The world we live in today is not one that is healthy or beneficial to us. In blind pursuit of money and material success, are we letting go of something that is more valuable? The Connected Age authored by Sudhakar Ram that was launched in the city recently explores this question.
Do we have the power to transform ourselves and the institutions we engage with? How do we achieve something that fulfils us? “We have boxed ourselves into narrow silos; assumed that individuals can only operate out of self-interest; ceded all power to social, economic and political institutions; and, live a life that is stressful, repetitive, unhealthy and powerless,” says Sudhakar, managing director and CEO, Mastek. “The book is about how to tap into and enhance our personal power. I develop my own vision for the 21st Century world with the intent of providing a basis for every reader to develop their own.”
The idea for the book came when Sudhakar was preparing for a talk on potential careers. “I realised that most of these youngsters would be focussed on getting jobs in investment banks or global consultancies. I wanted them to consider the possibility of doing what they were naturally talented at and passionate about, pursuing something that may not lead to ‘worldly success’ but could be meaningful and fulfilling,” he explains. But this is not only true in respect of individuals but also institutions. “How about cities and countries? Did Mumbai have its unique DNA? Did it attract a particular type of individual? Does India have its own destiny that we, as citizens, need to support?” These questions led him to question our current state of living. “While imagining a future that was more inclusive, more meaningful to all life on the planet, the idea of a Connected Age — an age of deeper human connections, with the planet and with ourselves — as a new narrative for the 21st Century, occurred to me.”
The book is about reframing our thoughts and ideas to create a more inclusive world. “I have given enough real-life examples of people I’ve met who live meaningful and powerful lives,” says Sudhakar. “For example, an 80-year-old woman in Chennai worked hard to improve the quality of education imparted in the nursery sections in Corporation schools in the city, transforming the lives of hundreds of children and inspiring the Government to adopt the Montessori method. The book is not all gloom and doom.”
One of the important sections deals with personal change. “While we may not be able to control what the world throws at us, we have the power to choose how we respond to situations. As we learn to exercise our freedom more positively, we can regain our personal power and apply it to various spheres of our lives. The book urges readers to discover and pursue their true calling,” says the author.
Sudhakar is currently applying some of the principles he has written about in The Connected Age to reinvent Mastek and may convert that experience into a book later.
The Connected Age is available at bookstores and is priced Rs. 350.
