Storizen Magazine July 2021 | Suneel Gupta

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JULY 2021

STORIZEN Inset: Carlye Adler, Co-author of Backable

THE ULTIMATE KEY TO PERSUASION

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Cover Story

Book Reviews

The Ultimate Key to Persuasion: Suneel Gupta

Swapna Peri

Brand Partners Aleph Book Company Bloomsbury India

Editors Pria Raiyani Saurabh Chawla

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Pan Macmillan India Penguin India Roli Books Rupa Publications Westland (An Amazon Company)

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WHAT'S INSIDE 24

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EDITOR'S NOTE

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COVER STORY The Ultimayte Key to Persuasion: Suneel Gupta

- Hachette India

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- Pria 18

HOT OFF THE PRESS Man Fast by Natasha Scripture

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Forest I Know by Kala Ramesh

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities, by Shivam Shankar Singh and Anand Venkatanarayanan - HarperCollins India

- HarperCollins India

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HOT OFF THE PRESS Welcome Home by Najwa Zebian

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STORIZEN HEALTH How to Keep Your Mental Health Strong - Sushma M. Bhardwaj

- Hachette India

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HOT OFF THE PRESS

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How The Earth Got Its Beauty

by Sudha Murty

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Rain, rain, come again!

- Sumana Bhattacharya

- Penguin India

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HOT OFF THE PRESS The Tatas, Freddie Mercury and Other Bawas by Coomi Kapoor - Westland Publishers

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Monsoon Spell - Harshitha R Hegde

WHAT'S INSIDE 38

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE

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Monsoon Love

STORIZEN REVIEW Mortuary Tales by Kashif Mashaikh

- Aparna Mukherjee

- Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN FEATURE Project Dor

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Rain-Kissed Love...

- Enactus KMC

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STORIZEN REVIEW The Night of Fear by Abha Sharma

- Madhumathi H

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STORIZEN REVIEW Fiercely Female by Sundeep Mishra - Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN REVIEW unMind by Siddharth Tripathi - Swapna Peri

STORIZEN POETRY Thunder and Rain - Sumantra Chaudhary

- Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN POETRY

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STORIZEN POETRY Why God Smiles - Vidya Shankar

To read Storizen on the web, visit storizen.com. Follow Storizen on Instagram @storizenmag.

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from the editor

calling all writers!

DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF STORIZEN FAMILY? You can also be a contributor. Mail us your entries at talktous@storizen.com. Your smart ideas and inputs help us create our informative issues.

"W henever you are creating something from nothing, it makes you an entrepreneur." This quote by the Cofounder and author of Backable, Suneel Gupta has influenced me deeply.

Entrepreneurship is not about only how big the company is that you have built, but it's about the challenges you faced and won along the journey of building that company.

We take immense pleasure in introducing our readers to the world of startups and entrepreneurs first time on Storizen!

We are extremely delighted to feature Entrepreneur and an author, Suneel Gupta. Suneel is the co-founder and CEO of a mobile healthcare company, Rise, backed by Greylock and Google Ventures and One Medical. Do you want to learn the step-by-step framework to persuade others to invest in your idea?

Do check out the cover story on page 8!. Also, the interview is live on YouTube.

Book lovers, we've got the latest releases from our brand partners for you. Do check out our bookshelf section and the latest new releases in the Hot off the Press section to feed your reading hunger.

The pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of many people. Sushma M. Bhardwaj shares some tips on how you can keep your mental health strong. Do check out the article on page 26.

Like the weather is filled with rains, we have got some awesome stories and poetry on the "Monsoon Spell."

Do read, like, comment, and share with your friends and family.

Happy Reading editor@storizen.com Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief

COVER STORY

"The passion, the hunger to achieve something dies down when you are comfortable."

- Suneel Gupta

COVER STORY

The Ultimate Key to Persuasion Discussion by Swapna Peri and Saurabh Chawla, Text by Pria

COVER STORY

E

ntrepreneurship is something that involves risk, commitment, and passion. People who have inherited these qualities from their experiences are filling the startup world.

Being an Entrepreneur is like creating something. So it has a lot to do with creativity and innovation. For this month, I felt excitement as I was about to talk to an Entrepreneur and an author, Suneel Gupta. Suneel is the co-founder and CEO of Rise, backed by Greylock and Google Ventures and One Medical.

Suneel has co-authored the book Backable with Carlye Adler, published by Hachette India. We had set a Zoom meeting to discuss more the book, Backable. Suneel joined the call, and we were all set.

THE STORY BEHIND BACKABLE The first question that we had was about the title of the book. We wanted to know the story behind the book title 'Backable'. The book is not a general self-help book. Suneel elaborated more on why he chose this title for his book. "I have been an Entrepreneur who was out there initially to raise money for my company, and I was having no

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success."

We nodded as he continued, "During that time, what I was hearing from the investors was that do you have a backable idea?"

Suneel wasn't aware of what is meant by backable at that time. It's not just that the investors are looking for funding the startups.

Suneel elaborated further, "We all have ideas inside of us, and in a lot of ways, that's what makes us human." But what if the ideas you are having are not something that others are excited about too? "When you can't get others excited about your idea, it's not just career-limiting experience but a lifelimiting experience."

