The maverick of Financial Thrillers is back with another Bestseller!
INTERVIEW ON PAGE 8
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Josef Pieper said, “To celebrate a festival means: to live out, for some special occasion and in an uncommon manner, the universal assent to the world as a whole.” November is a month which brings with it festival of lights and hope. Also, the month brings in a season of a new beginning and a new life, the Wedding Season!
We at Storizen celebrate this month of prosperity and we are glad to feature Ravi Subramanian - The maverick of Financial Thrillers, who is back with another Bestseller, ‘Don’t Tell The Governor.’
We are excited to present four hot releases this month in association with HarperCollins Publishers viz Nightmarch by Alpa Shah, The Big Reverse by Meera H. Sanyal, Free Hit by Suprita Das, and A Long Way Home by Mitali Meelan.
This November, we bring you two exclusive interviews with Richa Lakhera – Author, ‘Hungry Gods’, David Darling and Agnijo Banerjee. Authors – ‘Weird Maths’ along with three book reviews which include ‘Hippie’ by Paulo Coelho and we have a review of the book by Zoe M who has written a love story, Call Me Saaya. Do check them out!
A special feature - Siddharth Roy - the youth icon, and an author shares his journey and about his latest release "Rise in Love". He is also honored as a Global Ambassador for Humanity by GGA.
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From Banker to Author, Ravi Subramanian has written many thrillers revolving around banking and bankers including the first "Bitcoin Thriller"
On 8 November, when the clock strikes 12, your money will be no good. Somewhere on the India-Nepal Border, a car full of passengers swerves off a highway and plunges into a valley, its trunk full of cash. In the UK, a Bollywood starlet wins Big Survivor, the most popular reality TV show in the country. In Panama, Central America, a whistle-blower at a law firm brings down billionaires across the globe. And in India, a new RBI Governor is appointed.
Most of your books are based on Corruption, Banking, Money, Big and Influential people. Do you feel that readers are fascinated by the issues going on in rich people’s lives?
I write thrillers. And banking as an industry is full of corruption, money, influencetial people, frauds, crime, investigation, people, relationships etc. So It forms a good backdrop for writing thrillers. And yes, wealth fascinates. Money motivates. Money and glamour are often sought after. So I write stories about money, glamour and crime. Rich people often lead glamorous lives, full of intrigue. And intrigue makes for good reading. That’s why I write about the lives of rich and interesting protagonists.
The banking industry is transforming at a rapid rate from Digital banking to cryptocurrencies, do you think that these will help in corruption going on?
Corruption is not because of lack of process and control. Corruption takes place because in every industry, every face of life, you come across people who are willing to innovate and improvise to break those controls and processes. Corruption is not because of lack of technology or innovation, but becaue of lack of conscience.
Irrespective of trends in digital banking or cryptocurrency, the fraudsters will always figure out a way to be ahead of the curve. Haven’t you heard of scams in the world of bitcoins?
I write thrillers. And banking as an industry is full of corruption, money, influencetial people, frauds, crime, investigation, people, relationships etc.
What kind of research have you been doing while authoring your books? Or your corporate experience led you to writing the books?
When I write books on banking, not much of research is required. It is familiar territory for me. A little bit of reading up, talking to a few people to makes sure that the fundamentals are not incorrect, is all it takes. When I write about more complicated subjects, for example, Bitcoins, the PadmanabhaSwamy temple, etc etc, it involved a fair bit of research in terms of internet searches, reading books and one on one interviews. For Do Not Tell The Governor, I met quite a few bureaucrats, some ex-Dy Governors of RBI and people who worked closely with the Reserve Bank of India.
Do you think few people may differ with you regarding some events or subplots that you have written? How do you deal with such situations?
Well I don’t deal with such situations. I just tell everyone that don’t try to find reflections of reality in my book. Read my books not as “What is” but “what could be”
What’s the role of Highly influential and powerful people in promoting corruption or its mainly done by the people in the lower positions?
Who says corruption is only prevalent at the lower strata of society. Every instance of corruption has its roots in the higher echelons of corporate life. Be it in terms of participating in corruption o condoning corrupt practices in an organization, the
seniors are always responsible for it. The buck stops at them. Establishing a culture with zero tolerance to corruption, starts at the top. If something goes wrong there, how can you let the top management get away.
In your book ‘In the Name of God’, the characters resembled the PNB scamsters. Was it a coincidence or your intuition?
Completely coincidence. I had no inkling of the two fraudsters or their modus operandi when I wrote the book. It worked out brilliantly in the end. I just wonder what Nirav Modi and
MehulChoksi would have thought on reading my book, that too before they stood exposed in front of the world.
What is the biggest surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
Becoming a writer is itself a very big surprise, I am yet to get over.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I would like to begin by saying that authors do not have fans. Authors have appreciative readers. We as authors must know to make that differentiation.
If we treat our readers as fans, a day will come when ‘fans’ will desert you. Appreciative readers will stay with you forever. That said, I would like to thank all my readers for having given me a chance to share my stories with them. To show my gratitude to them for having given me six to eight hours of their lives per book. I owe my journey to your love and affection.
What are some ways in which you promote your work? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?
I use social media quite a bit to promote my book. These days, when books are promoted on a shoe string budget and when every rupee counts, social media allows you to target your campaigns effectively towards specific segments. Book events, lit fests and media interviews are another means of promoting ones books. While it is a lot of effort, most of the
promotion activity starts after the book is done. Hence it does not take anything away from your writing time. That said, it is very important to promote your book. Whats the big deal in writing a book when no one even gets to know about it. I write for being read, and book promotion on social media has played a big role in my books being read.
