UNSUNG HEROES, UPLIFTING STORIES

Authored by Kumaraswamy Virupakshan (PGP 1983) With the corporate career spanning 35 years, he has travelled to over 50 countries with deep interest in leisure and exploratory travel. Ha has met people from various walks of life – from farmers and foresters to policemen to presidents, politicians to parliamentarians, pole dancers to chefs, lions, and paupers. Considerably, he has taken a keen interest in knowing about other cultures and life stories of various people he has met on his voyage of discovery.

Unearthing the hidden heroism hiding inside ordinary people, the book is a collection of tales and personal life stories from various corners of the globe based on the author’s personal observations and interaction with the people he met during his travels. The first person narrative transports the readers to the scene of action and conversation and makes the readers live the experiences themselves.

It is a collection of 70 short reads – each one engaging and educative and inspiring in its own way – about everyday champions from around us in daily life – unheralded but brave and tenacious in their own way.

The characters range from ex-Naxalists, Mumbai Dabbawalla, worlds most primitive people in Masai, cricketer Kapil Dev and the God of fast bowling (Richard Hadlee), CEO of the world’s largest paper company and sea of humanity on Kolkata during Durga Puja times besides Gnus, Zebras and Lions.

We sure can learn from each of them and get inspired from the insightful conversations recounted in lucid language and natural flow. All are positive stories or lessons that do not leave a bad taste or heavy burden in heart.

Endorsements

Nothing escapes the lens of Kumar’s mind. Like the deep-sea divers who collect pearls from seabed, Kumar collects gems of human stories from the ocean of life. Kudos to him for making us sing for the unsung heroes whom we come across in our daily life but ignore! – Sujit Mukherjee, Management strategist, author, poet, culinary expert, and World President for Poets International organisation, del mundo

An amazing book that is so engaging and yet full of insights. Kumaraswamy has managed to talk to so many different people from across India as well as the world. After reading each episode, you will be compelled to move on to the next. – Prof. S. Manikutty, Ex Prof at IIM Ahmedabad and author of ‘Being Ethical: Ethics and the Foundation of Business’

Short, simple, real-life stories, each with a message. A story a day is what I would recommend for keeping your hopes alive but fears at bay. – Prashant Jain, HDFC Asset Management Company

‘Inspiring’ is the word I would use for describing all the characters and places in the book wonderfully penned by the author. Equally inspiring is the way he has managed to weave all these seemingly disparate and unconnected people and locations into one compelling read. – Vijay Sankar, Deputy Chairman, The Sanmar Group

Kumaraswamy is a raconteur par excellence. He fleshes out the strengths and foibles of his characters with humour and empathy and exhibits as keen an eye for detail as his profession of handling complex numbers demands of him. Whether it’s his protagonists or his travels or his personal experiences, his tales are as engaging as they are entertaining. – Ms Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa,(Retd IFS), Former Ambassador to Sweden, Qatar and Japan

Kumar: You have a knack of making people open up to you. Your pieces always offer something refreshing. – Raghu Krishnamoorthy (PGP 1983), Chief Human Resources Officer (Retd.) General Electric