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT SUCCESS! As we see the business, it's all about numbers, but when we look at it in a literal sense, it's about emotions and even spirituality, as Suneel explained.

Every self-help book has stories about success and successful people. You would never want to read a book discussing failures or hardships. The people are concerned about the result.

Backable, as we said, is a different book.

We wanted to know why the stories in the book were included. "Any story that would show a fast track to success, I would not be interested in JULY 2021

COVER STORY

that because I don't think it resembles the reality," Suneel said.

"I also was very interested in was to understand that the people we admire, the version of them today, is not the version of them when they started as," he continued.

It's pretty obvious to assume the fact that someone great has always been that way. "You would say that they are gifted ones," we asked. "If we believe that, it makes us feel that we can't ever become that way," Suneel explained.

He also said something about the leaders today.

"The most inspirational thing the leaders could do is to talk about not only their success but talk about their failures, setbacks, and mishaps." Suneel truly believes that if the leaders can show this side to the people, that can be wildly inspirational.

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In terms of storytelling, you fall in love with a character to whom you can relate. "At the end of the day, we are talking about relatability."

One of the things we are fascinated was about the stories Suneel has mentioned n the book. We were curious to know what was the

The most inspirational thing the leaders could do is to talk about not only their success but talk about their failures, setbacks, and mishaps.

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COVER STORY

thought process when he was sharing the stories. "One of the things I have learned as a writer, especially with the business books, it's tempting to skip the details and get to the punch line."

But in Backable, Suneel had tried to keep the details of the story.

According to him, it's the details people care about the most. The feelings, emotions, and thinking that go into the characterization while telling the story matter the most. "I try to include the details that make me feel, Wow, I have been through this too!"

For five years, Suneel has traveled across the United States, meeting with Entrepreneurs, giving talks in colleges and universities, talking about his learnings. With this practice, he was able to test the material he was putting up in the book. "I cut out the stuff that was not resonating. I looked for the

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intellectual and an emotional pull, the content which doesn't have these, and I cut it off from the book."

THE 7 STEP APPROACH The fascinating practical thing we read in Backable was the sevenstep approach. "Whenever you are creating something out of nothing, that makes you an entrepreneur."

The most common question Suneel gets from the people who are entrepreneurial by nature is, "How do I get started?"

The starting point is where most of the people get stuck at. With Backable, Suneel shares a step-bystep framework. The first step is to start by convincing yourself first, which we believe is lacking in most cases.

"The first step is to convince not them but yourself, because if you don't believe, then they can't

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COVER STORY

Click here to watch on YouTube believe." Hearing such a strong statement, we nodded in affirmation.

The truth of being starting with anything is to believe in it, to be in there.

"If not forced, if you can give people a step-by-step framework, I truly believe that it will be clarifying a lot of things for them who are set to be entrepreneurs."

YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A GREAT SPEAKER Like us, Suneel also firstly believed that you need an excellent communication style to be backable.

"Firstly, I believed that the Backable people have a certain style of communication or maybe they are great speakers, but I found out that t was not the case." "It's not charisma that makes a person backable; it's conviction," he elaborated further.

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Adding on to this, people's popular belief in their minds while starting is "Fake it till you make it." This is a misconception. Suneel explained it further that it can work sometimes but not a sure shot way.

DEALING WITH THE VULNERABILITY When we come up with an idea, it's very tempting to share it with the people around us. I also had this in mind and was super glad when Suneel brought this in. "Whenever you come up with an idea, that's a very vulnerable moment." One should never share the idea with anybody in this vulnerable situation, as it can be a demotivating factor for you to stop pursuing your vision.

You might be excited about your idea, but the person you share your idea with might not be as excited as you are.

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COVER STORY

That can be pretty deflating and may crush you.

"People who are backable have learned from their negative experiences to resist the temptations to share their idea immediately."

quoted, "You can hide your ego, but you can't hide your attitude surrounding that ego."

The most practical advice he gave is when you are walking in a room to make a pitch, and the entire focus is on you, you may feel that the spotlight is on you, your job is to turn

THE ULTIMATE THING TO BE BACKABLE Following the seven-step approach is the best step-by-step approach for entrepreneurs. But we wanted to know the common element in all that is a must-have to persuade the people to believe. Suneel was extraordinarily truthful, and he gave a fantastic explanation too. "The ultimate thing needed is authenticity." He truly believes that the thing that gets in the way of authenticity is ego.

He advises that the best thing would be that you are no being managed or driven by your ego. he Carlye Adler with the book Backable

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JULY 2021

COVER STORY

the spotlight to something else, be it your story, your character, your mission, vision, etc.

KNOWING SUNEEL AS A PERSON After talking about the book, we were tempted to know Suneel as a person. "As a person currently, I am bridging the gap between my mom and my daughters." Suneel's mother was living in Pakistan at the time of partition and landed up in Baroda as a refugee in pretty meager conditions.

