Benjamin Franklin once said “every autobiography usually reveals nothing bad about the writer except his memory,” but what if the autobiography was the culmination of a journey rife with tribulations and triumphs? The result is a book that has the reader finding a reflection in his life.
I will survive – Comeback stories of a corporate warrior , an autobiography by our very own son of the soil (Hyderabadi) Sunil Robert had an all- India launch a couple of weeks ago and was received warmly by the Indian readers. The book sold like hot cakes and is already being reprinted as you read this article. “The book has found a readership mainly in the youth. They are the ones most affected by today’s turbulent times, be it recession or peer pressure. The book tries to motivate the youth in helping them realise their dreams, no matter how long or how arduous the road,” says the author.
Sunil who is now working at TCS, New York, beams with pride when he speaks about his laborious journey to achieve all that he is today. And he has reason to be. He is not only invited to give talks on self-motivation across the USA but is also the first Indian to win the Stevie International Award, considered as a Pulitzer in corporate communications.
His life had definitely not been a bed of roses, in fact far from it. At the tender age of 18 when youngsters are busy enjoying college life and all that it entails, Sunil suddenly found himself supporting his three siblings and parents.
Reminiscing those days Sunil does not have a note of wistfulness in his voice. “I am proud of my humble beginnings. If it wasn’t for those tough times I would not be enriched with the valuable lessons life taught me, I became tough as nails.
From checking myself into a rehabilitation center to traveling the length and breath of the country working as a salesman, I have done it all between the age of 18-20,” he says.
But isn’t this book a little early for an autobiography? “ He chuckles and says “Why not now? Everybody’s life has a story in it. I wanted to lay my soul bare. I wanted to express my immense gratitude for all the people who have helped me get where I am today. I felt my life story, up to this point, will help the reader tide over any crisis that he/she might be facing in their personal or professional life.”
For Sunil though, when the past comes calling, it is dumbstruck. People who knew Sunil as a child or as youngsters are in awe of him when they meet him today. The boy who could have found himself languishing in jail because of his ‘extracurricular’ activities, is now a man to be reckoned with. The turning point in his life came at the age of 18 when he came in contact with the Young Orator’s Club of Secunderabad, or how the city denizens fondly call it, YOCS.
“Here were these bright, dynamic group of youngsters who were well-read and a class apart.
I knew I wanted to be like them. I knew then that a good education was my ticket to a better life.
Though I was trailing them by a few hundred miles, I knew I could catch up if I started to invest in books. I had found my calling. I wanted to reach out to the people and share with them ideas and exchange thought processes.” I will survive , is for the author, “Like a thank you note to all the people who rubbed off the positive aspects of their personality” onto Sunil.
Whenever faced with a challenging situation he would reach into the crevices of his mind, and there would be a gem of an experience that would be of personal use. He grew from strength to strength and though he feels that his contemporaries were ‘well-settled’ abroad long before him, his time-taking journey has given him a more rounded personality and thereby a certain edge.
In the future he wants to leave a lasting impact on the world with his communication skills. “It warms the cuckolds of my heart when I learn that a talk I might have had with somebody eons ago has resulted, in the person’s success.” So when will the next book be out, another 8-10 years? Hold on to your seats, he says “Sooner than you can imagine,” and signs off. Well if you haven’t got yourself a copy of I will survive already, fret not; the next edition will be out soon.
