HYDERABAD: We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are. Swami Gaur Gopal Das is known for such profound statements and also for decoding the meaning of life and the situations we face. The motivational guru and orator with a crackling sense of humour was in Hyderabad at The Landmark store in Somajiguda to launch his new book ‘Life’s Amazing Secrets’.
The full house resounded with his hilarious takes even on the most serious issues of life. Gaur Gopal Das is considered a rockstar speaker and has over four million followers on social media across all the channels which connect him to the youth. After a stint in the corporate world, this life coach, monk and now an author was present for a meet and greet session that took place at the book store where his fans got an opportunity to get motivated and also got a chance to get their book purchases personally signed by him.
So what is the Rockstar Speaker’s 280-character message for the Gen X? Speaking to Hyderabad Express on the sidelines of the book launch, he says, “In chasing online relationships, do not forgot your offline sweethearts. When you are ailing and in the hospital, it is probably your parents, siblings, cousins or best friends who are waiting outside and taking care of you.
Your social media friends and followers are probably just sending you empty ‘get well’ messages and emojis. So understand where you need to focus.” He also believes that putting too much emphasis on instant gratification – about seeking a validation from the world, can distract them from their larger goals and purposes. “Moderation, my friend, is the key to leading a healthy offline and online life and balancing both to have fun and happiness.”
He is often busy with his speaking schedules (he is invited to address students in campuses abroad), and having always thought himself to be more of a speaker, than a writer, he did not really think of penning down his thoughts.
However, when Penguin Publishers reached out asking him to write a book, it got him thinking. “At around the same time, my best friend also said that I must write. His logic was: When you speak, it is for a short while.
But when you write a book, it is for eternity. I also remembered what business tycoon Richard Branson once said – When you get an opportunity, say yes and then learn how to do it. So I learnt to start writing down a few pages every day in the last six months and managed to bring out a 208-page book with 20 chapters.”
Chapter three on work-life is what he thinks is most relevant to youngsters. But how does the Swami, who may not have worked in the last few years, be able to give advice here? He explains, “Every second friend of mine is from the corporate world and they have been sharing their gyan to me. I have also had a stint with Hewlett Packard and it wasn’t a challenge to put it together.”
The book is written in a simple, lucid style with short and impactful sentences. Just as a car balances on four wheels, we must balance four crucial areas of life: Personal life, relationships, work and social life. The chapters are also, therefore, named as wheels to keep it aligned with the concept of achieving balance in life on all fronts. The last few pages offer readers an exercise – the Ikigai worksheet to find one’s passion and purpose in life.
The speaker-turned-author is an Electrical Engineer, having studied at the College Of Engineering, Pune. After a brief stint with Hewlett Packard, he decided to upgrade his career to be a life coach. Ever since he has been speaking at various prestigious academic institutions and corporate firms in India and abroad for over two decades and has even spoken at the British parliament.
His motivational videos are viral having reached around 500 million views. He was also awarded ‘The Ideal Young Spiritual Guru Award’ by the Indian Student Parliament, MIT Pune for his remarkable contributions in offering spiritual guidance to the world at such a young age.
Based on the timeless wisdom coming down from ages, his talks make the audience think deeper and find simple solutions to difficult problems. “Whether you are looking at strengthening your relationships, discovering your true potential, understanding how to do well at work or even how you can give back to the world, Gaur Gopal Das takes us on an unforgettable journey with his precious insights on these areas of life,” reads the blurb on the book. The book is on sale at Landmark store and online too. A Penguin Randomhouse publication, the 208-page paperback costs `250.
Other side of the coin
Deepanjali and Department of Language and Culture, Govt of Telangana teamed up to present the dance ballet, Pratidwandi Ramayana at Ravindra Bharathi on Wednesday. Enacted by Uma Dogra, Deepika Reddy, Gopika Varma, Deepak Mazumdar and narrated by Jhansi Laxmi as Sutradhar, the show depicted the perspective of the antagonists and their impact on the happenings in Ramayana. Characters like Manthara, Kaikeyi, Surpanakha and Ravana showcase their side of their story and Sutradhar Jhansi weaves the story together.
Mix-n-match your food
Restaurant chain Indiblaze has inaugurated its new outlet at Himayathnagar recently. The restaurant is giving an inaugural offer of 20 per cent discount on food items up to November 30. The restaurant was jointly founded in 2016 by Sanjay Thumma and Vikram Simha. Indiblaze has a first-of-its-kind concept in Hyderabad, the ‘healthy food in a flash’, which offers customers to choose their own bowl with different kinds of options in both veg and non-veg. The new store is located opposite Westside showroom, Himayatnagar.
For reservations, contact 9640851851.