She wanted to be an engineer with the Ford motor company. Sounds crazy, right? But dreams do come there, and she stepped forward, entered the United States, and became the first female Engineer in the company. Learning this about Suneel's life and his mother is fascinating.

Being raised in a different situation, Suneel feels that compared to his mother, he said that he was born in like Taj Mahal. He had a proper education, and the condition was way lot better than his mother's.

There is a downside to it too. Sunil said, "The passion, the hunger to achieve something dies down when you are comfortable." As a parent, JULY 2021

Suneel wants his daughters to keep that hunger, that passion alive in them while having a better life. "As parents, we want to give our kids the life better than we had, but often I find myself wondering that while giving my daughters that better life, I would also be killing that passion."

Every morning, Suneel plays a game with his daughters in which he asks them two questions, what's the meaning of life and they say, to find the gift. Secondly, he asks them what purpose of life to which they answer, "give it away!" His favorite is the quote is by Pablo Picasso, and he makes sure that he plays this game every day with his daughters.

We discussed more the best and worst advice Suneel got. The best one he quoted was to become someone you are not, and the worst was that long-term success comes from short-term embarrassment. He said that the failures are the ones that helped me reach where he is today.

Quoting Bill Gates, he "Success is a lousy teacher!"

said,

In the end, we closed up on our discussion with the question regarding health. We have seen numerous people neglecting their health in search of great success.

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BACKABLE The surprising truth behind what makes people take a chance on you

A groundbreaking book that boldly claims that the key to success in business is not talent but the ability to persuade people to take a chance on potential

COVER STORY

Suneel as the founder of a healthcare company is very particular about health. He said, "It's vital to have good health."

While building his company, which is in healthcare, his primary focus was on using innovation to improve health outcomes. If you see the other way round, healthy people are more innovative.

We didn't realize when the time flew and he had to rush for work.

We bade adieu and thanked him for his time.

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About Pria - Young mesmerizing freelance blogger, social enthusiast, an economics graduate from Jharkhand University with Master in Child Psychology. She is hardworking yet crazy, a passionate reader, an ardent music fanatic, an avid caffeine lover, and a maniacal animal lover too.

She has been a part of numerous anthologies, articles, and write-ups for newspapers and magazines which are multi-linguistic. She has also written screenplays for YouTube series.

on

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HOTthe OFFpress

A Gathering of Tanka Verses

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JULY 2021

HOTthe OFFpress Zebian powerfully weaves memoir, poetry, and deeply resonant teachings into her storytelling, from leaving Lebanon at sixteen, to coming of age as a young Muslim woman in Canada, to building a new identity and a home for her soul

Najwa Zebian is a Lebanese Canadian activist, author, speaker and educator. Her search for a home was central to her early years as she struggled to find her place in the world. She became a teacher and a doctoral candidate in educational leadership.

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How The Earth Got Its Beauty by Sudha Murty

A remarkable story narrated simply and endearingly for young readers

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JULY 2021

STORIZEN EVENTS

Sudha Murty was born in 1950 in Shiggaon in north Karnataka She did her MTech in computer science and is now the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation A prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written novels, technical books, travelogues, collections of short stories and nonfictional pieces, and four books for children Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages

ABOUT THE BOOK Have you ever stopped to marvel at the earth's beauty at snow-capped mountains and oceans so deep at colorful flowers and extraordinary animals? The tale of how such beauty came into existence is a curious one indeed India's favorite storyteller brings alive this timeless tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity Tricked out with enchanting illustrations, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murty.

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HOTtheOFF press Coomi Kapoor writes an intimate history of her community, delving deep into the question of what it means to be Parsi in India

STORIZEN EVENTS

The Parsis are fast disappearing. There are now fewer than 60,000 in all of India.

But since their arrival in India from Central Asia, somewhere between the eighth and tenth centuries, the community’s contribution to their adopted home has been extraordinary. The history of India over the last century or so is filigreed by the contributions of Parsis in every field, from nuclear physics to rock and roll, by such names as Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Petit, Homi Bhabha, Sam Manekshaw, Jamsetji Tata, Ardeshir Godrej, Cyrus Poonawalla, Zubin Mehta and Farrokh Bulsara (aka Freddie Mercury).

In this engaging, accessible, intimate history of the Parsis, the senior journalist and columnist Coomi Kapoor, herself a Parsi, pore through the names, stories, achievements, and the continuing success of this tiny but extraordinary minority. She delves deep into both the question of what it means to be Parsi in India and how integral the community's contributions—from tanchoi silk to chikoos—became to what it meant to be Indian.

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HOTthe OFFpress For fans of Eat, Pray, Love comes a funny, courageous, and inspiring memoir of a dating detox that turned into a spiritual reckoning across four continents.

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JULY 2021

HOTthe OFFpress A stellar exploration of how the power to manipulate your thoughts is being harnessed

In The Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities, Shivam Shankar Singh and Anand Venkatanarayanan dive into the operations of political parties, cyber criminals, godmen, nation states and intelligence agencies from around the world to explain how the power to manipulate your thoughts is being harnessed, and how information warfare is shaping your life and world.

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR MENTAL HEALTH STRONG?

