Book Review: Life Mantras by Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara

Title: Life Mantras
Author: Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara
Pages: 298
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Price: 200.00 INR

Review

Life Mantras is the first book in a scheduled trilogy, Thoughts from Tihar, penned by “Saharasri” Subrata Roy Sahara, the founder of Sahara India Parivar. The other two books of the trilogy ‘Think with Me: How to make our country ideal’ and ‘Reflections from Tihar: Observations in Tihar Jail’ will be released in quick succession.

Not to be misunderstood as a biography, this book isn’t about his life but his take on things and about philosophies of life. The philosophy shared in the book is the product of the author’s trials, tribulations and life lessons. The simple and basic ideologies shared by the author will have the readers pondering about life for a very long time. He indulges the philosophical views on knowledge, intelligence, basic values of life, various emotions, and such other things.

The book is divided into fifteen sections, each dealing with a different issue. It establishes the principles of truth that are integral to each one of us but which, more often than not, gets lost in the multiple folds of everyday living. Incarceration has led to many books that have enriched us for ages. Great leaders and writers have taken up the pen to utilize profitably the time that their caged situation offered them. Even in the face of adversity, these men and women have not only survived but emerged as polished gems. This book is not merely a constructive use of the author’s time, rather a treasure trove of advices from a great thinker.

In the word of Subrata Roy, if one could identify and adopt the ‘life mantras,’ that person would be better positioned to realize that life is a blissful journey. He is not advocating any theories, merely speaking his mind. His writing is conversational. It is much like hearing the man speaking from a podium. There’s even a question /answer segment that forms the essence of what he has shared in the previous pages.

About the Author

 Subrata Roy Sahara (born 1948) popularly known as 'Saharasri', is one of the most successful, bold, vociferous and talked-about figures of corporate India. When he laid the foundation of Sahara India Pariwar in 1978 with a capital of `2,000 (about $32) and three workers, who would have imagined his company's meteoric rise to a worth of `1,80,000 crore (about $27 billion) within a span of thirty-seven years! A teacher, guide and a proud guardian to his over 1.2 million fellow workers, he ascribes his success to his philosophy of 'Collective Materialism' which means continuous collective growth for collective sharing and caring. Renowned institutions like Harvard School of Business, USA; the Indian Institutes of Technology; the Indian Institutes of Management; and Banaras Hindu University have invited him to address their faculty and students, besides which, a host of awards have been bestowed on him that include the 'Indian Business Icon of the Year' at the Powerbrands Hall of Fame Awards in London; the Doctor of Business (honoris causa) by the University of East London; and the highest honorary degree, 'D. Litt.' by the Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Bihar for his contributions in various fields. 

I'd like to thank the author for letting me review his book. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading!