Loosely based and reminiscent of my own schooldays at Ispat English Medium School, Sector-20, Rourkela (Referred to as the Public School in the book), ‘The Next Door Raghu’ is the story of the extraordinary feats of a very ordinary, reticent, and apparently dull child, by the name of Raghu. Raghu has a lower middle class parental background and is frowned upon by the society as a dimwit who is not going to be of any consequence in his life. The little child and his perceived as unfortunate parents, are often the butt of jokes and snide remarks by an acerbic and sadistic society that has almost written off the disingenuous child. Raghu also starts to believe in his detractors and thinks that he really is inferior and substandard. But, Raghu tries to underplay and overcome all his shortcomings by latching onto children, who he feels can make up for...