BY SUSHMA M. BHARDWAJ

LEARN MORE AT WWW.STORIZEN.COM

STORIZEN HEALTH

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. It does not intend to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases. Get the help of a certified medical professional or a certified dietician before making any changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

B

rain is the driver of our whole body, every function that our body performs is the outcome of the nerves that carry the information from the brain to every part of the body. Even enzymes and hormones work on the command of the reflexes given by the brain.

Mental health is the most neglected aspect of our whole-body system, even though we are conscious about our health.

Tensions are synonymous with the present-day lifestyle. Children are tensed about getting good grades, parents are tensed about the future of their children. People in jobs are tensed about their performance and promotion.

Businessmen are tensed about their business and so are those working in the corporate. The uncertain conditions because of COVID-19 have worsened the tensions manifold as uncertainty grips, everyone.

Hence, we all are in a pool of tension and becoming the victim of all the brainrelated problems like mental confusion, irritation, anger, memory loss, JULY 2021

personality changes, nausea, vomiting, headache, vision problems, numbness in arms and legs.

In the later stages when the problem persists it may lead to problems like Alzheimer’s, Dementia, brain cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and insomnia.

When we are tense our body produces a stress hormone called cortisol which disbalances the functioning of the brain.

There are six pillars of brain health: Physical Health Nutrition Medication Sleep Mental Stress Social Network Physical Health Any ailment in the body is a cause of worry and that creates tension.

Nutrition Proper nutrition and balanced diet play a major role in the well-being of the brain.

Medication Usage of various kinds of medicines meant for body ailments contributes to mental illness.

Sleep Imbalanced sleep (lack or too much) due to any reason will surely cause illnesses related to the mind and the body.

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STORIZEN HEALTH

Mental Stress Any kind of mental stress and worry paralyzes the functioning of the brain and the reflexes of the brain become slow.

We can check the hormone level by getting a related blood test which will show the abnormal level of hormones Social Network A rich social network provides a source of support, reduces stress, combats depression, and enhances intellectual stimulation, and people who engage in a positive social setup experience the slowest rate of memory decline.

By undergoing a routine blood check for hormones we can get to know the imbalance of hormones in the body.

One can go for a biopsy to look for abnormal cells. The best remedy is early detection of disease before it gets chronic and gets the needed treatment.

Always engage in a mental activity like reading, writing, and learning a new skill so that our brain cells always remain active.

Prevention and precaution are any days better than cure hence here is a list of few things one should do:

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STORIZEN HEALTH

Click here to watch on YouTube Avoid alcohol, drugs, and caffeine Eat a balanced diet Proper sleep at night Practice yoga or meditation to ward off anxiety issues Confide your problems to your friends rather than keeping them bolted For all kinds of brain-related issues, I recommend an organic product Brain Fuel from OK Life Care Ltd for all kinds of brain-related issues. It has the following ingredients like Astaxanthin, Ginko Biloba, Ashwagandha, B1, B6, D3, Vitamin C, DHA, Ginseng, Thiamin, and Tryptophan.

They increase the level of serotonin and dopamine otherwise known as happiness hormones. Certain mental health issues are caused by excessive use of cell phones.

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The immoderate use of cell phones influences the nervous system and causes headaches, decreased attention, increased agitation, sleep disorders, and depression. Such diseases are mostly on the rise in the younger generation.

Researchers have proved that positive thoughts have a great impact on mental health and its recovery. There is a great bond between spirituality and mental health.

Emotions like hope, contentment, love, and forgiveness may serve the individuals by affecting the neural pathways that connect the endocrine (hormone) and immune system.

I would suggest you take complete control of your mental health and do not leave any factor unattended to keep yourself fit regardless of the situation.

Be happy and surround yourself with positive people.

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RAIN, RAIN, COME AGAIN!

by Sumana Bhattacharya Remember the nursery rhyme: Rain, rain, go away/ Come again another day/ Little Johnny wants to play – that is never me. I always love rain, almost unconditionally. I want it to rain, drizzle, pour, no matter what.

Rain never comes in the way of my plans; it adds to it.

Maybe because I hail from a place where it rains a lot. My hometown Agartala is blessed with rain. We have a bountiful monsoon there and often generous non-seasonal rains.

As a little girl, I remember waking up to rainy mornings and eagerly getting ready for school. On those mornings, even if mom would be reluctant to send me off, I would rush to the bus stand in my raincoat, insisting that there was an important class that I couldn’t skip.

The joy of walking in the rain, the errant drops kissing my forehead,

sometimes in ankle-deep water, was something I wouldn’t miss.

Attendance was thin on such days; teachers would go easy on the poor rain-soaked kids. We were allowed to take off our wet shoes and socks and let them dry under the fan. Those rainy days, more fun & play and less studies, are probably my fondest memories of school.

There were days when rain would catch us by surprise. Our school, Holy Cross, was surrounded by huge playgrounds and trees. There were times when we would be playing under a tree far away from the school building and it would suddenly start pouring.

We would come back to the class happily drenched to be sent off to the common room to dry ourselves.