What books are you working on at the present?
I am currently working on promoting my book, “Don't Tell The Governor”. I haven’t even thought about whats next. I will hopefully start thinking about it in January.
What do your plans for future projects include? Any plan for converting your books to movies?
1. If we treat our readers as fans, a day will come when ‘fans’ will desert you. Appreciative readers will stay with you forever.
2. I use social media quite a bit to promote my book. These days, when books are promoted on a shoe string budget and when every rupee counts, social media allows you to target your campaigns effectively towards specific segments.
3. Both eBooks and conventional books have their space. I used to be one of those who romanticised the idea of a paperback. But of late, my thought process is changing.
4. I am deeply influenced by John Grisham and Jeffrey Archer.
have sold the rights to four of my books including Don’t Tell The Governor. We will be announcing it soon. Watch this space.
How do you feel about eBooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?
Both eBooks and conventional books have their space. I used to be one of those who romanticised the idea of a paperback. But of late, my thought process is changing. If you have an option to carry around 1000 books with you on a kindle, and read it wherever you want, then why not. I am moving to a position where I am agnostic to eBooks or print books as long as I have something to read. I am a big fan of traditional publishing and would recommend everyone to take the self publishing root only if traditional publishing fails.
For those interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where should they start?
Chapter 1 of the book, Don’t Tell The Governor. They will surely not be disappointed. They can all try the newspapers. These days they are full of stories of the RBI Governor’s conflict with the Finance Ministry and the central government, and that is the key theme of the book. They can also go back and watch the Prime Ministers Demonetisation Speech, which brings up the climax.
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
I am deeply influenced by John Grisham and Jeffrey Archer. One for the way he has positioned himself as a writer of legal thrillers and the other for his lucid and crisp storytelling.
What is the most important thing that people DON'T know about your subject/genre, which they need to know?
They don’t need to have any prior knowledge of the subject, theme, genre. Everything, even the most difficult concepts are explained in simple words which make sense even for the reader who is far separated from the theme.
What was your goals and intentions in the book ‘Don’t tell the Governor’, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
Well whenever I write a book, the key objective for me is to entertain. To write a book that the reader will have fun reading. I don’t intend to leave a message for the reader-A moral which they
can take home. Yes, I do try to make sure that after reading the book, the reader is a bit more intellectually stimulated than he was when he began reading the book. If you read the book and if you look at the early reviews on online portals, both these objectives seem to have been met.
What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive?
Writing for me is a great destressor. It enables you to shut yourself off from the pressures of daily life and take yourself into a brand new world that you create for yourself. There is no bigger liberating feeling.
(As told to Pria)
(Visit www.storizen.com for the full coverage!)
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.
@mystery_pria
@Loudest_Mystery pria@storizen.com
A scholarly work that unfolds as an unputdownable, gripping thriller –equal parts moving, disturbing and educational– Nightmarch is also being published in the US and the UK to rave reviews.
In 2010, just as the Indian government was stepping up its counterinsurgency operations in the country’s Naxal-affected areas, Alpa Shah set out on a seven-night march with a guerrilla platoon across 250 kilometers of the same territory. An anthropology professor, she wanted to understand why, against the backdrop of a shiny new India, the country’s poor had shunned the world’s largest democracy and united with revolutionary ideologues.
Her gritty journey reveals how and why people from very different backgrounds come together to take up arms to change the world, but also what makes them fall apart. It tells the
story of tribal youth who move in and out of the guerrilla armies; of highly educated men who leave the security of their families and move underground in the service of higher ideals; of women who come to the revolutionaries looking for egalitarian homes; and of the conflict between the Naxals and the security forces. Brought to life by Alpa’s years of research and immersion into the daily lives of the tribal communities in a Naxal stronghold, Nightmarch is a reflection on economic growth, rising inequality, dispossession, and conflict at the heart of contemporary India.
A scholarly work that unfolds as an unputdownable, gripping thriller –equal parts moving, disturbing and educational– Nightmarch is also being published in the US and the UK to rave reviews.
A scholarly work that unfolds as an unputdownable, gripping thriller
The Big Reverse answers the questions that still continue to haunt Indians, on the what, why and how of demonetization.
8 November 2016 was a black swan event in Indian history. At one stroke, 86 per cent of the currency in circulation was demonetized, causing confusion, chaos and endless misery to the common Indian. While the Modi government claimed that it was the silver bullet that India needed to eliminate many of its longstanding problems such as black money, corruption, tax evasion and terror funding, the months that followed proved it otherwise. The return of 99.7 per
destroyed, causing enormous distress to farmers and, traders and forcing many micro, small and medium businesses into bankruptcy.
The Big Reverse answers the questions that still continue to haunt Indians, on the what, why and how of demonetization.
The first comprehensive narrative history of women’s cricket in India authored by award-winning sports journalist Suprita Das.
Free Hit narrates, in telling detail, how after its origins in the 1960s and 70s, women’s cricket in India peaked in public memory as India qualified for the finals of the Women’s World Cup in 2017. It dives deep into the lives of a spirited bunch of women from its early days –Diana Edulji, Shubhangi Kulkarni, ShanthaRangaswamy – who fought unitedly for their right to play, compete, overcome sponsorship challenges, correct gender-based pay gaps and tackle the sheer indifference of cricket administrators along the way. It puts the spotlight on their struggles, adventures and victories and traces their journey all the way to the present lives
of players such as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur – all modern greats of the game.
