Kathmandu, March 2 -- Dinesh Adhikari is a famed poet and lyricist whose poetry collection 'Atirikta Abhilekh' was awarded the Madan Puraskar, Nepal's most prestigious literary award in 1999. Adhikari has received more than two dozen awards in his lifetime for his contributions to Nepali literature and music. He's behind the words to timeless classics such as 'Timi jun rahar le', 'Yo samjhine mann cha', 'Laija chari', and 'Pani pani', among others, sung by a host of famous singers, from the legendary Narayan Gopal to modern rock icon Yogeshwor Amatya. In this interview with the Post's Asmita Manandhar, Adhikari shares his favourite reads and the inspiration behind his writings. Excerpts:

How did you first come to love books?

I grew up i...