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Essays exploring societal changes in India and abroad; most previously published.

The stimulating saga of a man who, thanks to his never-say-die attitude, found the courage and the determination to bounce back despite being felled by a serious, disabling condition When Vijay Santhanam was afflicted with a stroke at the age of 41, he was paralyzed on the right side of his body. He couldn’t move without help and he couldn’t speak at all. But he soon realized that his powers of reasoning/thought were not lost to him. And he garnered his spirit and willpower within him to work at regaining his health and faculties; a stroke wasn’t going to get him down. Vijay goes on to get back to work, to write two books on one of the biggest passions of his life—cricket, a sport that was one of his greatest inspirations while in hospital and on the road to recovery, and to teach at IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow. This is the inspiring story of a man who didn’t waste time bemoaning his fate; his immediate agenda was to understand what could make him healthy again and to start with, to return to the life he’d known before as a regional head of marketing in a multinational company in Singapore. My Stroke of Luck: Alphabet to Author is Vijay’s journey through long, sometimes painful, and often frustrating, months of therapy, relearning the alphabet and learning new strengths: emotional, mental and physical. Vijay’s attempt is not to describe the human brain and how it works in a scientific manner but to celebrate a man’s inspiring journey. He believes when a human being is confronted by a big crisis, often she/he summons all her/his spirit and willpower to fight back and win. His story is testimony and an eloquent example of it.

For more than two generations of Indians, and cricket fans from elsewhere, Sachin Tendulkar is a name that opened doors and hearts wherever you were on the planet. Even in the days before the social media revolution, Sachin was a truly global icon. It didn’t matter if you were in Sydney or South Africa, Kolkata or Kingston, Sachin’s name was a conversation starter. The teenage wonder who exploded into the global consciousness with his bloodied nose in Pakistan in 1989, before becoming the greatest batting sensation ever, transcended the boundaries of sport. As with Jesse Owens, Ali, Pele and Maradona, Sachin’s role in making Indian cricket a household phenomenon globally can never be underestimated. It was not just the runs he scored. It was the manner in which he scored them – with matchless flair, scoring 100 international hundreds in the process. How do we celebrate Sachin on his 50th birthday? The prodigy with the baby voice, scoring hundreds in abundance with the exuberance of the teenager that he was then? The legend who won India many a close encounter? Or the genius around whom a very good Indian side was built in the 1990s? For a generation of fans who grew up in the 1980s and 90s, it was always Sachin and then daylight. Many of them have also passed on now, but the stories they shared with their children will always remain. On his 50th birthday it is time to add to these stories. The very best from India and beyond on the man they adore. Like Sachin, his stories are also immortal.

For well over two decades, there has been one man who has made us all proud, has done India proud on the world stage and has given our countrymen a reason to celebrate on number of occasions, but we, as proud Indians, just think, what have we given him back? I say, nothing, apart from applauding his brilliance, bestowing blessings and supporting in his good and bad times. You may say, what should/can we do more for him? Then, here, I give you an opportunity to do something for him, for the man who scaled paths of glory through sheer hardwork and fighting against all odds made his way to the top, the Cricketing Legend, the Master, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, our very own Tendlya. No doubt, he is one of the greatest batsmen ever seen by this game but moreover, I would say, he is the greatest person ever seen by the mankind. Through this book, an earnest attempt has been made to decode the qualities and values which makes him stand apart from others and let me tell you, these values make a perfect recipe for a successful life. ‘Chak De!! Tendlya’ is just not about Cricket and Sachin. Infact it is all about his, your, our life; about the moral values of life which shapes and makes us a better human being. Sounds boring?? If yes, here’s an interesting thing to spice it up, “While you read the book, Sachin Tendulkar would be playing alongside you, the game of Cricket.” Amazed!! What? You don’t believe it. Go and just check in. Hurry! Unveil the fun.