The phoenix can only rise if there is a large and credible purpose. In this filigree of enchanting stories Priya Somaiya effortlessly crafts the lives and experiences of a few women, revealing the interwoven complexity of emotions and astounding actions that could shift many mental and emotional paradigms-Sahiba undergoes a massive identity transformation and confronts undefinable tragedy with quiet courage; the determined Shakun cannot be appreciated by people who perceive the world largely through class, caste and gender biases; how can women like Fatima and Ramoli challenge the entrenched norms governing women in feudal structures; Shailaja doesn't realise that the universe does partner in fulfilling strong aspirations in the most mysterious ways; when a girl child is thrown on a railway platform after she is born and grows up on the same platform, what does it mean to just breathe and survive; widowhood in India is still neither here nor there and if Pushpa could weather the worst storm of widowhood she can just sail through others; Asma changes her name to redefine her identity and feels empowered to alter her life. These are stories of faith and humanity. It takes brazen guts and conviction in the goodness of human nature to believe that attitudinal positivity can turn around one's life. Rare and life-changing, Unwilling to Bend posits that courage is the most beautiful colour of the mind.
Listening doesn't always get the attention that it deserves and is mostly taken for granted. It is a powerful ability that humans possess but is hardly used or applied. Problems between parents and children, between seniors and subordinates, between governments and the public-most interpersonal and social issues emanate from poor listening. As we grow in life our responsibility lies more in listening than in speaking. The seeds of conflict are very often sown when we stop listening. Listening is a complex process, varied and fragile. What is the nature of listening required by individuals, organisations and nation states during times of transition and transformation? What kind of listening competencies are needed to positively cement our relationships? Which listening skills would we need when we want to understand ourselves better? Silence too is a part of communication. How can you 'listen' to silence and understand its meaning? Silence and the internalisation of wisdom have the potential to revolutionise thinking and social development. The Intent to Listen is a comprehensive attempt to analyse and understand the power of listening-about how, when and what actually facilitate its development and application. Detailed, simple and peppered with stories and scenarios, this is a must-read for effective communication.
Our mental paradigm about leadership must shift, argues author Priya Somaiya, and Pride and Purpose achieves just that. It is a fascinating compilation of experiences and stories, and her tryst with leaders and leadership from all walks of life. Not all of leadership is about positional power and control. Rather, most of it silently and sensitively engages with building and transforming lives, organisations and society. The complex intersection and convergence of diverse personalities, skills, styles and qualities in leaders presented in various chapters of the book appear to impact human experiences in similar and yet diverse ways. Leaders influence thought and perception, aspiration and motivation. They earn respect and trust. They create resolute will and discipline and demonstrate working through failure and pain. Leaders interface hugely with time and the elusive framework of the future. They role model risk-taking and a lasting passion for learning. Dr Somaiya's work weaves all these dimensions together in a converging mosaic around leadership behaviours, which appear to strengthen the significantly important pillars around which all leadership devolves-the feeling of pride and the anchoring of purpose in life.
The expanse and the deathly silence of deserts tell us many synchronous tales of human lives. You would be astonished to discover the dark, lurking, and mysterious cultures which thrive along desert borders. The continuously travelling gypsy nomadic communities not only know what to do with scarcity and hostility, but possess uncanny insights of the world and beyond. Read this book to know about the enigmatic Keshav Neelkanthiya, Apsara Aparna Sharma, and Ravin Armstrong, and how their intertwined destinies pulsate and whisper to The Call For Infinity.
The Frozen Sun is a personal and an intimate story of two families that lived in Srinagar as neighbours for decades. The legendary Jamshed Khan attempts to steer them through the ravages of terror and violence in the valley. The words and actions of many in the book reflect the historical anguish and pain, which Khan struggles to knit together while responding to lives and devastating times. Against the backdrop of the grand Himalayas, the Chinar forests and the gurgling Jhelum, the story unfolds to a reality that must matter to all.
The Sunderbans… Beautiful forests as the name says… The largest mangrove forests of the world, home to several endangered species of fauna, a tourist’s dream destination, stunning landscapes that ignite a painter’s passion… But, what of the humans who inhabit this picture-perfect land of tiny islands, estuarine streams, marshy swamps, and lush green fields? Beneath the breathtakingly beautiful sky of myriad colours and the flaming red, bleeding sunsets, they lead a life of extreme hardship, every day a challenge, with the fear of attacks by the man-eating tigers, the crocodiles that abound the streams, and the constant threat of storms and cyclones that can turn their fertile fields into saline swamps in a few minutes, wiping out a lifetime’s labour. And the women… second-class humans like everywhere, but more so in this rural, remote corner, treated like beasts of burden, hard toil taking a toll of their lives, subjected to domestic violence, sexual assaults from human predators with rape and murder being common events, at the mercy of the rich and powerful… This is the saga of the courage of one such woman—Kalyani, orphaned before reaching her teens, married before fourteen, mother of four, widowed in the early thirties, extremely poor, but uncompromising in her dignity, who does not succumb to pressures or favours and brings up her children single-handedly, relying only on her own hard labour. This story, set in the village of Sajnekhali, on the banks of the Matla River, could be the story of so many who live under the bleeding skies with bleeding hearts.
