
Book review : Siddhartha – The Boy Who Became The Buddha
They say that sometimes the journey is more interesting than the destination. This couldn’t have been truer for Buddha. The world today knows him as
‘My purpose behind writing this book is this dream I had since childhood�to see India march ahead’ – says Sumit Agarwal�- author, musician, public speaker and industrialist.�\n\nWho is Sumit Agarwal?\n\nI am an IIT-Kanpur pass out from the 1998 batch, currently running my chemicals manufacturing business. I am working full time on my business and yet able to pursue my passions � social work, writing and music, for which I thank God- for giving me multi-tasking ability, and my family � for allowing me the time and space.\n\n \n\nWhy do you write?\n\nThis is not my first writing attempt, I had been a good writer from my school days. I won essay writing contests, used to speak extempore and debates and read all of the Sidney Sheldon series by the time I passed high school. I had my own list of elements of good story telling � characterization, plot, twists, interlinks, dramatization and so on. The bigger picture of what I wanted to show was crystal clear, so everything flowed naturally. I had no doubt that I had written an engrossing and inspiring story, but the comments I started getting from my friends who were avid readers, book editors and critics were very heartening. I modified and improved the draft every time I received a logical suggestion.�But this is when I came to know my product was ready!\n\nWhy did you write this book?\n\nMy purpose behind writing this book is this dream I had since childhood�to see my country march ahead. I wanted to contribute to it, majorly. So much so, that I planned to amass a lot of wealth to back my efforts like cleaning the city with a fleet of self-owned JCBs and trucks, establishing beggar rehabilitation homes etc. I felt responsible in some when I would see a hapless beggar on the roadside. But that time of owning a self-replenishing well of money did not come even after 10 years of being in business. So I started my NGO in a small way, which over a few years became an organized effort backed by some of my industrial contacts. It works on adopting government schools and improving the infrastructure, quality of education and all round development of these children.\n\nAbout the book\n\n\n\nHave you ever fallen victim to the system? Felt humiliated and helpless? Have you fought back? \nMeet four such patriots: Varun, an NRI software engineer; Salman, CEO of Coffee Moments; Raghav, a virtuous politician and Aditya, an altruistic businessman. \nFate brings these four lives together at a crossroads, pushing these unlikely heroes out of their comfort zones to fight a seemingly unstoppable evil force which wants to hold our country captive. The four companions, who have always had each other�s back, will now come face-to-face with the biggest challenge of their lives�a labyrinthine plot rife with perilous twists and wicked turns. With the nation�s future at stake, will they be able to destroy the Chakravyuh intricately laid down by the enemies of India? Will they come out of it alive? \nA story about friendship, faith and courage, replete with romance and patriotism, The Four Patriots is a racy, contemporary thriller sure to give you goose bumps. Pick this book if you do not believe �is desh ka kuch nahin ho sakta�; and if you think all is not lost, this is a must-read!\n\nWhy do you think readers will love this book?\n\nI have treated my book no less than a baby and leaving the rest to the almighty and my readers. Their verdict is final. I continue my journey keeping my fingers crossed.\n\nMaking of the book ‘The Four Patriots’\n\nFive years into running the NGO, I started feeling this was just a drop in the ocean and something more needed to be done. I noticed the growing trend of virtual patriotism and the need to translate it to action. I felt we have huge potential but somehow we do not work that hard as we should. We want to win back our lost pride but don�t want to take pains. So I painted this picture which shows that all of our dreams about the country can become a reality if the youth works towards it. The mission is to inspire the youth to stick their necks out, put their right foot forward and participate in the country�s development.\n\nDuring one of my visits to my sister in Mumbai, I met her neighbour, Kritika didi, to whom I mentioned about the book. She had been a professional editor, so I gifted her a home-made copy and requested her to read it and give her inputs. She did the job very diligently, but what she said to my sister almost brought tears to my eyes. She said that she had had the dormant desire of working for some NGO for a long time, but after reading this book, she had decided to give shape to her dreams very shortly. I felt the purpose of writing this book had been fulfilled there itself. Soon after, my manuscript was approved by Rupa, after a series of rejections from a lot of other publishers.\n\nTo my utter delight, when I met Kritika didi during my book launch in Mumbai this 29th September, she was already working for an NGO.\n\nAuthor: Sumit Agarwal\nPublisher: Rupa Publications\nRelease: October 2016\nGenre: Fiction / Thriller\nBuy from�Amazon\n\n Book lovers can �Contribute articles �& �join our Review program to receive review copies of new release books.� And if you are an author, share about you & your book(s) in Author�s corner & do take a look at our unique community approach to Book Marketing.!
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