It's a collection of twenty three different real life stories from different parts of India. The back leaf says they were collected over six years and appeared at different times in a now defunct monthly magazine called Civil Society. Printed by a publisher called Nimby books.
The cover's intriguing - a man walking down a suspension bridge as workmen put the finishing touches to it. Below flows a swollen stream - in the background is lush greenery - almost a forest. Dignified. Though I wonder if a more vibrant, irreverent, unconventional cover would have been a better hook for a new crop of video game playing, graphic novel reading, web savvy young Indians.
Because hook them they must - these stories of raw intelligence. And human compassion. There are stories of villages which make their own hydroelectricity, from small mountain streams. Of world renowned doctors offering free or low cost treatment to the poor.
Of scientists who help locals rediscover organic farming and traditional water conservation. Of NID pass outs who design schools and classrooms that village children wouldn't be afraid of. Of mechanical engineers who build suspension bridges that turn around the livelihoods of entire villages.
These folks are all fairly ordinary, on the face of it. They have skills and education that thousands of other Indians have. What makes them extraordinary is their passion. Their willingness to bend their knowledge to unconventional challenges, to beat unusual odds, to persevere where most of us would give up.
Call it innovation. Call it Jugaad. Call it whatever you will. But stories like these should be told more often. To a lot more people. It makes you realize there is a whole lot of good happening in India - beyond all the scams and corruption that the news is full off.
My only grouse - at Rs 350, it's a bit too expensive. Oh sure, the swish set spend that sort of money on a single cup of coffee at the hotel. But it's hard to see them being interested in this book. The one's who'd be truly interested and inspired is the crowd who read the regional language papers in small towns and villages and alleyways. They're the ones who need to know India is changing at the grassroots. And for them Rs 350 is a bit too much.
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