Udayan Mitra, publisher – literary, HarperCollins India, said: ‘It's only recently, after decades of largely being ignored, that women cricketers in India have come into the limelight. Free Hit tells the exciting, adventurous story of our women cricketing heroes as they battle against the odds with a never-say-die attitude. It's a wonderful story to readespecially with the women's World T20 tournament just starting.’
Suprita Das, author of Free Hit, said: ‘The journey of Free Hit has been one full of learnings, realizations and experiences for me. The fact that
The first comprehensive narrative history of women’s cricket in India authored by awardwinning sports journalist Suprita Das
The first comprehensive narrative history of women’s cricket in India authored by award-winning sports journalist Suprita Das.
women’s cricket in India has made it this far, and has managed to produce the world’s highest run-getter and the world’s highest wicket-taker, among others, with little or nothing of an ecosystem for the most part of its journey, is tremendous. We hope the stories of these amazing and gritty women that we’ve attempted to capture in this book inspire many children to chase their dreams, and makethe stakeholders of the sport realize that the potential in women’s cricket is truly unlimited.’
Free Hit will be published under Harper Sport, a dedicated imprint for sports books by HarperCollins. Some of the
most exciting books on sport and by sportspersons, namely Abhinav Bindra (A Shot at History), Mary Kom (Unbreakable), Sania Mirza (Ace Against Odds), Sanjay Manjrekar (Imperfect), Ricky Ponting (At Close of Play), Shoaib Akhtar (Controversially Yours) have been published under Harper Sport.
The Adhikaris are a regular, happy family – or so they will have you believe. But at the dinner table, a silence hangs heavy over the three children, especially Arihant and Ishan.
Twenty-two-year-old Arihant possesses a secret talent and a shattered heart. He yearns for his muse and ex-girlfriend, only to surprise himself when they finally meet after a long and difficult time apart. If only Ishan could share some brotherly advice rather than sneak about, aloof and increasingly suspicious.
But how long can he stay torn between two worlds? How long before someone finds out about his evenings: about the place he goes to and the woman he sees.
A novel set in the calm before a storm – after which nothing will be the same for this seemingly happy household.
the Adhikari brothers follow their dreams while re-discovering their relationship with one another. Mitali Meelan weaves a contemporary perspective of love while keeping true to the traditions of an Indian middle-class family.
A story set in the calm before a storm
Why did choose that particular face mask as the book cover?
Finalizing the cover which would forever be on your book, it’s not easy. Thecover had to suggest the larger context of evil. Also, the title ‘Hungry Gods’, is the story about a flawed god. There was no face which would match up, cover the context of the story so effectively. The powerful face suggested to me dark intrigue, power and danger. And simmering tension. Oh and lots and lots of vanity and depravity. The face of a man who would think the rules don’t apply to him, a man who would start believing he is God. It suggested unapologetic revenge, unbridled greedand unapologetic revenge, completely in sync with I knew this is my flawed God.
The Hungry God could not have a better face. Also the suggestion that what if the god the hero and the monster become indistinguishable?
Did the recent incidents about casting couch and drug peddlers in our Indian film industry inspire you for the sub plots?
You are right when you talk about the recent incidents and in fact the narcotics control bureauintel does bring up connections between many actors and prominent drug peddlers. Some are in the public domain but the fact remains the big ones are very much under wraps. That happens when lots of powerful people and names are involved, and authorities are complicit in the illegal activities. In Hungry Gods, I have created a fictional town. It's not representative of Bombay or Delhi or Bangalore society and
neither does it depict Bollywood or Mollywood or Tollywood and so on. It’s an open secret that there is a drug epidemic of sorts and the latest stats reveal that the highest increase in consumption is in Mumbai, Goa, Delhi, Punjab, Mizoram and Manipur. A crucial stat indicates that the greatest increase in illegal substance consumption has been seen in the class of people who are well placed. It could be the pressure of modern day living or to take the edge off, peer pressure, and as many are consuming substances in pursuit of that elusive ‘creative edge’. Hungry Gods is about a corrupt dystopian society, a dog eat dog exploitative ecosystem where everyone is out to exploit the power differential. Of course you can see that
Anuradha Prasad with her book 'Coming Back Home' in real life too, several ongoing battles and allegations on prominent people are out in open. Producers exploiting actors, casting agents asking newcomers to compromise, singers, artists, news editors, people from the art community, advertising, cricketing and so on. In Hungry Gods its infinitely more dangerous as a powerful corporate stands to lose a lot if its crazy self-obsessed superstar brand ambassador does not mend his ways.
Do you think celebrities endorsing few products like in the story will affect the audience?
The celebrity corporate relation is completely market driven. It’s a commercial transaction between the corporate and the celebrity, with the hope that the celebrity will become a
valuable asset effectively utilized as a marketing tool. But the fairytale relationship with celebs doesn’t always end in a happily ever after. Celebrities are not easily controlled and corporates in their bid to protect the brand, expect them to toe the line whether it comes to what they say, how they behave and to an extent their personal lives. One of the fallouts of the social media is that its become impossible for celebs to escape public scrutiny. Any mis-step becomes a trending hashtag and image conscious companies, their advertisers and company partners are not very kind when the asset becomes a liability. In Hungry Gods the extent to which a corporate will go to protect its brand and commerce is a crucial aspect.
The story at places introduces the readers with barbaric ways of sexual acts. What did you think the reaction of the readers will be?
