Who was the author, later known as Hemadpant, before he encountered Sai Baba?

The author who would eventually be named Hemadpant describes his former self in detail within Chapter 2. Before meeting Sai Baba, he admits to being mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical. He was arrogant about his intellect, possessed a logic-driven mind, and was always proud of his own wisdom, which made him prone to argumentation. He states he knew nothing of a Satguru's greatness and had a "bad intellect" before destiny brought him to see Sai's lotus feet.