legacy
Author: Sudha Menon
Publisher: Random House, Rs399
The book is a compilation of letters written by some of the most iconic personalities and addressed to their daughters, says Jaskiran Chopra
In this day and age when most parents and children do not have much time to talk to each other, to communicate with one another, a book like this comes as a wonderful gift. Memories, values, emotions and love — all these weave together an atmosphere of inspiration and joy which radiates itself to the reader. The concept is fascinating.
The special bond which daughters share with their parents is expressed well through the letters which well-known people have written to their daughters .These letters have been written specially for this book. The author has performed the role of a catalyst by inspiring them to say all they have always wanted to say to their daughters. The letters give an insight into the lives and personalities of both the parents as well as the daughters.
Deeply moving and thought-provoking, the book delights and inspires at the same time. Through these letters, the leaders talk about their own journey and the life lessons that they want to pass on to their daughters. They are Narayana Murthy, Chanda Kochhar, Kishore Biyani, Zia Mody, KV Kamath, Ajay Piramal, Amit Chandra, Ganesh Natrajan, Renuka Ramnath, PP Chhabria, Pradeep Bhargava, Deep Anand, Capt Gopinath, Mallika Sarabhai, Shaheen Mistri, Sanjeev Kapoor, Jatin Das and Prakash Padukone.
The foreword to the book is as unique as the book is. It is by Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD, Biocon ltd, and is in the form of a letter to her parents. She also has a message for all young Indian girls: “Sometimes your weakness can be your biggest strength and like the handicap in golf, your weakness can be your biggest advantage. If indecisiveness and diffidence are your perceived weaknesses, work quietly on converting these into unwavering self-confidence and decisiveness, and then go out and conquer the world.”
This is Sudha Menon’s second book. In her first book too, she had told us stories of 18 women with their never-say-die attitude. The book, leading ladies: Women Who Inspire India, was widely-acclaimed and told us about women who refused to be cowed down by circumstances. It brought to light the human side of the country’s women achievers and reminded us that every achievement could only come after sustained hard work.
In legacy too, we learn of the wonderful journey of parents as well as daughters to whom they write the letters. We get to know a different side of these famous people, an insight into their minds and hearts. We realise how all of them are different from each other and yet they all share similar beliefs and strengths which they would like to see in their daughters as well.
Ajay Piramal’s letter to Nandini tells her to “strive to tackle your challenges, the hurdles in your life, with equanimity”. He talks about the immense importance of family in one’s life. Amit Chandra tells his seven-year-old daughter that he wants to raise her in a way that her emotional quotient flourishes over simple academic excellence. In the letter to his daughters, Captain Gopinath stresses the need to be the best. “Whatever you want to be in life, even if it were to become a cobbler, be the best one. Be obsessed with whatever it is that you want to do,” he writes.
Chanda Kochhar tells Aarti about the hardships the family faced when Chanda’s father passed away when she was just 13. “It was from my mother that I learnt the importance of adapting to circumstances and not being afraid of the unknown... there is no limit to what a determined mind can achieve.”
The letter by Narayana Murthy to his daughter Akshata emphasises the importance of simplicity, austerity and self-discipline in life. He also tells her, and the readers, how he considers her to be his only boss. “Since I founded Infosys, I had no boss! So the only boss I have known is you! Who else can order me around about my eating habits, my sleep patterns, my incessant traveling, and my refusal to go for regular medical check upsIJ”
Deepika and Anisha also get a letter from Prakash Padukone, who stresses the need for perseverance, determination and passion for what one chooses to do. “If you only like what you do, you will become an average player, but if you love what you do, there is every chance that you will excel at it. Material success is important, not fundamental to happiness and peace of mind.”
The flow of the narrative is smooth and engaging. Every reader can find an echo of what he or she has heard from his parents and grandparents — homespun wisdom that one can always depend upon while facing difficult situations in life. As we read, a lot of what we seemed to have forgotten comes back to us. And has a great impact. This is a book which every parent and child should read. And cherish.