I am not a fan of the sort of writing which disguises what I feel is Gender Stereotyping under the banner of wellchosen safe adjectives. Nor will I orchestrate a narrative that persuades women to stay within their allotted space of sexual, social orders or behave like women, whatever than means. I cannot talk about old houses, and jellies and jams and kitchen gardens, and beauty of devotion sacrifice and such perhaps because I am not too invested in the external gaze. To those who question the graphic content or those who feel that its not in our culture to talk about sex toys may I point out that acc to
a survey 41.8 % of indians practice some form of domination/submission roleplay and India is sixth most sexually active country in world. Two of my characters are subjected to violent sexual exploitation, the narrative is expected to be graphic, the third is caught in the flesh trade and lives in a ghetto, populated by addicts, criminals, depraved perverts where men grabbing women any time is not uncommon. Sad reality is that even our so-called safe cities are not safe for women infact according to a poll conducted by Thomas Reuters Foundation India is one of the most unsafe countries for women.If that’s the state of cities to imagine the condition of women who belong to a bracket who forget about having social and economic rights lack basic human
Anuradha Prasad with her book 'Coming Back Home' rights. Also one is born with a temperament one cannot change it. As a writer one has tolearn to recognize it and own it. I don't think anyone could have made me write this way, or prevented me from writing this way either.I’m just a writer and what I see around me is what I try to understand. How did you cope up while writing the subplots with many characters and entwining them to the main plot of the story. Was it not stressful?
There is this danger in a single story… I have always thought it impossible to engage with a place or a person without engaging with all of the stories ofthat place.The consequence of a single story is that it robs people of their unique identity.Stories matter stories. Perspectives matter. Stories
Beaten and brutally raped, her body is never found. However, the killers make one mistake. They leave a witness, a witness who has nothing to live for except revenge. And when he crosses the boundaries of time to make the guilty pay, a whole lot of dark characters come to light. There is Valentine, the superstar brand ambassador who sells anything for a price; there is Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs; there is the perverted and sinister minded Dr Ranga and there is Este, the prostitute whose dark secret will blow up a daughter’s sanity. So, is there another murder waiting to happen? Will Police Inspector Dorab Silva be able to connect the clues to prevent another crime? Will these gods of greed be exposed?
are used to malign the good but stories can also be used to humanize the bad. There is this danger in a single story. Every man is happy in his own way and miserable in his own. If we limit our story to the popular images. Most stories boil down to who wants what, what happens when they don’t get it. It’s not about making good choices, crime stories is about your characters making horrible choices. Stories matter. Perspectives matter. The very first decision is through whose eyes we will see and through whose ears are we going to hear?I find that I like to change viewpoint, one chapter can be through the voice of the potential victim, next through the mind of the murderer and to enable the reader to participate in
emotional pitch of the characters.
What is the first book that made you cry?
Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
No. You have to feel strongly about the theme, believe in your story, know your characters, invest in the atmospherics and all that cannot happen if you approach the blank page lightly. I think if a writer tries to write like someone else that would be exhaustive. When one has the guts to own one’s process it would energize you at a crucial level. But the exhaustion related to the actual physical sense of writing for hours is there. Not many writers are really able to get to that
perfect thing that was in their head, so they may consider the entire process about failure. I think that’s the main reason why more people don’t write. It’s very depressing in that way.
Anuradha Prasad with her book 'Coming Back Home'
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
I can’t pin it down to a single point of origin or even a series of memories so this could be a complicated answer to a simple question. As a kid I was a story teller not always for the greater good, would spin stories to get my brother my cousins in all sorts of trouble. But also because sometimes it was easier to tell the truth in the form of a story.
I was a bit of a word collector as a kid, would be forever scribbling the most difficult words and took particular joy in using it to bulldoze through and crush the opponents arguments. There were several trysts, writing was born out of a need to describe, intrigue excite shock, sometimes extract revenge— But mostly seek and seeking is never born out of humility. I don’t think writers in that sense are humble. One doesn’t really like to go back to quality of old work, all I can say is if one publishes early then one is creating a public record of Learning to Write. Understanding the process, knowing one’s punchlines all that came later. As also the knowledge that everything one says from the 1st sentence to the last is leading to a singular
goal, and perhaps confirming some truth that deepens an understanding of who we are as human beings. So several slow affairs, lots of flirting with genres till guts and instincts and basic temperament took over and here we are.
What advice do you have for writers?
So there are guidelines but not hardfast rules. But there is a strong unifying theme. The secret sauce the magic ingredient is could be can you invoke genuine wonder. To take that little moment in their life where you are able to do that is the whole ball game.We all love stories. We want affirmation that our lives have meanings, and nothing has greater affirmation is we can connect thru stories. It can
cross the barriers of time , past present and future and allow us to experience ourselves thru others.Frankly there isn’t anyone you wouldn’t come to love once you hear their story.
Anuradha Prasad with her book 'Coming Back Home'
"Richa Lakhera is a Mumbai-based journalist and crime writer and her 3rd book, Hungry Gods, is getting a lot of attention from both the media and the readers. 'Hungry Gods holds a mirror to our society and its excesses' - says India Today. 'A compelling and much disturbing tale of corporate greed and celebrity endorsement culture', says Business Standard , 'Hungry and thrilling' says Deccan Chronicle. Hungry Gods has also been shortlisted in the top 100 crime thriller novels at Amazon and it has been described as a new age crime novel with an ending which 'will leave your mouth hanging open'. Richa works as deputy editor at NDTV and is the recipient of the ICUNR award for journalism. Hungry Gods has been published by Rupa publications & is represented worldwide by Siyahi literary agency."