On those rainy Agartala days, I felt like a peacock dancing in the rain. I had no other care in the world except soaking in the happy drizzle. Sometimes it would rain so much that the streets would be flooded, and we would be stuck at home. I would sit by the window for hours staring dreamily at the clouded sky, drizzling or

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pouring rain or the deluged courtyard.

Thunder, a flash of lightning or storm that often came along with rain added to the allure of those wet days.

As I grew up and moved to drier climes, the rain became rarer and eagerly awaited. While studying in Hyderabad, I would wait for the rain to pour on our rocky campus and wash away the heat. Memories of running back from the class to the hostel in the rain or walking lazily with a boy who wouldn’t leave my side all drenched.

The thrill of walking up to a man waiting for me outside a coffee shop in the happy winter drizzle. I often felt like a Jasmine tree washed in the rain, flowers shivering and quivering, waiting to bloom again.

Living in NCR now, the wait for rain is sometimes unending, the long scorching summers and the sparse monsoons. The dry heat sears the dreamy Jasmine, the plant is parched waiting for it to rain. The peacock refuses to dance and the sweet boy has receded to some far-flung corner.

On such harsh summer days, I wish it would pour, the streets would flood and the rivers swell, washing away all the dry dead twigs and the broken dreams. Maybe once the despair is swept away the flowers will bloom; I will dream new dreams and dance like a peacock again on the rain rinsed greens.

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Sumana Bhattacharya is a PR practitioner by profession and a writer by passion. Her style is simple, she likes to write about things she feels deeply about. In her writings, she sometimes draws from her experiences of having grown up in a small town, Agartala.

She has recently started a blog The Retro Feeling, that stems from nostalgia - longing or twinge of guilt for days gone by or left behind. She is an ardent reader of poetry, fiction, and mythology.

Sumana is a postgraduate in English from Hyderabad Central University. She works for a PR agency and lives in Gurgaon.

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Monsoon Spell

by Harshitha R Hegde

T

he dark clouds just started to cover the entire sky that day. Is it the symbol of heavy storms? Or just the wavy movement of clouds as usual? Is it so?

No, it was the Monsoon season entering the place as well as the hearts of many.

Those small showers of rain sprinkling around the ground made the heated soil cool down. Smoky air came out from the ground with a pleasant smell which given a fresh feel to the heart.

Trees were drenched by the raindrops.

The cool air made the weather pure with its moisture.

The rainy season and the thoughts always keep connected with each other. The feeling does change with the environment we live in. Even the practice, lifestyle everything will alter with the season. Monsoon season seems like a festival for farmers especially.

The complete routine will be matched with Monsoon. Pure village life can be experienced to the fullest during Monsoon. Those droplets of rain keep the farm wet with the melodious sound of the river flowing by. Sunshine resembles the raindrops as the golden beads.

Early in the morning when the raindrops fall on the ground with their heavy force tease the farmer in between his work.

With the sound of those insects, all around covered with water the farmer will have a friendly bonding with nature.

Thoughts come fresh with the climate.

The calmness of the wind will slowly turn harsh as days pass during Monsoon. The warm feel at home when it’s raining outside will be a heavenly one. But for the farmer Monsoon speaks a lot. He should work always even during heavy rains.

The whole year he waits for rain for his crops to turn green and grow well.

Digging, cultivating, nurturing, caring and all things will go smoothly when it's raining. As the spring season makes his job easier and it too gives challenges for him sometimes. Even the hopeless mind may find peace during Monsoon.

As the calm wind turns wild, as the showers of rain turn to flood, the same will be happening in everyone’s life.

Sometimes it feels easier to do, sometimes hopeless, sometimes full of enthusiasm, sometimes blank, sometimes bored and these are the changes we do feel in us.

The farms which are covered with mountains and rivers will have the pleasant fresh feel of the foggy air.

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Behind every feeling, there will be a reason so even the climate will have an impact. Monsoon season has words in it, a feeling in it, though in it. As it cooldowns the earth, it cools the tensed heart even.

Be the person to feel those things as the season comes and goes. Be with nature whenever you are happy and whenever you feel sad. Every season has its own flavor, but many will miss those things.

When we match the feelings with nature, everything feels light even the heart is heavy out of a lot of thoughts. Monsoon is a wait of heart when we compare it with something we desire to have. That may be the Monsoon for those willing heart waiting patiently as the farmer do.

Feel the wind, feel the coolness, feel the loneliness, feel that calmness out of the Monsoon season. It speaks a lot, teaches a lot. Are you still here? The wait is over, go hear a lot of things that Monsoon speaks. Once you miss it, again you have to wait for the next season too long.

Deeply feel the season before it ends….

“The Monsoon”

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Harshitha R Hegde is a person who loves a simple life. She is currently pursuing MBA. She loves to live a simple life and is passionate about writing.

She is from a rural area, aims to up bring backward and uneducated rural women. So her life is to encourage others and grow together with all. Her passion for writing was since her childhood. Now she is trying to explore more in the same and she loves to write during her free time.

More stress she gives to feelings and a bit emotional person who values relationship and feels to respect others.