Our mental paradigm about leadership must shift, argues author Priya Somaiya, and Pride and Purpose achieves just that. It is a fascinating compilation of experiences and stories, and her tryst with leaders and leadership from all walks of life. Not all of leadership is about positional power and control. Rather, most of it silently and sensitively engages with building and transforming lives, organisations and society. The complex intersection and convergence of diverse personalities, skills, styles and qualities in leaders presented in various chapters of the book appear to impact human experiences in similar and yet diverse ways. Leaders influence thought and perception, aspiration and motivation. They earn respect and trust. They create resolute will and discipline and demonstrate working through failure and pain. Leaders interface hugely with time and the elusive framework of the future. They role model risk-taking and a lasting passion for learning. Dr Somaiya's work weaves all these dimensions together in a converging mosaic around leadership behaviours, which appear to strengthen the significantly important pillars around which all leadership devolves-the feeling of pride and the anchoring of purpose in life.
The Sunderbans… Beautiful forests as the name says… The largest mangrove forests of the world, home to several endangered species of fauna, a tourist’s dream destination, stunning landscapes that ignite a painter’s passion… But, what of the humans who inhabit this picture-perfect land of tiny islands, estuarine streams, marshy swamps, and lush green fields? Beneath the breathtakingly beautiful sky of myriad colours and the flaming red, bleeding sunsets, they lead a life of extreme hardship, every day a challenge, with the fear of attacks by the man-eating tigers, the crocodiles that abound the streams, and the constant threat of storms and cyclones that can turn their fertile fields into saline swamps in a few minutes, wiping out a lifetime’s labour. And the women… second-class humans like everywhere, but more so in this rural, remote corner, treated like beasts of burden, hard toil taking a toll of their lives, subjected to domestic violence, sexual assaults from human predators with rape and murder being common events, at the mercy of the rich and powerful… This is the saga of the courage of one such woman—Kalyani, orphaned before reaching her teens, married before fourteen, mother of four, widowed in the early thirties, extremely poor, but uncompromising in her dignity, who does not succumb to pressures or favours and brings up her children single-handedly, relying only on her own hard labour. This story, set in the village of Sajnekhali, on the banks of the Matla River, could be the story of so many who live under the bleeding skies with bleeding hearts.
The Frozen Sun is a personal and an intimate story of two families that lived in Srinagar as neighbours for decades. The legendary Jamshed Khan attempts to steer them through the ravages of terror and violence in the valley. The words and actions of many in the book reflect the historical anguish and pain, which Khan struggles to knit together while responding to lives and devastating times. Against the backdrop of the grand Himalayas, the Chinar forests and the gurgling Jhelum, the story unfolds to a reality that must matter to all.
Listening doesn't always get the attention that it deserves and is mostly taken for granted. It is a powerful ability that humans possess but is hardly used or applied. Problems between parents and children, between seniors and subordinates, between governments and the public-most interpersonal and social issues emanate from poor listening. As we grow in life our responsibility lies more in listening than in speaking. The seeds of conflict are very often sown when we stop listening. Listening is a complex process, varied and fragile. What is the nature of listening required by individuals, organisations and nation states during times of transition and transformation? What kind of listening competencies are needed to positively cement our relationships? Which listening skills would we need when we want to understand ourselves better? Silence too is a part of communication. How can you 'listen' to silence and understand its meaning? Silence and the internalisation of wisdom have the potential to revolutionise thinking and social development. The Intent to Listen is a comprehensive attempt to analyse and understand the power of listening-about how, when and what actually facilitate its development and application. Detailed, simple and peppered with stories and scenarios, this is a must-read for effective communication.
The expanse and the deathly silence of deserts tell us many synchronous tales of human lives. You would be astonished to discover the dark, lurking, and mysterious cultures which thrive along desert borders. The continuously travelling gypsy nomadic communities not only know what to do with scarcity and hostility, but possess uncanny insights of the world and beyond. Read this book to know about the enigmatic Keshav Neelkanthiya, Apsara Aparna Sharma, and Ravin Armstrong, and how their intertwined destinies pulsate and whisper to The Call For Infinity.
The phoenix can only rise if there is a large and credible purpose. In this filigree of enchanting stories Priya Somaiya effortlessly crafts the lives and experiences of a few women, revealing the interwoven complexity of emotions and astounding actions that could shift many mental and emotional paradigms-Sahiba undergoes a massive identity transformation and confronts undefinable tragedy with quiet courage; the determined Shakun cannot be appreciated by people who perceive the world largely through class, caste and gender biases; how can women like Fatima and Ramoli challenge the entrenched norms governing women in feudal structures; Shailaja doesn't realise that the universe does partner in fulfilling strong aspirations in the most mysterious ways; when a girl child is thrown on a railway platform after she is born and grows up on the same platform, what does it mean to just breathe and survive; widowhood in India is still neither here nor there and if Pushpa could weather the worst storm of widowhood she can just sail through others; Asma changes her name to redefine her identity and feels empowered to alter her life. These are stories of faith and humanity. It takes brazen guts and conviction in the goodness of human nature to believe that attitudinal positivity can turn around one's life. Rare and life-changing, Unwilling to Bend posits that courage is the most beautiful colour of the mind.
This book focuses on Indian single mothers and explores their lives, with their attendant dilemmas and challenges. The author details a phenomenon that is fast becoming common. Deftly using a free-flowing narrative, she raises questions about marriage, children and relationships. This seminal work draws attention to truths that usually lie buried in the rubble of daily life and conventional social sciences.
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