@richa_lakhera@richa.lakhera.33
When did you realize this magic and mystery in the world of Maths?
I realized the wonder in mathematics from a very early age. Ever since early primary school I have realized that mathematics seems to come naturally to me and I was a huge fan of Ian Stewart's books on mathematics (indeed, it was an amazing experience to find out that my childhood idol had endorsed Weird Maths).
What did want to tell the world through this book?
There are several things that I wanted to tell the world with this book. One is that mathematics goes far beyond what you learn in school, with many interesting topics that most people never hear of, and another is that one should not be afraid of maths, like people often are and like how maths is often depicted.
What kind of research have you done while writing?
I did quite a lot of research, some online and some from reading maths books. Mostly I had to ensure that all of the mathematical facts were correct and there were no errors introduced when the explanations were simplified.
What made you choose David as a co-author?
Anuradha Prasad with her book 'Coming Back Home'
I had first met David as a tutor when school maths was no longer challenging enough. We soon ended up discussing various topics in depth and then we decided to set up a maths website. After that, we decided to write our book.
While co-authoring, did you have intellectual debates and arguments? How did they help you?
We had many intellectual discussions and debates while writing, which helped a lot. One of the main issues was ensuring that the explanations given were understandable to the intended audience, and we had to have these discussions in order to generate some explanation that was both simple enough and without any errors.
What was your first reaction when Agnijo came up with the idea of the book?
The idea for the book was mine. I first suggested it to Agnijo when he was about 15 and he was very enthusiastic.
The idea for the book was mine. I first suggested it to Agnijo when he was about 15 and he was very enthusiastic.
We certainly hope so. Our goal from the outset was to show the lay reader that not only is maths fun but that it penetrates every aspect of our lives, from everyday situations to the most profound aspects of nature.
We certainly hope so. Our goal from the outset was to show the lay reader that not only is maths fun but that it penetrates every aspect of our lives, from everyday situations to the most profound aspects of nature.
We certainly hope so. Our goal from the outset was to show the lay reader that not only is maths fun but that it penetrates every aspect of our lives, from everyday situations to the most profound aspects of nature.
Did this young prodigy, Agnijo, influence you with his enthusiasm?
Did this young prodigy, Agnijo, influence you with his enthusiasm?
Anuradha Prasad with her book 'Coming Back Home' Did this young prodigy, Agnijo, influence you with his enthusiasm?
Everyone – both those who are already enthusiastic and knowledgeable about maths and those who want to learn about how exciting and important maths can be.
Agnijo Banerjee is a child prodigy of Indian origin – he has an IQ of 162, the highest a human can have (the same IQ as Einstein’s and Stephen Hawking’s). He took Higher Maths in his first year of secondary school, scoring 99%, the following year he passed the Mensa test scoring the maximum possible IQ for the test of 162, and in his third year scored 100% in Advanced Higher Maths. More recently he has taken part in international maths competitions, such as the Balkan Mathematics Olympiad in May 2018, as part of the six-member British team. Later this year, Agnijo starts his maths degree at Trinity College, Cambridge, where so many great mathematicians of the past have studied and taught, including Srinivasa Ramanujan. Weird Maths is his first book, co-written with his tutor David Darling.
David was born in Glossop, Derbyshire and has a PhD in astronomy from the University of Manchester. For the past 35 years, he has been a freelance science writer and is the author of nearly 50 books on subjects such as cosmology, physics, philosophy, and mathematics. His website, The Worlds of David Darling, has been a widely used online resource for the past 20 years. He also tutors students in maths and physics and this how he first met Agnijo at the age of 13.
Fading vision, losing senses and hearing chaos in ICU, I lied on a hospital bed hopeless and helpless because apparently there was no cure for my illness and hope was fading away like my senses.
Fading vision, loosing senses and hearing chaos in ICU, I lied on a hospital bed hopeless and helpless because apparently there was no cure to my illness and hope was fading away like my senses. This happened just before my 10th board exams so doctors found a loophole and stated that it was exam fear, but still today I ask myself, ‘If I fear exams then why in life I never fell ill before any other exams, not even before my 12th board exams?’ Relatives and society, expect my parents gave up on me. For everyone else I was a boy who has spoilt his life because they thought, I wouldn’t be able to
give me 10th board exams. But like just all happy ending hindi cinemas, I stood up from that wheelchair and thought in mind, if today I don’t stand up, nothing will change but if I stand up maybe I will have a chance to change something and change comes from within. I cleared my 10th standard with high grades and got into biology and started preparing for NEET for my 11th and 12th. By the way I just took biology because I wanted to escape from maths as I sucked in that subject. But things changed after I read ‘Faults in our stars’ by John
Green, I began to imagine my each day of my life as it was the last day of my life so to attain that happiness, I started practising self introspection and realised few important things about myself. I won a poem writing competition when I was in my 8th grade and was also was a very active badminton player but all of those things had stopped because of society’s pressure and being an idle student according to everyone. I wrote my first novel entirely during my 11th and 12th. The Special Fish (Title of my first book) was published in November 2016 and it created a havoc in my classes and college,
everyone was shocked by that achievement of mine, I recently donated all the profits from that book to CM Relief fund and CM wrote a letter to me and applauded my efforts as a result national media started giving me lots of attention and slowly people started knowing me. Another great news that came along was, we even won silver medal in state badminton championship in Baramati in 2016. It added another feather in my cap and in the life of versatility. Everyone started congratulating me on these achievements and
the same people who doubted me in past, applauded me now. That is the problem with our society, everyone will congratulate you for the results but no one will for the efforts. (how I wrote my book, played badminton, studied is whole different topic to write on) I started writing articles for newspapers and other mediums, I involved me in all stuffs I could as a result, I was appointed as Creative Head of Walnut Discoveries when I was 17 and received the world record for being youngest creative head. My parents were extremely proud allowed me to study the subjects of my choice in graduation, so currently I am studying BBA in Media and Mass
Communication from Whistling Woods International. In October 2017, I got an opportunity to speak in worlds largest and most prestigious platform, ‘TEDx’ and share my journey. Since that I have spoken at 4TEDx events, being youngest to do so and speaking at other events, schools and colleges. My aim is to provide and guide youth to find their inner potential and give them opportunities to portray their work. I have been also awarded humanitarian award by Rotary club, Help Age India, Global Cancer Concern and Madhav Eye Bank. I am also working as Chief Curator with The YOUth and Outreach
Coordinator with Youth for Human Right International, UN to spread. I am a filmmaker and love to spread values from my work and art forms. My new book, ‘Rise In Love’ has won Manuscript of the year award at Lit O fest Mumbai and is all set to release. We are also selected to represent India in Mars Desert Research Station competition which is held in USA. But apart from all these things the one thing which I love to do is watch football and I am football analyst with Fanzone, London which is telecasted in Star Sports and all leading channels of the world. I am just a teenager with raging
hormones who believes in giving back to society, so I involve myself with various activities which would help me to explore myself better and serve this society to make it a good place to live in. At the end of the day, I am just a curious student who is curious to learn new things everyday and try to live life as it would be the last day of life.