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ho does not love the drops of rainfall and the earthy smell after rains? After the scorching heat of summer days, the drops of rainfall turn out to be a relief from the sweltering heat for every person. I was eagerly waiting for the summer months to pass away. One fine day, when I was engrossed in my work in the afternoon, I noticed insufficient light in my room all of a sudden. I looked at the window where I saw dark clouds hovering over the sky.

I stopped my work for a while and I started to stare at the outside view for some time. The outside environment was so beautiful that it cannot be explained in words. Dark clouds started spreading all over the sky. A high-rise building which was not so far from my building was half-covered with clouds and it was invisible from a distance.

I got mesmerized by the bewitching view. In a few minutes, it started drizzling and then heavy rainfall started pouring down the earth. The leaves of the trees which had lost their freshness had looked fresh and green again as the heavenly showers fell on every leaf.

An hour ago, the environment was so hot and unbearable. After an hour, the environment changed and it seemed as if mother nature was sending blessings on the earth in the form of rains. It has been more than an hour when the rains did not seem to stop. I extended my

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hands out of my window to feel the raindrops on my palms and hands. The cold sensation of water drops was soothing me from within. I closed the windows of my rooms and I walked towards my balcony. Standing on the balcony, I could get the aroma of tea from my neighborhood which tempted me to make a cup of tea for myself. I went to the kitchen to make an aromatic tea.

The aroma of tea and the smell of wet earth were making the ambiance more pleasant.

I poured the hot tea into the cup and walked towards my bedroom window to enjoy the sips of hot tea in the beautiful weather. I kept the cup on the bedside table and opened the window. Fresh cold air along with water drops touched my face.

The drops of water were cold enough to soothe my skin. I was sipping the hot tea and was looking at the outside view which was so captivating. Raindrops were splashing on the window panes, making beautiful sounds that were no less than music. The combination of hot tea and the sounds of the rain in my window doubled up the joys of rain.

After having tea, I moved towards the kitchen to wash the cup. As I was entering the hallway, I heard some strange sound which was not so clear, because of the sound of lashing rain.

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That strange sound could be heard from outside. I moved towards the door slowly.

I gathered courage and opened the door to know from where the queer sound is coming. I could see nothing outside as due to the lashing downpour, everything seemed to be invisible.

As I was about to close the door, my eyes caught sight of a little pup who was sitting right close to my door, drenched in water and the cute little pup was shivering. My eyes welled up with tears. His expression was communicating with me, telling me to help him.

I brought a towel from my room and I wrapped the sweet little pup with the soft towel and took him inside my house. He was crying a little because of the cold. I made him wash in the basin with warm water and made him squeaky clean and then I made him dry.

licking the milk again. He was so hungry that he did not leave a drop of milk in the bowl. For a while, he was moving with his little legs all over my bed. I was watching him dearly. After playing with him for a while, I noticed that the little pup was feeling drowsy. His eyes were about to be closed and in a few minutes, he fell asleep. I put a soft piece of a bedsheet over him and I slowly got up from my bed to have my food in the kitchen. It was already 21:00 hours.

After having dinner, I did my night chores and came to my room. The cute little pup seemed to be enjoying his slumber. I switched off my bedside lamp and was drowned in sleep.

I could see his eyes looking at me with love. After the pup got dried completely, he became a furry pup and was looking extremely cute and adorable. I took the pup to my room where I laid a mat and a large-sized cloth over the mat. I laid the pup slowly on the soft cloth and I went near the window to close it. I wanted the pup to feel cozy in my room.

He was still crying a little which made me realize that he must be hungry. I brought a small bowl of warm milk. As I kept the bowl close to him, he started drinking milk with pleasure. As he was licking the milk from the bowl, he was lifting his face and was looking at me, and then he started 40

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The next day morning, as I opened the window, the bright sunshine touched my cheeks. I looked at the pup who just got awake and was throwing his little feet here and there like a small baby.

I took him in my lap and started cuddling him. He too was enjoying my cuddle. In no time, we both became friends and he started showing his love by licking my cheeks. I did not realize when I fell in love with him.

Since the day of heavy rainfall, that little pup whom I named Coco became an important part of my life. The day of the downpour turns out to be bliss for me. I got a memorable gift from Mother Nature: a sweet little Coco in my life who became my monsoon love.

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In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon. She holds a Master's degree in English from Mumbai University. By profession, she is an online Senior Content Writer and Blogger who writes informative articles for various Indian, UK, and US blogs and websites.

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Delhi University Students are Preserving the Heritage with Project Dor

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elhi, a bustling metropolitan melting-pot of a city, is home to more than 3 million migrants, most of whom move to the city in search of a livelihood for themselves and their families. While the capital can provide better job opportunities, it can also be crushing in terms of poverty, discrimination, and exploitation. These adversities have an even harsher effect on migrant women, who usually have little access to viable sources of income.

Facilities like education and quality healthcare remain distant dreams for most.

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“Project Dor,” a social entrepreneurship project run by the students of Kirori Mal College, DU, came as a ray of hope for a community of migrant women from Bihar and Jharkhand. Project Dor was started in 2016 under the international non-profit organization - Enactus, which aims to create businesses for underprivileged communities, working towards economic self-sufficiency, environmental sustainability, as well as the overall holistic development of the community it works with.

