It is indeed “one day of magic and mayhem on the golf course” as the cover proclaims. “On In Four”, a debut effort by P. Surendra Prasad, makes delightful reading as the author keeps you engrossed with his racy narration.
It revolves around four septuagenarians on the fascinating Golf Club of Delhi course. Each chapter is a novelty and takes you on an enjoyable journey, laced with humour, beginning with a foreword by Russi Mody. As Mody says, “The book gives access to the secret world of golf, of golfers, and the enchanting golf course of Delhi.”
Prasad has crafted a tale that draws inspiration from his experience on the golf course. “I've been playing golf for a long time,” he says. “This is based on many anecdotes and conversations between the holes, many incidents, many characters.”
Having shared these stories with his family, Prasad was persuaded by his eldest son, Rohit, to jot them down. The notes took the form of a book. “It took quite some time for me to give my stories the shape I desired. What started as a matter of joke became an obsession and I wrote ‘seriously' to meet the deadline.”
It took Prasad two years to pen the book but the hard work was worth it. Thanks to his younger son, Rishi, who did the initial editing, Prasad's dream became a reality. Rishi is a professional astrologer but did not make any predictions as far as “On In Four” was concerned. The book, published by EastWest Books, Westland is doing well. Prasad shares the glory with wife Meera, a noted sitarist.
Prasad, who worked 25 years with Tata Steel and rose to become Head of Marketing, is currently the treasurer of the Samajwadi Janata Party. He always wondered why Indians did not write books on sports. “That was one of the reasons why I wrote this book around the sport I loved.” There is no central theme for the book. Each chapter has a different tale and the entire course of 18 holes is a plot. “The best part of the book is that you can start anywhere.”
He is convinced that Indians, by nature, are not sports oriented. “Being a marketing man, I can say this. That's the reason we lack good sports books and sports culture. But golf is an exception. As a sport, it is picking up in a big way.” The success of “On In Four” has spurred Prasad's desire for one more effort. A mystery thriller revolving around the greens of Delhi Golf Club would be a good idea!