(As told by the author)
@siddharthroyauthor
@siddharthroyauthor
by Aparna Mukherjee
The noise of crackers made me get up from my bed. With my half-closed eyes, I saw the alarm clock which showed 6:30 am. I grabbed a pillow close to me and drifted off to sleep. The bursting crackers did not let me sleep. I had no option but to sacrifice my sleep. I jumped off from bed in excitement on realizing that this was the day for which I have been waiting for so many months. The day was Diwali when people were busy in celebrating the grand fest. Diwali has always been my favorite festival right from my childhood. The festive mood can be sensed all around. I could see smiles and joys everywhere. The
day of Diwali was going well with my neighbours and friends. As sun dipped below the horizon, the gleaming of earthen lamps glittered the earth. The colorful rangolis were enhancing the floors. I started decorating my house with flower rangolis. The entrance door of my house was decked up in fresh flower garlands. Every corner of my home was gleaming with the rows of clay lamps. From children to adults, everyone was letting off fireworks. With the onset of November month, the cold waves filled the atmosphere; giving pleasant shivers to everyone. The cold breeze
was touching my skin, pushing me to step out from my place.
But, I chose to stay indoor and enjoy the glimpses of cheerful faces who were enjoying in feasting on sweets and letting off crackers. I wrapped a shawl around me and sat on a cushy couch right next to the window of my room. The happy faces outside and the sparkling lights of clay lamps were filling my heart with pleasures and joys. The darkness in the sky and the glistening lights of beautifully designed earthen lamps made the environment tranquil and enjoyable. I was enjoying the outdoor scene from my home when all of a sudden my eyes caught something.
Outside the main gate of our building, I saw a blurry face amidst the cloud of smoke coming out of fireworks.
When every person's face was shining with smiles, there was a glum face that lost the smiles. A sense of curiosity rose in me and I decided to step out of my home to have a view of the blurry face. Wrapping around the shawl around me, as I approached close to the gate, I saw an innocent face of a little kid whose eyes were filled with tears. His teardrops which were rolling down from his cheeks appeared as diamonds in the shimmering lights of clay lamps which were set in the rows of the main gate.
When all kids were wearing new clothes, he had worn shabby clothes and was standing outside the gate. When I asked him about his parents, he replied me that his father does not stay with him and his mother is working as a maid. His mother assured
him to bring for him crackers, new clothes and sweets. But, she did not return home which made the boy step out of his home, looking for his mother. The fireworks and Diwali decorations outside our building made the poor kid stop near our building. He too wanted to play with other kids, he too wished to let off crackers and he too desired to wear new clothes. But, there was no one apart from his mother to give him Diwali gifts. He was looking at other kids with utmost desire. I could see his sorrows from his face. His eyes welled with tears, but he did not cry because he did not want to show his sorrows to other kids. I told our watchman that if a lady comes looking for her child, he should bring that lady to my place. I held the kid's hand and brought him at my place. He hesitated at first. When I told him your mother is busy in her work and that is why she told me
to give your gifts. Hearing this, his face glittered with smiles.
The broad smile on his face made my day. I made him sit on my favorite cushy couch. At first, he declined. Then, I lifted him in his arms and made him sit properly. I asked his name to which he replied, Shaunak. I offered him some plates filled with Diwali snacks. I expected him to grab a plate and gobble those crispy snacks. To my surprise, he started staring at me for a while. He just nodded his head, indicating that he does not want to have the whole of food in the plates. He took a fist of snacks and started eating them. While he was eating, I offered him many boxes of crackers to which he was elated. He grabbed happily those boxes and got up from couch to go to his place. I understood more than the snacks, he was
pining for crackers and clothes. I told him to visit my home the next day. He nodded his head again and left with a smiling face.
