Novel Pursuits by Mech71ers

-

As the 1971 graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi age and shed off some of their professional responsibilities they have taken to novel pursuits to fill the gap. One of them is writing novels. This task is not beyond the diverse talents of IIT graduates. Chetan Bhagat is proof of that. A leading Mech71er – Anand Julka also known as Bill Julka has finished writing his first novel. It is awaiting finishing touches before publication. Another Mech71er – Ashok Malhotra – who had authored a Novella earlier (Mystic and the Blossoms) released his new novel – Nude besides the lake earlier this year. Both books are available at Amazon.com (try this link). This is what H.S. Gill another leading Mech71er in USA had to say about it,



Ashok,

I have read your book from cover to cover, and some parts twice. The storyline flows well, it is pleasant to read, and I enjoyed the experience. I spent my childhood summers in Naini Tal or Simla, and have very fond memories of those times. Neel Tal, where the story takes place, took me back there and the descriptions were reminiscent of Naini Tal before it experienced its own version of urban sprawl.

The backdrop is wonderfully idyllic. All the characters are nice people, out to help each other, and the community as a whole. (The only exception is one Mr. Harbinder Gill, who abandoned his pregnant wife in India, emigrated to Canada and started a new family!) I don't want to reveal too many details lest they spoil the fun of others who have not yet read the book. Your depiction of nice people may be how you view the world - or how you would like it to be. If one comes across people who are not nice, the best option is to just not let them be a part of your life.

The story has a strong spiritual side, which, for reasons you well know, I could not relate to ----

There are a couple of weird ties in the book, which I found mildly amusing. Queen Victoria brief appearance, and Pimp's fig leaf would fall in this category. Again, I will not go into any details. Also very apparent is the author's familiarity with engineering principles as he describes the various technical challenges faced by an expanding township. It was fun to see many of our friends' namesakes peppered throughout the book, which makes it a must-read for Mech 71-ers.

Final word - I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Its faith in the power of good citizenship is particularly uplifting. There is hope for humanity.

I eagerly await your next book.

Gill

UPDATE: SINCE THIS POST WAS WRITTEN JULKA'S NOVEL MONA'S COMPULSION IS PUBLISHED AND AVAILABLE AT http://www.amazon.com/Monas-compulsion-A-family-saga/dp/0615627242

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Grand Reception by Ashok Manchanda

-
Image
Photograph (courtesy Ramu) of a group of Mech71ers at a grand and gracious   wedding reception on the lawns of Vasant Continental, New Delhi on Saturday last week arranged by Ashok Manchanda, IIT classmate from Mechanical 1971 - to celebrate his daughters wedding. He is shown standing second from right in the photo. Quite a few class mates from Mech'71 were in attendance and a group picture is posted here.  This second picture shows more of the mech71ers at the reception, with one present in spirit and not physically. Group of Mech71ers at a reception in December 2013 If you wish to see a larger view click on the picture.
Read more

Rajat Gupta in Jaipur – Mind Without Fear

-
Image
MIND WITHOUT FEAR by RAJAT GUPTA I have mentioned in my other blogs that there have been times since childhood that intuitions on various matters, minor or major, have struck me from time to time through life. As a career scientist and a professor of technology I did not discuss the matter much with others because many consider the stuff from the mystic realms strange. However, I have talked more of it since retiring from a scientific career around a decade ago and even given it a name - Himalayas Born Intuition - for perhaps that is where it was born. Moreover, if the leading scientist of humanity- Einstein – could talk of it there is no reason for me not to. Last month, one morning one such intuition struck me at random. It was about a dear old college friend - Rajat Gupta. After leaving college, we have not had much opportunity to meet being in different countries. We have communicated much though, ever since the advent of emails. Rajat Gupta is a well-known consultan
Read more

Golden Jubilee, MECH 71, Year 2016, Celebrations

-
Image
The Golden Jubilee moment has now become a year of celebrations Congratulations to all members of Mech71 for their Golden Jubilee Year 2016 Mech71 Association is an association of friendship between 1971 Mechanical engineering graduates of IIT Delhi. All of the members complete fifty, 50, years of their introduction to each other during this year. They first met in 1966. During this year, 2016, any meeting between any members by chance or design initiated by any member or groups of members is a celebration of this Golden Jubilee 2016 or GJ16 enshrined in letters of gold that emerge from the heart. Note 1:  The Background image for the artwork is Nainital, a destination many expressed a desire to visit in company of each other, time and circumstances permitting, aside most certainly from New Delhi where they first met Note 2:  The word Jubilee coming to us from English has the following origin as per Wikipedia: “The year of Jubilee in b
Read more

