One is often faced with situations where keeping faith and being hopeful appear meaningless. Is it, however, sensible to suspend the very belief that things are bound to change? Definitely not for had that been the case one would never have Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam as the country’s president, Kailash Satyarthi would be a chief engineer somewhere instead of being a social activist, and Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo (retd.) wouldn’t be writing war stories, and so on.
Though the pursuit of the extraordinary appeals to all, it’s the difference one makes in their everyday life that matters. Over the years, this difference transforms itself into a “success story,” inspiring others to believe in themselves too irrespective of their circumstances. If you’re falling short of inspiration, then below is a list of such stories.
An Ordinary Man’s Guide to Radicalism: Growing Up Muslim in India (forthcoming Westland, 2024) by Neyaz Farooquee
First published in 2018 under the Context imprint of Westland, Farooquee’s book is going to be reissued this summer. Divided into two parts and 18 chapters, along with a moving prologue and epilogue, the book begins by offering a situation for you to consider: what if your “cosy neighbourhood” becomes the site of a violent incident and as a result ends up characterising a set of people differently from others? Additionally, it asks how do you grow up in a country where you are constantly othered? In such a scenario, it takes a tremendous will to continue to believe in the country’s ethos and tirelessly wait for justice to be delivered. A remarkable memoir, Farooquee’s story — unfortunately — is more relevant today than ever before.
Twelfth Fail (HarperCollins, 2021) by Anurag Pathak, translated from the Hindi by Gautam Choubey and Lalit Kumar
An unforgettable story of a seemingly unknown person one often encounters in the Civil Services examination preparation hubs in Delhi like Karol Bagh and G T B Nagar, Twelfth Fail is based on the real-life story of Manoj Kumar Sharma. Unbelievable on several counts, such stories are often heard of, but one never witnesses them first-hand. Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, founder-director of Drishti IAS, had the privilege to do so, and to his credit, he helped it find a medium to reach a wider audience with Pathak’s pen. Rendered with honesty and simplicity, Pathak has done immense justice to this story and Choubey and Kumar have an equally important role to play as deft translators. Manoj’s grit and resilience are going to inspire generations. Thanks to its movie adaptation, those who find cinema more inviting than literature when it comes to motivation can access his moving story.
Beyond Fear: True Stories on Life in the Indian Armed Forces (Penguin Veer, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2023) by Ian Cardozo
War stories have rarely been anthologised keeping diversity in mind and told with sensitivity as they’re told by Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo (retd.) in his latest Beyond Fear. A charming man unafraid to voice his opinion, Cardozo was rendered disabled in a war. Informed that his career was going to be finished, he decided to prove everyone wrong. Untamed by circumstances beyond his control, he went on to become the first disabled officer to lead a battalion in the history of the Indian Armed Forces. In this book, which is sprinkled with a tinge of his imagination, he collects such stories of bravery and valour to help inspire people.
‘Why Didn’t You Come Sooner?’ Compassion in Action: Stories of Children Rescued from Slavery (Speaking Tiger, 2023) by Kailash Satyarthi
Coming from a small town in Madhya Pradesh, Satyarthi could’ve easily been a government official after completing his degree in electrical engineering given the times he grew up in, but he couldn’t unsee the inequality that he witnessed everywhere, particularly the sight of children being forced to work. The co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, Satyarthi took it upon himself to address the inequalities as much as he could and help save children from the wrath of poverty, chains of slavery, and helplessness of their circumstances. A deeply moving account of such incidents, this book was first published in Hindi. Last year, its English translation by the author was published to much love.
The Scrapper’s Way: Making It Big in an Unequal World (Harper Business, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2024) by Damodar Padhi
No one as experienced and respected as Padhi would like to call themselves a scrapper. Then why does he? Perhaps most of us would’ve definitely seen a ceiling fan before joining an undergraduate course. Padhi didn’t, which is why his story is unique. One is glad that he thought to narrate his journey, from escaping dire poverty and pressurising situations in the family to becoming one of the most respected corporate citizens and coaches. Part guide and part-memoir, this is one of the finest examples why we need stories from diverse backgrounds.
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