Sunday, January 27, 2013

R.I.P. The Resurgent Indian Patriots – Book Review



Mukul Deva’s latest thriller comes at a time when the nation is up against the series of scams which have rocked us and the youth is disillusioned with the unabated corruption in almost all spheres of life.


Though the book is a work of fiction and the author has categorically mentioned that all references in the book have been fictitiously used, one can easily relate to a number of characters and/or events which the book takes us through.

The self-appointed guardians (who are all ex-para commandos), who form the protagonists, call themselves the K-Team, primarily because all their names start with K. So, we have Colonel Krishna Athawale, Major Karan Singh, Major Kevin David, Major Kashif Nadeem, Major Kamlesh Saikia and Major Kulwant Singh Bajwa who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of cleansing the system. Their modus operandi is to target and kill some of the corrupt ministers, judges, arms dealers, etc. They hope this will wake up the Government into taking some immediate and strong action benefiting the country as a result.

However, there are two sets of teams trying to stop the K-Team from achieving its mission. One is the official team led by Vinod Bedi, Special Director CBI and Nandakumar his deputy while the other is the unofficial team led by Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando, who has been hired by the Home Minister to take down the K-Team. Needless to say, the Home Minister is equally involved and wanting to protect himself as much as the others.

Involved in this crossfire are some civilians such as Athawale’s young son Sachin (his wife Pooja has died under unforeseen circumstances) and Reena Bhagat (Raghav’s estranged wife) and their son Azaan.

The book details the killing of each of the targets in precise fashion and one can almost visualize the events as they unfold. Not wanting to reveal too much and spoil the surprise, the book covers events such as the IC-814 hijacking, the Bofors and 2G scams and the shoot-out of a lady in a bar. The characters mentioned in the book also appear quite familiar to the political scenario today including Madam, who runs the nation, and her son, who is being groomed to take over; ministers involved in land grab scams and arms dealers wanting to make a quick buck at the cost of the nation’s security.

The book has a Rang De Basanti like feel to it where, citizens frustrated with the malaise in the system, feel quite helpless and adopt unethical means to cleanse it.

The entire act from targeting a person to tracking his every move to actually standing in front of him and killing him without even his bodyguards getting to know anything is very well-written. The relationship scenes between Athawale and Reena, Athawale and his son, Athawale and other members of the K-Team and Athawale and his sister are also well drawn out.

My only point of irritation was the usage of profane language. Other than giving the book a bit of a casual approach, it also came across as being written only for the sake of it being there and not really forming a part of the story.


This review is a part of the biggest Book Reviews Program. for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Meeting Preeti Shenoy

Today, I had an opportunity to meet one of my favourite authors - Preeti Shenoy. If you don't know who she is, you would have been hibernating. To know more about her, go here: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/

She was in Mumbai to promote her latest book and there was no way I was going to miss it. The last time around when she was here I couldn't make it and I had promised myself I would ensure to make it the next time around.

I met her at Landmark Book Store, Infiniti Mall, Andheri (West). Notwithstanding the initial confusion (the store people didn't know that Preeti was expected there), when she walked in, I was thrilled. She is so very down to earth and friendly, not at all pretentious like some authors are. She remembered me from our past interactions and also the fact that I have been reading her blog for a long time.

I HAD to get her autograph and also click a photograph for posterity! I had taken along her first book - 34 Bubblegums And Candies for her to autograph.


I told her how glad I was to have finally met her. It didn't seem like I was meeting her for the first time; the way we chatted for about 10 minutes.

I wish the next time around I am able to interact a little longer with her.

Thanks Preeti for this opportunity. You do radiate a lot of positivity just like your blog.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

I wish I had one more chance to ......................................................

Edited to add: This post has been adjudged as the best post for Wishlist Wednesday. Yippee!!!

This blog post is being written for Wish list Wednesday No. 5 being hosted by Preeti Shenoy. If you don't know who she is, visit her blog at http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in.

 I wish I had one more chance to live my life all over again.

I would have studied harder in college and during my CA days and not paid any heed to those pessimists who said that nobody clears CA in the first attempt.

I would have got married sooner and started spending time with my better half instead of thinking that to get married is to enslave yourself to that one person instead of keeping your options open.

I would have had kids well in time for my body to support my biological age instead of now worrying each day if I will ever have kids the natural way and whether my body and mind shall have the capability to deal with them.

I would have fought less with my brother during our teens had I the knowledge that later on he would grow up to be such an important part of my life.

I would have exercised more and not lazed away my evenings/weekends.

I would have enrolled in extra-curricular activities be it singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument.

I would have been more understanding of my mother during my teenage years realizing that she always has my best interests at heart.

I would have worried less about what other people think about me and more about what I want to do.

I would have been more adventurous in my choices, be it, career-wise or jetting off to a foreign land.

I would have given myself priority over everybody else without being the sacrificial being that I am known to be.