What are you reading at the moment? What did you recently finish reading? What have you learnt from it?
I have just finished reading The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford. This is a delightful, easy reading book, that deconstructs complex economic theories in a way that makes absolute sense even to the casual reader. The lucid and entertaining style of writing prevents the topic from becoming overly academic or dull, as books on economic theory often end up. For business leaders, the book offers interesting insights into price targeting, how macro economics work in an imperfect market, how externality charges affect your business prospects, the relevance of "game theory" to business and many other such interesting concepts. All in all, a delightful book, written in an amusing and insightful tone, which makes serious topics more palatable.
The one book all leaders must read...
I am going to be somewhat banal here and suggest The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey. It's not new, it's not rocket science. But the fact is, that most CXOs struggle with having to perform multiple tasks and multiple roles all the time.
The 7 habits matrix and behavioural traits / corrections suggested, are actually a good way of taking charge of that chaos, and ensuring that one does not lose sight of the big picture, while managing the present at the same time. This is so important for leaders, because good leaders need to be visionaries and not just super salesmen or super managers, as we so often become.
One book everyone in your sector should pick up...
Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't by Jim Collins is a book that I think all Indian business leaders would benefit from. Especially because so many of our businesses are in the IT sector, which meshes completely into the global economy. And while we have been adept at building good companies, it is only now that we realise it takes much more to be "great" companies such as GE, P&G, IBM etc. How do we do that? How do we take our current business models, often based on labour arbitrage and cost plus concepts, and turn them into great brands? How do we create companies admired the world over, and sought after as prospective employers by top international talent? What are the hallmarks of great leaders? Are they always stereotypes of Type A personalities? Or is there a more subtle, Asian flavour that could work even better?
The best part about this book is that its is not based just on "expert" opinions or hearsay. It goes through tons of data and secondary as well as primary research, before propounding a theory, thus lending credibility to the concepts discussed.
What kind of books would you normally buy while travelling?
I have a fairly adventurous reading personality, and the books that I pick up tend to vary from deeply theoretical to what is called kitsch or trash (Though I don't believe in the term)
I have a deep interest in wildlife, and if i can find any new arrival at the airport book stall on the wildlife of India, I buy it instantly. The Shikar Omnibus by Kenneth Anderson, The Wildlife Of India by E.P. Gee, A View From The Machan by K.Ullas Karanth and The Tiger Is A Gentleman by Vivek R.Sinha are some such books that I have picked up.
I also enjoy reading Wilbur Smith novels, for the raw energy and wonderful mental landscapes of Africa that he paints with his words. His portrayal of central characters as strong and powerful personalities, with their share of common human failings at the same time, makes them come alive in a way that few other authors
can match.
When I am in the mood for current affairs, I tend to pick up authors such as Noam Chomsky, Understanding Power, Hegemony or Survival etc, and Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman for their contrarian view of global politics.
Have you written any books? If not, do you plan to write in future?
None so far, but writing is a passion. I do write small articles quite often for various business fora, wildlife and adventure blogs, travel and auto magazines, etc. Someday, I hope to compile my adventure sports anecdotes, trekking, motorcycle expeditions, wildlife photography and travel snippets into a book that would cover a life that was hopefully "less ordinary"
The books you grew up with? What did you like most about it?
My childhood was overpoweringly filled with books. I think it had to do with my genes somehow. I distinctly remember my grandfather's bookshelves stacked with Leo Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and thick black books that I could not make head or tail of.
My attempts at reading serious Russian authors were a disaster, as I think I attempted them too early. But my grandfather soon replaced them with a series of wonderful Russian short stories for children, which I still save and treasure. Those were the days of great friendship between our countries, and India Book House in Delhi would have stacks of these books for Children at amazingly low prices.
On the other hand, as early as in Class 3, my mother introduced me to 'The Five Find Outers' aka Enid Blyton, and I was hooked from that day on. I begged, borrowed and wrangled Enid Blytons, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and comics such as Amar Chitra Katha, Archies, Commando, Marvel Comics, Indrajaal (Bahadur and Bela, Phantom, Devil, Mandrake and Hojo are all old friends). Then there were the Champak and Chandamama digests which had such a charm of their own. Sometimes when I look back at Indian mythology and culture, I realize how much I learnt from those comics.
As I passed into teenage, my preference shifted to humour and cowboy westerns. P.G.Wodehouse, James Herriot, Louis L'amour and J.T. Edson replaced the old favourites.
Your book shelf consists of....
All kinds of books. There is an entire section devoted to wildlife and shikar books. My childhood section is still chock a block with Enid Blytons and Indrajal Comics. Newer additions are Motorcycle and automobile books, books on gardening, Photography and a bunch of management and business related books. Then there are reams of "fiction" which range from James Hadley Chase, Wilbur Smith, Harold Robbins, Agatha Christie, Erle Stanley Gardner, almost anything. I also enjoy humour in writing, and have a section dedicated to P. G. Wodehouse, The Vet Series by James Herriot and books by Dave Barry, etc.
Where do you shop for books?
A long time favourite is still the Oxford Book shop at Park Street in Kolkata. But I shop almost anywhere. In my childhood in Kerala, the mecca of reading was a store call Pai & Co. in the sleepy town of Calicut. Then when I came to Bangalore, it was Gangarams, Higginbothams and Shankars at the old airport. Not to mention the many "used book" havens in India.
Before it burnt down, Moore Market in Chennai was paradise... as was college street in Kolkata and the Fountain area of Mumbai. Bangalore still has its share of quaint little second hand bookstores such as Premier, Blossom and Select, where the owners are as much a pleasure to deal with, as are the rare books.
Sadly, I now find lesser and lesser time to go shopping for books, and online bookstores such as Indiaplaza and FirstandSecond.com have become the easier way to browse and buy books.
Have your reading habits changed in the past four or five years? If so, how....
Completely. I find my reading patterns change every five-odd years. Earlier, it was influenced by the elders and peers around me, and had a lot to do with their own interests. But as I passed into youth, I started settling down into my own reading patterns. I experimented more and more with all kinds of books, in an attempt to find what really appealed to me. Now my reading seems to be more centered around my hobbies and passions as well as my keen interest in world affairs and geo politics. I read very little fiction as compared to the early years.
One book you cherish that you received as a gift... and who gave it to you.
I have received many books that I hold very dear to me. But I am yet to receive the book that I would cherish forever.
Reading Room 
