Life Changing Books in Hindi – A Reality Check

There is an explosion of Life Changing Books. Books-stores and exhibitions appear like spring time, flowers everywhere! What about the fragrance? Are many people changing due to ‘aroma’ arising out of those books; or the flowers are fake, devoid of any fragrance? Finally, the moot question- “Has Publishing changed any?”

A few years back, I decided to use of my free time to create future opportunities. I translated a chapter from a book on Time Management and offered to publishers that I could arrange rights for the Hindi translation. Back came an offer from a publisher to translate a book on Time Management. The project ran some two months I got my name printed in black ink on editorial page. Since then I have done some 5 projects and currently doing my sixth.

Recently the agent sent me parts of unfinished books which were abandoned by translators. I asked to see the language only to understand what treatment I should plan. To my horror, the language of earlier translator was totally alienating. Probably translator was not satisfied doing that work. The bigger horror is they used that horrible (part) translation and have printed those books. My only consolation apart from a small income is that my name isn’t there on the editorial page as translator.

Recently, I did four in-house training workshops for salespeople.  I found participants wanting in many areas. I found no one was reading any books. My suggestion was taken by client and they asked me to select some 20/25 books for an internal library. I went to a book store to browse and was in for a bigger shock. Most of the available titles weren’t able to connect. The type of Hindi language used has become a barrier between the content and the reader. I am not surprised that people don’t read those books. Consequently I had trouble choosing 20 titles.

My focus then shifted to last 4/5 encounters with agent and publishers of Life Changing Books in Hindi. I found that original books in English Language have sold hundreds of thousand copies, sometime a million copies. And the Hindi version fails to reach even a modest five figure number in copies sold. The talk with publishers reveals the smelling rat. They don’t believe their efforts will yield Change in Lives of Readers. They seem to be short sighted. Their own management styles resemble that of business owners in License Raj Era. Translators and content providers are ‘workers’ in their factories and they believe whatever small number they produce this way will be ultimately pushed into some library by touts at their disposal.

Don’t you see another type of NON PERFORMING ASSETS being endlessly built by a few ignorant yet powerful forces in Publishing?

What’s the remedy?

Please express here, what you think is one good remedy in this instance.

Father I’ve Sinned

A few years back, while attending Platinum Jubilee (75 years type) of Rupa & Co. at New Delhi, I was privy to startling pieces of Information. First being one from Mark Tully, who disclosed his handicap about writing a book! He asserted, because he was habituated writing 250 word dispatches, his hands would stop typing once he reached that limit and went on to suggest perhaps his mind would not oblige his fingers to move.

Second and third disclosures are attributable to M. J. Akbar; who informed an already enlightened audience about Gutenberg, father of modern printing, a jeweler who went on to invent a ‘moving type printing machine’ died a pauper. His intentions were to print Bible, which he did and print some 180 Bibles, but in that era, there were no takers of such a ‘product’, if you will. This resulted to what in modern terms we refer as ‘bankruptcy’. While listening to this sorry tale, I couldn’t help wondering what a great time Guttenberg’s descendants – modern day printers – are having as they apply their clutches and squeeze all and sundry to extract their pound of flesh; but that’s another story.

This story is actually about the next startling disclosure by M. J. Akbar, and hence the title, “Father I’ve Sinned”. According to Akbar, for time memorial, concept of “Papal Indulgence” is being practiced, wherein one may obtain reduction of punishment for his / her sins. He went on to suggest, it is possible to obtain a pardon with the help of Pope by paying The Church an amount of some significance. Those who are knowledgeable and wiser would know the details of such an “arrangement”, if you will.

Some modern philanthropists have used their entrepreneurial hat to take such a practice to next level. And they come up with their own Brand of Social Work, wherein they “Indulge” very privately and perhaps more deeply to serve a number of causes, sometimes more focused than other such denominations. Yet, their motivations echo same “confessional” tone of “Father I’ve Sinned”. Some times their actions, which were considered ‘sins’ under some previous era are now dubbed as “Innovative” or “Path Breaking” or “Entrepreneurial” or whatever else. If you are wondering, “What’s my point?” -  I have none. It’s you who will be making a point from it; for yourself.

A few months back, a startup’s valuation was reduced by 50%; and a billion dollar worth of wealth disappeared. Yet, there was no assertion, no one said- “Father I’ve Sinned!” A company declares drop in net profits again some wealth is likely to disappear. If you try to “trace” who actually lost money, you can go in circles and yet may not be able to pin point a “looser”. Try this- If a company lost some profit, surely their customers would have gained. Now this hypothetical company has to keep the shareholders in good humor, so they will ‘have’ to come up with dividends. It is a well known fact that many such companies are borrowing from banks to make dividend payments. Then what about the Banks? They restructure loans to prevent default or assist defaulting companies and as a result have “Non Performing Assets” in their Books. And when the Government notices too many of those NPAs, they recapitalize the Banks. And as to the Government, they are squaring all such transactions as their ‘investments’ for development of a sound economic environment.

And there is no one to confess, “Father I’ve Sinned!”