The sheer joy of reading a good book!

For any voracious and avid reader, once in a while we come across a masterpiece which remains with us forever.   We like a book for various reasons – for the story, choice of words, description, excitement, a sense of wow factor, for the smile it brings while reading, suspense or drama or simply when it provokes the reader to take up something or act on something.  

But seldom one comes across a book that satisfies all the conditions – superb story, excellent flow, very thought provoking, appreciative of the character described in the book, something for the reader to emulate in their personal and professional life, great substance in each and every chapter, a page turner etc.   

Reading Karmayogi written by M.S. Ashokan which is a Biography of E. Sreedharan, fondly called a Metro man was one such unique experience.   It was a great read not only for the way it is written but also to know what a great personality Mr. E Sreedharan was.  To know each and every minute detail of how he carried out the work of Kolkata Metro, Konkan Railway and Delhi Metro by setting standards par excellence, having sheer conviction and energy to bring in creativity, forward thinking, adhering to strict discipline, not missing the timelines at every stage, not compromising quality at every stage and most of all not giving in to the challenges.  

His dedication, professionalism, transparency, integrity of the highest order is not only inspiring but also a classic example of how one can perform with excellence no matter how difficult a project is.  He never believed in working after office hours, balancing personal and professional life, openly criticized bureaucracy and said that knowledge is the greatest strength. There’s nothing bigger than knowledge.  

Walt Disney very rightly said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” So, what best way engage ourselves than books!