“In the same class, one child scores 90 per cent and another barely manages to pass. Both have the same environment. One teacher teaches them the same subjects. One is focused and another is not.” Four years ago, Ashok Arora left his lucrative law practice to delve deep into issues like these. The hotshot criminal lawyer who had represented Reliance, Tatas, American Express, Hindujas, has now authored his first book, “Simple Tips for Sureshot Success”, which deals with youngsters.
The former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association had stirred up a controversy by writing to the then President APJ Abdul Kalam, requesting him to put Delhi Additional Sessions Judge S. L. Bhayana’s promotion on hold till the High Court adjudicates upon the verdict. Judge Bhayana had acquitted all the nine accused in Jessica Lall murder case. Perturbed about the growing violence and suicides, lack of physical and mental health amongst youth, Arora decided to dedicate himself to the cause.
The book aims to instil a sense of discipline, focus and balance in the student community. The route to reach there is the relaxation of mind that Arora has repeatedly talked about in his debut venture. “In whatever you do, you need focus for which in turn you should be relaxed,” says the writer who in various chapters of the book suggests different means to relax. In the chapter titled “Simple Formula” he gives out a simple formula to attain this state of mind.
“Here, I tell the students to keep aside 10 minutes for introspection, half-hour for reading self-help books, five minutes each, twice a day for observing silence and listening to music for 10 minutes before retiring to bed.,” elaborates Arora.
Written in simple English, the book, available at Variety Book Depot, Connaught Place, is divided into 52 chapters which are deliberately kept short, crisp and interactive. Through short stories, couplets, few lines of famous songs, Arora tries to get the message across. In “Love Yourself”, the writer mulls over the issue of self-confidence and self-esteem, in “Ma- Mother” Arora tells his ‘young friends’ about the importance of a family support system. The chapter goes beyond the realm of the immediate family to inculcate love and respect for one’s country and mother earth.
“I went to a reputed school recently and asked students how many of them want to become teachers. Out of 250 children present, not a single one raised his/her hand. It meant that teachers are not their role models, and if they aren’t, then how would you imbibe values from them,” recalls a wistful Arora who has been trying to alter this attitude in his own ways. Arora holds sessions for child-development with teachers, interactions with students and other professionals.
(Ashok Arora can be contacted at jeevanutsav2310@gmail.com)