24-kt gold coins for sale
On the occasion of Dhanteras, Govt of India enterprise MMTC is organising an exhibition-cum-sale of gold jewellery, Indian gold coins, MMTC gold / silver medallions and Sanchi silverware at its showroom on SD Road, Secunderabad. The expo ends on November 6. An event was held at its showroom on Thursday, inaugurated by MMTC Secunderabad Chief General Manager Rajender Prasad.
24-kt gold coins for sale
On the occasion of Dhanteras, Govt of India enterprise MMTC is organising an exhibition-cum-sale of gold jewellery, Indian gold coins, MMTC gold / silver medallions and Sanchi silverware at its showroom on SD Road, Secunderabad. The expo ends on November 6. An event was held at its showroom on Thursday, inaugurated by MMTC Secunderabad Chief General Manager Rajender Prasad.
200 ‘makers’ to take part in expo
A three-day ‘Maker Faire’ expo is being held from November 9 to 11 at Hitex Exhibition Centre in the city. “The event is an attempt to make Hyderabad the hub for ‘maker movement’”, said T-Works CEO Sujai Karampuri, speaking at a meet held at Hotel Plaza in the city on Friday. T-Works is a prototyping lab for product development, coming up in a five-acre area. The initiative will commence operations from April 2019. “No one is born with a maker hat. It is the environment that nurtures the maker spirit”, said Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan. Spread over 50,000 sq ft, Maker Faire will feature over 200 makers, artists and entrepreneurs from across the country. For more details, visit
https://hyderabad.makerfaire.com
ICFAI holds memorial lecture
The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), Deemed-to-be University, organised the seventh NJ Yasaswy Memorial Lecture on November 1, at its campus in Hyderabad on Thursday. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant took part as the chief guest. The event was presided over by Dr C Rangarajan, the Chancellor, IFHE, who was the former RBI Governor and former Governor of then united Andhra Pradesh. Amitabh Kant spoke on the topic, “The Path Ahead: Transformative Ideas for India”. He exhorted students not to look for government jobs; instead, to become entrepreneurs and create jobs for others. “By doing so, you have a tremendous opportunity to transform the growth of the nation,” he said.
Call for papers on media’s role in society
A two-day national conference on ‘Changing Dimensions of the Media: Psychosocial, Cultural and Political Correlates’ is being organised by Gandhi School of Humanities and Social Sciences (GSHS) of GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad at its campus on January 24, 25 2019. The conference aims to highlight the changing dimensions of the media in national and international contexts. The objective of the conference is to create a platform for academicians, research scholars and students to share their views on various aspects of media. The sub themes are – Social Media: Reshaping the ‘Self’ and ‘Identity’; Politics and Media: Revisiting Ethical Standards; Gender and Media: Changing Perceptions; Human Rights and Media: Resilience and Support Systems; Media and Society: ‘Image’ as a Social Construct, among others. Papers are invited in English, Hindi and Telugu. The last date to submit the abstracts is December 20, 2018 and full papers by January 2, 2019. The last date for registration is January 10, 2019. For more information, contact the conference convener Dr D Suresh Kumar on 9490218640 or email gshsconference@gmail.com
Eerily delicious
Seasonal Tastes, at The Westin Mindspace Hyderabad, turned spooky for the Halloween Food Festival it hosted on October 31. With waiters serving with scary face paint on, and the band crooning with heir devil’s horns, the mood was perfectly set for the Halloween night. The table was set for the filling dinner. Sipping on sangrias, the guests nibbled on their starters. The most exciting dishes were indeed the sea bass crostatas and the potato ravioli. But the real thrill was waiting at the dessert bar. Halloween theme oozed from the display of delicious desserts spread out. The Pumpkin Pie was a winner with its tart yet delicious flavour. One couldn’t miss the chocolate skull-topped pastry, the black forest cake with icing that resembled fingers, cobwebbed macaroons and of course the brain cake! The decor too did justice to the Halloween theme with skeletons, eerie lighting and bloodied rags.
French beauty salon comes calling
Renowned French salon franchise Camille Albane inaugurated its store in the city at Road no 8, Banjara Hills recently. A fashion show was held at Hotel ITC Kohenur recently. Celebrities, stylists and socialites also took part in the event. Apart from hair services, the unisex salon has a fully-equipped spa, manicure and pedicure station and an exclusive nail bar. It is being promoted by Dr Preethi Adusumilli, a dentist.
A night of scary fun
From latest costumes inspired by movie characters to food specially designed to suit Halloween, it was one mad get together at Farzi Cafe. The café hosted its first Halloween event on October 31. Farzi Cafe turned into a spooky place with scary designs in the lobby and dance floor, coupled with an old haunted house-style décor in the common spaces with ghostly decorations. Guests had a great time relishing the food and grooving to international chart busters by DJ Ivan. Partner of Farzi Café Hyderabad Aman Chainani said, “We are delighted to host the first Halloween Night party here. Happy to see the crowd having fun and we will continue to do this every year.”