1. What quality are you most attracted to in a person?

Honesty

2. Your happiest moment?

Seeing my work and drawings come to life on the stage and on the road…

3. Your secret fear?

My biggest fear is fear… It's crippling and prevents you from taking chances and risks in life.

4. Which living person do you admire most?

There are too many to choose from… To choose one would be unjust really… I've been fortunate enough in my life to be surrounded and touched by people who have inspired me and shown me through their experience what it is to live and fight for what you believe in. What it is to realise true talent and what the world has to offer.

5. What quality do you value most in your friends?

Honesty and support!

6. What is your greatest extravagance?

LIFE! I believe in living it up! lol

7. The place you would like to visit before you die?

EVERYWHERE!!!... I love to travel and experience new cultures and so I have started towards my goal of seeing the world before I die.

8. What is your favourite journey?

I have realised that in every season of my life I experience new things. My favourite journeys are the ones that I come out of with experience, learning and understanding. Whether the actual experience was bad or good, I feel great having been able to pull the positives from it.

9. What advice would you give to people wishing to enter your field?

Don't get discouraged…. Like anything in life, with perseverance passion and dedication, anything is possible (as cliché as that may sound, it's true!)

10. What is your current state of mind?

Calm and cool. With the mindset — Take life one day at a time and Live life with no regrets!

11. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Negativity

12. What is your greatest joy?

Joy is my greatest joy. I believe to be truly happy you must strive to be happy in everything you do, from work to play!.... Deepak Chopra says that "if your are happy in work, it's the closest thing we have to heaven on earth"

13. What is your biggest turn on?

Self confidence that doesn't border narcissism LOL… aannnd the ability to ole talk ! lol

14. What is your guilty pleasure?

Shoes, shoes and more shoes

15. What is your lowest depth of misery?

Lolololol. I don't think I've ever been at my lowest depth of misery. But I hope that when and if I do, that I am able to climb right back out!

16. What is your pet peeve?

Unrealised/under-realised talent and wasted opportunity

17. What do you get complimented most about?

My personality and spunk :O)

18. When was the last time you cried?

That would be the last time I laughed rreelll hard! *wink*

19. What was the first thing you did this morning?

Went back to sleep LOL (The band launch was yesterday!!! ah mash up still lol)

20. What do you consider your most cherished virtue?

Ummmm. I dont know if this is a virtue per se but I'd say my desire or practice of seeing good in people.

21. If you had one personal wish (which you alone can benefit from hence world peace, etc not applicable) what would it be?

That I can achieve everything that I want to achieve in my time. That I can leave or contribute something real and that the world could see what VAL has to give…. I mean, at the base of it all, what else can one really hope for?

Personal highlights Twenty-six-year-old Valmiki Maharaj is a mas designer and and event design consultant who has designed for the band TRIBE for the past six years. He has a Bachelor's degree, Honours, in management from the University of London and is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Art in Indian Classical singing at Bharatiya Vidya Sansthan in India.