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Project Dor produces neo-ethnic scarves, dupattas, and cushion cover through the process of “tie-and-dye".

The products have a wide range of colors and patterns and are also customizable according to the buyer’s preference.

Through this project, the members of Enactus KMC are trying to save a traditional Indian art form from dying out, and reminding consumers of the beauty of a process that saw one of its earliest origins in our country. Each one of their products is handmade and handcrafted.

Successfully tapping several offline and online markets, Dor has evolved to become a full-fledged project that has brought an art form back from the brink of extinction. From putting up stalls in prominent places such as The Lalit and Dilli Haat, to having the products sold on the Facebook store and Amazon, Dor has expanded the reach and increased the demand tenfold.

Even though the pandemic and lockdown have been a major restraint to the project, it still surfed through it and continued to maintain its reach across India. We were victorious enough to attain production efficiency, generate a considerable amount of revenue and help our community in these trying times. The team was successful in welcoming the change brought about by the pandemic and adopted various online measures to help sustain the project in these trying times.

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Everything comes together to ultimately benefit the migrant workers who live within the expanse of this intimidating city. Project Dor has helped fulfill its tagline of “Khushiyon Ki Dor” by bringing in joy, satisfaction, and above all, a sense of fulfillment in their lives, from the fruits of their labor.

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The way to inner peace lies in our hearts…and in the company of dogs. With this belief, Dr. Manjiri Prabhu has poured a lifetime of her work with dogs and her learnings, into a spiritual adventure, The DOGtrine of Peace, (published by Readomania), a novel blueprint for spiritual awakening and enlightenment.

Fight Against Superstition Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Some books grow on us as time passes. Some books make sense after a long time. Some books also take time to complete. This is a rare phenomenon when some books make our intelligence and logic prick. This book by Abha Sharma gave such a feeling.

This book is the story of a teenager living in a small town in the Himalayan Hills. If religious practices overpower common sense, a person emerges irrespective of gender and age as the savior. In this story, Mahaguru is the local legend whose story and prophecies revolve around the temple on the hilltop.

One such prophecy says that one day Maharaj had a dream that the temple is a pure spot and no one should enter the temple after dark or trouble may haunt the sinner and the people of the town.

After some deaths, this said prophecy is believed, and the dead people are named sinners.

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About the Book The book - "The Night of Fear" by Abha Sharma is a 144-pages book. The cover image and the title reflect the horror and the thriller element.

But as the story progresses, the readers taste many interesting aspects.

About the Author Abha Sharma is a life coach, a freelance writer and a personality development trainer. She has worked extensively with international industry leaders on online education.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

But, on a closing note, there are some places where the story could have been more realistic, but the other features negate this. Few loose ends leave the story incomplete. (check out storizen.com for full review)

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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An Inspiring Story Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

The month of June every year is celebrated as PRIDE month. This is dedicated to the LGDTQ+ people. After the relaxation on 377 section, most same-sex couples and others sensed a wind of relief. In this regard, reading this book is a kind of tribute.

The book explores why Dutee quietly ignored many recommendations to take hormone suppressants or go under the knife to reduce the levels of testosterone that her body was producing.

Some told her to give up athletics; some asked her to withdraw and live with the stigma all her life. But Dutee defied all; she fought against what she called sexist rules. She fought for her existence.

Apart from the sports persona, this book also explores in deep her human mind.

Her likes and dislikes, her way of life, and her diction is shown.

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About the Book A book after a long time which is not about a cricketer! It is a fortunate thing that I have read books on other sports and games other than Cricket.

This book accounts for her journey, the ups and downs, the harsh reality and the inhuman behaviour she faced.

STORIZEN REVIEW

Rating

Book Review

Final Rating: 4/5 Visit storizen.com for full review

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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Who Am I? Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

This book, unMind by Siddharth Tripathi, is a graphic retelling of the powerful and extraordinary teachings of two great mystics of modern India Ramana Maharshi (1879 - 1950) and Ramesh Balsekar (1917-2009).

This graphic book tries to answer the question of "I" through simple and easy anecdotes that most of us can identify with. The language is simple, and the explanation is quite engaging.

Siddharth Tripathi's writing prowess is in the simple writing by breaking the most complex topics and themes. With clear writing and illustrations, the book makes a reader very neatly understand the concept of spirituality and, more prominently, the Advaitha concept. As mentioned, Kalyani's illustrations give the book a tangent that is never possible with mere text.

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About the Book On every page of the book, the concept of duality, nonduality till understanding oneself is described with a graphic. This kind of presentation is absolutely selfintrospecting.

Many readers will benefit from this kind of reading as no intervention of another person seems necessary.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

unMind is a good source to lay one's path towards attaining the pinnacle of knowing oneself and answer the most crucial question Who Am I? (check out storizen.com for full review)

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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A Date With Death Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

It was a bright Tuesday. As I was browsing through the Instagram page of the Westland Publishers, I happened to see a post that intrigued me extensively.

