1. Congratulations on the release of your book, Money, Risk, and Protection! How do you feel about seeing your work published?
Shekhar Akul: Honestly, seeing Money, Risk, and Protection published is a proud and emotional moment for me. It has been a long-time dream, and I am happy to share the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years.
My biggest hope is that this book helps people manage their money wisely, avoid financial mistakes, and protect their families. For me, it is not just about becoming an author; it is about making a small contribution towards building a financially aware society.
2. What inspired you to write a book on personal finance, investing, and insurance?
Shekhar Akul: Since childhood, my father used to say that one day he would hire someone to write a book about my life story. Those words stayed with me, and somewhere along the way, writing a book became one of my biggest dreams.
A couple of months ago, I shared this dream with my professor and the principal of my law college. They encouraged me to start writing about my experiences, a subject I felt passionate about, or my personal journey.
Later, during a conversation on our way back from an event, we initially discussed writing a book on Contract Law. Sometime later, I found myself going through a career transition. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on my professional journey, the experiences I had gained, and the knowledge I had shared with people through more than a decade of working and teaching.
I felt this was the right time to put those experiences into writing and share them with a wider audience.
I realised that many people work hard to earn money but lack the knowledge to manage, invest, and protect it wisely. I wanted to share what I had learned in a simple and practical way that could reach more people. That is how Money, Risk, and Protection came into existence. It is my attempt to turn my experience into something useful for others.
3. Why did you choose the title Money, Risk, and Protection? What message would you like readers to take away from it?
Shekhar Akul: I chose the title Money, Risk, and Protection because I believe these three things are closely connected to everyone’s financial life. People often focus on earning and saving money, but it is equally important to know how to manage it, invest wisely, understand financial risks, and protect their families from unexpected situations.
The message I want to share is simple: earning money is important, growing it is valuable, but protecting what you have built is equally important.
4. Your book covers topics such as budgeting, savings, investments, and insurance. Which topic do you think people should understand first when starting their financial journey?
Shekhar Akul: In my opinion, everyone should first learn how to budget and manage their money. Before thinking about investments or insurance, it is important to understand your income, expenses, and savings.
My message is simple: Before learning how to grow your money, learn how to manage it. A strong financial foundation makes everything else easier.
5. Why do you think financial literacy is important, especially for students and young professionals in India?
Shekhar Akul: I believe financial literacy is important because earning money and managing it wisely are two different things. During my professional experience at IDBI and Aditya Birla, I saw people with the lowest salaries building good financial security, while some high earners struggled to manage their money.
This taught me that financial success is not just about how much you earn, but how well you manage it.
My message to young people is simple: Start managing your money from your first salary, not after making financial mistakes.
6. What is one common mistake people make when managing their money that you would like to help them avoid?
Shekhar Akul: One common mistake people make is investing without proper knowledge or planning. Many follow market trends or their friends’ advice without understanding the risks. Some also forget to review their investments regularly. I, too, made mistakes when I was younger.
My advice is simple: Understand before you invest, plan before you commit, and review your investments regularly.
7. Your professional interests include both finance and law. How have these two fields influenced your approach to writing this book?
Shekhar Akul: My experience in finance and law has given me a practical understanding of money and financial decisions. Finance taught me about saving, investing, and managing money, while law helped me understand rights, responsibilities, and legal protection.
I wanted to bring both perspectives together and explain financial concepts in simple language so that everyone, even those without a finance or legal background, can understand and apply them in daily life.
8. What do you hope readers will learn or apply in their daily lives after reading Money, Risk, and Protection?
Shekhar Akul: I hope readers understand that financial planning is important for everyone, not just wealthy people. I want them to develop simple habits such as budgeting, saving regularly, building an emergency fund, investing wisely, and choosing the right insurance.
Most importantly, I want them to make informed decisions rather than following others blindly. If this book helps readers become more confident about managing and protecting their money, I will feel that my purpose has been achieved.
9. Apart from this book, are you currently working on any other writing projects or future publications?
Shekhar Akul: Yes, I am currently working on a fiction story. It is quite different from my first book, Money, Risk, and Protection, and gives me an opportunity to explore my creative side as well. I hope to share more about this project with readers soon.
10. Are you active on social media? How can readers connect with you and stay updated about your work?
Shekhar Akul: Yes, I am active on social media and would love to connect with readers. They can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn for updates about my book, future projects, and thoughts on finance and law. I would be happy to hear their feedback and connect with them.
11. Where can readers purchase Money, Risk, and Protection?
Shekhar Akul: Anyone can purchase Money, Risk, and Protection through Literature’s Light Publishing platforms, including Amazon, Kindle, and Google Play.
12. Finally, what message would you like to share with aspiring authors and readers who wish to improve their financial knowledge?
Shekhar Akul: My message to aspiring authors is to believe in your ideas and take the first step. To readers, I would say, never stop learning about money and making informed financial decisions.
Remember, your financial future is shaped not just by how much you earn, but by how wisely you manage, grow, and protect what you have.
Thank you, Shekhar, for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations once again on your book, and we wish you great success in your literary journey!
Review – Money, Risk, and Protection by Shekhar Akul
Author Shekhar Akul
Shekhar Akul is a financial & Insurance services professional, Post Graduate in Business Management and Law Aspirant, and aspiring financial educator with an interest in finance, insurance, legal awareness, and financial literacy.
With experience in the insurance sector and exposure to customer engagement, financial protection, and insurance and agency related business development, he brings a practical perspective to the importance of making informed financial decisions.
As a law aspirant, Shekhar S. Akul is interested in the connection between legal awareness, consumer rights, and responsible financial practices. He believes that understanding both financial matters and legal rights can help people make informed decisions and protect their interests. His broader vision is to make complex financial concepts simple, practical, and accessible to people from different backgrounds.
He has also published two research papers: Criminal Liability for Artificial Intelligence Decisions: A New Frontier in Indian Criminal Jurisprudence and Understanding Dark Web (Black Web/Dark Internet) Crimes and the Challenges for Indian Law. In addition, he has contributed three chapters to a book on human rights law, titled Human Rights Law: From Dissemination to Application. These academic contributions reflect his interest in legal research, public awareness, and making important knowledge easier for people to understand.
Through Money, Risk, and Protection A Practical Guide to Personal Finance, Investing, and Insurance. Shekhar aims to help readers understand the fundamentals of money management, insurance, savings, investments, risk protection, and long-term financial planning.
He believes that financial literacy is not merely about earning more money, but about understanding money, protecting one’s financial future, and making decisions with knowledge and confidence.
His mission is simple: to make financial knowledge understandable, practical, and accessible to everyone.