Next morning, someone rang the doorbell of my home. As I opened the door, I was surprised to see Shaunak and his mother. I welcomed them inside my place. His mother folded her hands to thank me for yesterday. I was glad to see although they were poor, but they have the sense of gratitude. I placed some new clothes in Shaunak's hands and wished him "Happy Children's Day". He hugged me and planted a kiss on my cheek. He
Children's Day? I replied, “today is your day.” I explained to him later why Children's Day is celebrated. He listened intently. His mother was about to thank me again,
but this time I held her hand and thanked her for bringing Shaunak to my house. The smile on the little boy's face was expensive than any other things in this world.
Diwali and Children's Day turned out to be very special occasions to me. We spend countless bucks on materialistic things to make us or our others happy.
“Doubt is like darkness and trust is like a light. There is no way one can destroy light by throwing darkness into it. So, let’s come together and enjoy the festival of lights.
Happy Diwali!”
But, the joys of spending money on needy people give the utmost pleasure in life. I was elated to convert tears into smiles of one child which made me wealthy from within.
In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon. She holds a Master degree in English from Mumbai University. By profession, she is an online content writer and blogger who writes informative articles for various UK and US blogs and websites.
Her poems got published in the digital Reflection Magazine and in the Indian literature website named Facestory's.com. She is a budding author too. Her first story on romantic theme got published in a book named "Memoirs Of Love".
As a person, she is open-minded, down-to-earth and amiable in nature. Her world revolves around creativity. She wishes to make her mark in the literary world, hoping to leave an indelible imprint on her readers' minds.
@mukharji.appy18
by Meera Menon
f you want to learn about yourself, start by exploring the world around you”- Paulo was a young Brazilian with desires of becoming a writer. ‘Hippie’ is the story of this fresh mind in search of inner and deeper meanings that life has to offer. With his destination tuned to the ‘centre of the World’, Paulo sets off on his journey.
Destiny has much more in store for him. Karla, a Dutch, with aspirations of seeing the world from a different perspective comes into the scene. She had been waiting for the right
by Paulo Coelho
companion to accompany her on a bus trip to Katmandu from Holland. Having convinced her companion, Paulo, along the hippie trail they went in search of inner truth. The ‘Magic Bus’ as it was known, had 20 passengers in her, each having a different backstory to narrate. “I’m the world. I carry with me the wisdom of those who’ve come before me and left their mark in my genes. I’m my dreams”. As they travel together a new path opens up in them, shining a light on newer dreams. Choices had to be made, which of course remains untold until the end.
About the Book: Originally published in Portuguese on the 17th of April, 2018, Hippie emerged as one of the most autobiographical novels by Paulo Coelho. Through the ‘Hippie’, Paulo gives us a glimpse of his life during the psychotropic era, the 60s and 70s.
About the Author: Paulo Coelho, the author of the bestseller Alchemist, is a Brazilian novelist cum lyricist. He spins his novels with a hodgepodge of insights taken from his own life. Most of his literary works have been translated to over eighty-one languages. Of all his books, the bestseller Alchemist, which had sold more than 85 million copies, was quoted as ‘inspirational’ by prominent figures. He was titled as the ‘UN Messenger of Peace’ in the year 2007.
Verdict: “We don’t choose the things that happen to us, but we can choose how we react to them.” Hippie, unlike his other books, loops mostly around experiences from the author’s life. The story is narrated from a third person perspective. Every flip through the book reveals that it is nothing less than a “literary travelogue”. Paulo, masqueraded as young skinny Brazilian, transport his readers to a bold and vibrant era of hippies. Being an avid Paulo Coelho reader, I personally missed the fairy dust of inspiration throughout the book. Even so, the book succeeded to stand out from the rest of his novels, and to an extent in giving us a glimpse into his experiences. Flipping through the pages of ‘Hippie’, I could easily let my mind go footloose rather than buckling it to the rectos as convention demands! I had laid my hands on the translated (English) version, which I would rate, a 3.5 on 5.
An engineer by profession, Meera is deeply passionate about blogging, art, and photography. Her focus is mainly on travelogues. Being a folklorist in making, she goes about with a purpose of documenting various cultures. She is also an avid reader who enjoys the company of good crime/mystery novels.
@carvingmemory
@memorycarver
@Meera_Menon_P
by Swapna Peri
The book is a love story that kindles between Shamsher, an aspiring photographer who is down to earth in his personality though he comes from a wealthy family and Saaya, a simple girl with very big dreams in life. The contrast personalities showcase great emotions of love and friendship that are also engulfed with other feelings and things like jealousy, hatred, mystery, relationship and human values.
At some places, the readers will definitely fall in love with Shamsher and at some places
by Zoe M
get annoyed by the way Saaya takes hold of her life. Saaya fails to identify the importance of people in her life making herself push into unwanted situations. On the other hand, as Shamsher is a proactive and positive person, always looks onto the brighter side of life and takes wise decisions in every task he takes up. As the story progresses, we can see how the personalities collide and thus lead to new twists.
The story unravels a hidden mystery that is the center point of the story. What role do Shamsher and Saaya play in the mystery? Who is Rana and what importance does he carry out in the story? Become a detective and unfold the mystery in the story by reading it.
1. The picturesque description of the beautiful places of Rajasthan
2. The contrast personalities of Shamsher and Saaya tied with a string called ' love '
3. Good combination of all feeling and emotions
What
1. The story seemed to drag at some places and monotonous
2. The extra dip of drama could have been curbed at some places in the story
Narration: An interesting narration is found in the story but with some unwanted drama.
Book Cover: The cover image of the book is an art image of a butterfly and a bunch of beautiful flowers. Nothing much can be said about the cover image.
Book Title: The title of the book ' Call me Saaya ' is very different and attracting.