Anil Sood a Leading World National Economies expert

-
Image
A nil Sood, a Mech71er is a leading world specialist in National economies. He has been a senior Advisor as well as a Vice President at the world Bank in Washington DC. From his youngest days Anil Sood knew that he would excel in whatever he did. He topped all through his educational career which began at IIT Delhi and continued through Cornell and Harvard in USA. At the business school in Harvard he graduated at the top of his class.Many of Anils Sood's enlightening thoughts on world economies are recorded in his books that can be found at Amazon.com
Read more

Chandra Kiran in Jaipur - and Delhi

-
Image
Ranjana and KC in Jaipur Ashok Malhotra and Chandra Kiran in Jaipur KC and wife Ranjana ( also an IITian) flew in from Toronto and we met in the dining hall of Hotel Marriot today afternoon. Over a couple of light beers and a sumptuous spread at this hotel famed as the finest in Jaipur, we exchanged news from USA to Chennai, Nainital and rest of India. KC filled me up on the doings of those in USA and described that Johri has been reciting wonderful stories to his mother and everyone else. Above are a couple of photos snapped earlier in the day.  We met after some seven years and the first impression was that we had aged a bit in body but not in heart. Tomorrow KC is heading for Delhi and is hoping that Manchanda and/or Marwaha shall arrange a larger Meet with the Mech71 family many of whom live in Delhi. UPDATE OCTOBER 12, 2014 A message just arrived that KC organized a larger get together in Delhi on the 12th evening. Following is one of the photos from this
Read more

Rajat Gupta – An Insider’s Perspective

-
Image
Digital depiction of a Royal Tsunami by Ashok Malhotra R ajat Gupta graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of technology or the IIT as popularly known along with this author in 1971. At the time, unlike today , there were only five IITs spread across India and their intake was limited. Students were admitted through a rigorous countrywide examination. Many aspired to enter these well-funded and foreign monitored institutes but only a few of the brightest made it. Disciplines such as Mechanical Engineering, because of their general appeal, were the most sought after. Therefore, those who joined that discipline were the cherries that sit on top of the cream. Rajat Gupta was one of them and so was this author with the grace of the Almighty. During their studies, students were obliged to live together for five years on a closely-knit campus. Therefore classmates became more than friends- akin to members of a family. They got to know each other as well as bro
Read more

Get Together in Delhi by Nirmal in Verse by Khurana

-
Image
Our dear Mech71 friend Nirmal Singh from USA arrived to arrange a get together for all mech71 friends located in Delhi. KC on a visit to India from Canada too joined in. Nothing describes what followed better than some of the pictures of the event compiled by Vinod Marwaha and the poem that Vinod Khurana churned out The whirlwind from the west shook lions in their den Sixteen of them came charging and descended at the end   Mrs.and Mr. Nirmal Mrs. and Gen.Manjit They tame and host the  beasts roaring wild but sixty plus each Mrs. and Mr. KC Mrs. and Mr.GB They lend colour and grace to the circus in full swing   Gulla and shorty dissect the favourites in the poll One a joker and the other butt of  jokes Manchi bets on his proven horse VKG wades in waters deep a lean golf stick lifts far and higher Subhash attentive and nodding often Sunil appreciates silently and smiling often A tall girl torments taller Gulati's  heart Vij jeal
Read more

Mech 71 Golden Jubilee Celebrations

-
Image
2 016 marks fifty years of friendship of a group of some fifty 16-17 years old boys most of whom met for the first time in 1966 as students to a mechanical engineering program at IIT Delhi. Many first met outside the cabin of an aging Sikh Doctor who stripped them before pronouncing them fit for the program.  Over the next several years these boys not only became Mechanical Engineering graduates, some went on to become leading professionals, businessmen, professors etc. in India and around the world, some poets, thinkers, activists and spiritualists too after concluding successful professional careers, each exploring and moving through life in his own unique way similar to no other member of the group yet each an equally important component of a single beautiful tree. As an example the chief of the Indian IRS now retired, Vinod Khurana, has become a prolific poet. Much shall be found about the doings and lives of members in earlier posts of this blog. Through it all, thi
Read more

Computer and Smart Phone Updates are making Millions Cry

-
Image
   NOTE:  This blog is mainly confined to posts on doings of mech71 friends, but lest the world gather the impression that all mech71ers do is party, drink and dance, this single post in this blog is an exception on a general topic as an illustration of the fact that mech71ers do other things at times too, often making an importance difference in the world just as this post did in the lives of all on the planet Internet based devices such as smartphones and computers have become part of modern life making it possible for carrying out tasks that were impossible or very difficult in past. But it is has been a mixed blessing and there are aspects of it that are creating misery for humans too. This note touches on just one of them – Frequent Updates As a user, a human attempts to acquire a good device or computer to meet his essential needs. Perhaps it has a windows operating system or a Google android one. He has some preinstalled applications to carry out common task
Read more