Born and brought up in Kolkata, Abhishek Ray is not a true-blue Bengali. He comes from a culturally and creatively rich and mixed background. While his father is Bengali and is actively interested in theater, his mother is a Kannadiga, with training in Classical Carnatic Music. An Electrical Engineer from NIT Allahabad and an MBA from IMT Ghaziabad, Abhiskes upbringing has been deeply influenced by music, theater and literature from regions across India. He is also a Sangeet Prabhakar (Vocal) in Hindustani Classical Music, has a Diploma in Drawing, is avidly interested in trekking and traveling. He has a passion for writing, theater and listening to death doom metal and Coldplay. Mystery, thriller and horror genres fascinate him and are reflected in his first foray into writing: his young adult crossover novel From the Darkness.