Language and Grammar: A fine language and grammar are used.
Characters: All the characters in the story are plotted well with ample amount of weight.
My Verdict: A nice onetime readable love story.
Rating
Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Narration: 3/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 3/5
Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!
@swapna.peri
@sappy_dreamz_unlimited
@swapna508
Tby Himani Gupta
by Parthajeet Sarma
he cover of the book is nice and perfectly suited the title. It is a nonfiction book perfectly describes the evolution in the corporate world based on the digitalization. All the people who work in MNC’s have the advantage of taking work from home option and can work at home by accessing data online due to software’s available in today’s world. They can enjoy their work and family life and can create a balance. The author had narrated this topic very precisely and in simple language which everyone can
relate to. Many corporate companies are appreciating the creativity and productivity of the employee and make their life easy and convenient. These days due to digitalization and marketing platform available in social media platform many people are working as a freelancer also. I am an Hr by profession and we recruit the best talent. Now we can easily get good talent on LinkedIn and Facebook making our work easy because of Technology. Every detail in the book is up to the mark. I am impressed by the Author’s research work. Being an Hr I also relate to Hr policies which author had beautifully explained. It is true Hr policies are changing these days making the employee comfortable in their work environment. The policies are very well giving benefit to the employees and striking the balance between employer and employee.
These days companies are providing Gym, cafeteria and cab facilities for the employees which help them to enjoy their work and commute anywhere. Every part of the chapter is important in today’s Scenario and how we utilize these changes for our success and for the success of the company. Overall a good read. I would recommend everyone to read this book enjoy working and love their job and company. All the best Parthajeet for wonderful writing.
About the Book: Humans are wired to follow the path of least resistance. If one doesn't have to do something, he or she will not do it. Technology has enabled humans to work from coffee shops and from home, reducing the need to go to work. The very meaning of work has changed for modern-day workers where the workplace is no more a physical space. The new workplace is a blended space of the physical and the digital. The subconscious mind is like cruise control for humans and shapes behavior. The environment that one is in conditions the mind. At
About the Author: Mumbaibased Parthajeet Sarma loved writing from his school days. He was an active writer contributing to school magazines and newspapers, but somewhere along the way, his writing skills were left on the back-burner once he took up a professional work, the workplace environment conditions quality of thinking. For organizations in a collaboration economy today, productivity depends on the quality of thinking, and not so much on efficiency. The blended workplace is the starting point of innovation for organizations that believe in innovation. Parthajeet Sarma delves into psychology, human evolution and science to draw connections with greatly changed expectations from work. In his third book, Parthajeet espouses the need for management to get out of codified theories. This facilitates a macro view, leading to a radically new meaning of work, workers, and workplaces that are aligned with the organization's vision for the future.
by Parthajeet Sarma
course and later started working. Trained as an architect from Sir J J College of Architecture in Mumbai, Parthajeet later went on to complete an MBA. He worked with a few MNCs before starting out on his own. Parthajeet’s architectural venture is called iDream, where he designs corporate facilities and has worked on designing workplaces for various Fortune 500 corporates. In his other avatar, where he revived his passion for writing Parthajeet has penned down his thoughts in his maiden outing ‘Smart Phones, Dumb People?’ The book brings to fore the dichotomy of the world we live in – where many of our lives are ruled by smartphones and the internet, there are also millions who go without easy access to basics like water and electricity. YourStory caught up with the part-time author and full-time architect to discuss the book, his buildings and things in between.
Summary:
Title: Work, Workers and Workplace Using Space as the starting point of Innovation
Publisher:Becomeshakespear e.com
Verdict: ☆☆☆☆ A non Fiction book related to changing work environment because of Technology. Good for people who are working in Mnc’s
In her own words: I am Himani Gupta, By profession, I am an HR Manager working in Bengaluru. Reading is my hobby which led me to write reviews for my readers. I have read and reviewed numerous books so far. Rohit is my favorite writer as far as writing is concerned and I wait for his books to read. If you wish to get your book reviewed, do feel free to contact me.
@himanigoyal21
by Shanita Vichare
Holding a “Mirror”
In my palms …. Seeing images…… Of Elliptical Tides, Of TheLillatic moon…
The raging waves ….. And
Torrential Raptures…Circling me, Clad In
‘The Naked Raven’ Soul Of mine, To fill in, Insatiable … Relentless “Thirst”, Purged with ‘The Desire,’ To Dive …Deep; fathom
…..Deep …..
In The Mermaid’s Dance, Slithering……Shimmering …..
Images Of Aquatic Charm ! Yet, Un wet, her shade, Singing a Tidal song ….. On Rhythmic Tunes !
Rising from … The Subliminal Caves….
To unleash her passion! In translucent haze, embezzled in … Indigo Blue ….changing To Aqua Green Shade! Her danseuse ….twirls, From The Depths of an Ocean, Unfathomable UnSeen… Yet, Magical!Mystical !
Mingles In The Waters….. …. Vanishing! (then)
While My Mortal eyes, Sees Images
Unfolding, breaking, rising, dying, Roaring, Devouring …. In The Mirror….!
In The Crescent Moon Of My Palms !
Shanita has worked Internationally as an English Teacher at United Kingdom, Oman, Republic of Maldives and Dubai. She is the Academic Director at Edu.Magic! English Language Programs & French Language Programs She works as a Principal at ADIS International School near Pune. She works on Organic Farming in her free time at her farm house near Ahmednagar. She is passionate about ‘Water Harvesting’ and ‘Environmental Issues’.
