At the Hyderabad Literary Festival, the launch of Road To Anand: Reflections of a Contented Soul by Dr K Anand Kumar unfolded more like a warm, unhurried chat than a typical book launch. As Dr K Anand spoke about his journey, it became clear that the book grew from real moments, quiet lessons, and a long search for contentment rather than ambition.
Talking about the experience, Dr Anand shared how finishing the book brought him a sense of wholeness. He spoke about his early life in a rural setting, and how much of his learning came not from textbooks but from people and situations around him. Reflecting on that journey, he said, “I feel very complete having written this book because these are all life experiences. I have learnt many life lessons which are captured in anecdotes from my real life, and are helpful in my current conditions.”
As the conversation turned to the writing process, he explained that the book was never planned as a single project. The stories came together over time, written during different phases of his life and later woven into one narrative. “They were all captured in various time frames,” he shared, adding that the experiences range widely, touching upon work, family life, his early years of travel, and relocation to countries such as New Zealand and Australia, when everything felt new and uncertain.
Dr Anand then spoke about what pushed him to put these memories down on paper. For him, writing is a way of preserving life itself. He noted, “When I write, I capture my memories in a form that becomes immortal, because while social media fades quickly, a book allows them to be treasured forever. Next, it helps me connect the present with the future, so generations later my grandchildren can read who their grandfather was and what he experienced in India. Finally, through life’s lessons and ups and downs, I gain wisdom, which can also be shared.”
When asked what he hopes readers feel after finishing the book, Dr Anand said that he wants them to walk away with reassurance. “It will be very inspirational to them. It gives hope that there is an opportunity for all. And there are many lessons in this on how you would lead a happy and contented life.That’s very important. It’s not the money or anything. It’s just many lessons in this book that would really tell why it is very important to lead a very contented life,” he expressed.
The way the book was written mirrors its spirit. Much of it was typed during waiting hours at airports or while flying, often sent as messages to his own phone. “I never sat on my study desk and wrote,” he recalled, adding that he wanted the language to remain simple and unchanged, just as it first came to him.
By the end of the conversation, it felt like Road To Anand was really an extension of Dr Anand Kumar himself. Unhurried and honest, the book quietly reminds you that contentment is built over time, through everyday choices, missteps and learnings, and that a fulfilled life often looks simpler than we imagine.