The post had a book cover named ' Mortuary Tales '. Without a thought, I bought the Kindle version and finished reading the book in maybe 3 hours.

As soon as I acquired it, I read the book Author Kashif's close association with Author S.Hussain Zaidi. I am a big fan of Hussain's writing, and his insight on Mumbai Underworld is fascinating.

Thus, I ended up reading this book by Kashif.

The book, Mortuary Tales is a collection of nine stories that emerged from love, pain, guilt, remorse, and introspection.

This book can also be coined as a novel that makes understand readers what death is! A strict trigger warning to the readers who are not comfortable reading gore and life-threatening writings.

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About the Book The story, as said, is about a mortician Jeevanram, who has worked in the Mumbai Hospital's mortuary in night shifts.

Every story is a backdrop story in itself. Not every story reflects real death, but stories delve into the inner human psyche and bring out the dark secrets.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

Author Kashif Mashaikh has done a great job in his debut novel with simple yet effective language and grammar and proved that crime & horror genre stories could be derived from everyday lives. Apart from the trigger warning, this book is an excellent read to readers who love reading extremely captivating thrillers.

Visit storizen.com for full review

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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STORIZEN POETRY

Rain-kissed Love...

by Madhumathi H You are the raindrops On the cheeks of blushing monsoon The color of inexplicable joy Petrichor-scented breeze Gently ruffling her hair You are the window seat In train journeys She never can compromise And Sometimes You are the unwritten poems Stealing away all the words, and languages...

Your favorite game...

Yet You do not know

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STORIZEN POETRY

Your absence too is her muse You become love, the distance filled by poems Meeting you in every word Inked with tears...

A bilingual poet-writer(Tamil, English), Madhumathi is an ardent lover of Nature, Poetry, Photography and Music. Her poems are published in Anthologies of The Poetry Society(India), AIFEST 2020 Poetry contest Anthology, CPC- Chennai Poetry Circle, IPC – India Poetry Circle, Amaravati Poetic Prism, and in e-zines UGC approved Muse India, Storizen, OPA – Our Poetry Archives, IWJ International Writers Journal, Positive Vibes, and Science Shore. ‘’Ignite Poetry'’, “Arising from the dust”, “Painting Dreams", “Shards of the unsung Poesies" are some of the recent Anthologies her poems, and write ups are part of.

Besides Poetry, Madhumathi writes on Mental health, to create awareness and break the stigma, strongly believing in the therapeutic and transformational power of words.

Contact: madhumathi.poetry@gmail.com

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STORIZEN POETRY

Thunder and Rain

by Sumantra Chaudhury And with wonder did I see, The streaks are white, violet, and purple.

Skating across the vast skies, Etching designs of realms supernatural.

Gliding smoothly with sublime grace, They danced with pure bliss, As Tefnut's bounty mightily showered, Drenching Earth with its gentle kiss.

The silvery streams have woken up, The flowers their gossip resumed, Earth, she smells fragrant and afresh, Life has been again renewed.

Lads and lassies frollick away.

The cattle yonder, they look relieved.

The birds in glory tweet a tune, It's the newfound freedom they've received.

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STORIZEN POETRY

Let's embrace this lively wetness, Romance the moist air, fingers entwined.

Let our love bloom with vigor, Let no boundaries today bind

Sumantra is a young aspiring poet trying to express his thoughts, emotions, and ideas through rhyming verse. He is working as a Senior Consultant (Communication Design) with a reputed IT firm in Bangalore.

He is also a trained Kathak & Hip Hop dancer and has performed in several stage shows. When not writing or dancing, he spends time creating short funny videos on social media. He believes that the best gifts in life come in small packages.

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STORIZEN POETRY

Why God Smiles

by Vidya Shankar The first of the drops fell One man upon whom the blessing graced Cried, overcome with passion: That’s my prayer brought down this drop!

Then fell a second, a third Twenty drops, a hundred A second man, ecstatic his tone: My prayer answered!

A third raised his hands up to the heavens In gratitude Twenty men kissed the crackling earth A hundred men danced for joy The drops fell The drizzle turned to rain Everyone rejoiced For a day Another day And a half Three days, five days later What was divine benevolence Now overwhelmed What was a shower Now a deluge!

The first man pointed his finger at the second The second at the third The third at the twenty The twenty at the hundred Each accusing the other Of praying too hard Of praying inconsistently 66 |

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STORIZEN POETRY

Of praying devotion-lessly...

Up in the heavens God smiled as always Going about His work

Vidya Shankar, poet, writer, editor, blogger, motivational speaker, English teacher, a “book” in the Human Library, and mandala art instructor, is the author of two poetry books The Flautist of Brindaranyam (in collaboration with her photographer husband, Shankar Ramakrishnan), and The Rise of Yogamaya (an effort to sensitize her readers about mental health and the need to break free from an outdated society). A recipient of several literary awards and recognitions, she has been featured in the first-ever ‘Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English, 2020-2021’ as well as a unique coffee table book, ‘50 Inspiring Women boys and girls should read about, Chennai Edition’. She finds meaning to her life through yoga and meditative mandalas.

@shanvidwinsalways @vidya.shankar.author

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