to be self-centered when achieving one's goals, one should never forget those who may have helped you in your journey.