Three Thousand Stitches

So often, it's the simplest acts of courage that touch the lives of others. Sudha Murty-through the exceptional work of the Infosys Foundation as well as through her own youth, family life and travels-encounters many such stories . . . and she tells them here in her characteristically clear-eyed, warm-hearted way. She talks candidly about the meaningful impact of her work in the devadasi community, her trials and tribulations as the only female student in her engineering college and the unexpected and inspiring consequences of her father's kindness. From the quiet joy of discovering the reach of Indian cinema and the origins of Indian vegetables to the shallowness of judging others based on appearances, these are everyday struggles and victories, large and small. Unmasking both the beauty and ugliness of human nature, each of the real-life stories in this collection is reflective of a life lived with grace.

A heart-warming tale of courage and conviction from India’s biggest-selling woman author Two decades ago, when Sudha Murty approached a group of devadasis for the first time, determined to make a difference to their lives, they threw a chappal at her. Undeterred, she went back, telling herself she must talk to the devadasis about the dangers of AIDS. This time, they threw tomatoes. But she refused to give up. The Infosys Foundation worked hard to make the devadasis self-reliant, to help educate their children, and to rid the label of the social stigma that had become attached to it. Today, there are no temple prostitutes left in the state of Karnataka. This is the powerful, inspirational story of that change initiative that has transformed thousands of lives.

As she goes about her work with the villagers, slum dwellers and the common men and women of India, Sudha Murty—writer, social worker and teacher—listens to them and records what they have to say. Their accounts of the struggles and hardships which they have at times overcome, and at other times been overwhelmed by, are put together in this book. There are stories about people’s generosity—and selfishness—in times of natural disasters like the tsunami; women struggling to speak out in a world that refuses to listen to them; and tales of young professionals trying to find their feet as they climb up the corporate ladder. Told simply and directly from the heart, The Old Man and His God is a collection of snapshots of the varied facets of human nature and a mirror to the souls of the people of India.

Fifty Vignettes Showcase The Myriad Shades Of Human Nature A Man Dumps His Aged Father In An Old-Age Home After Declaring Him To Be A Homeless Stranger, A Tribal Chief In The Sahyadri Hills Teaches The Author That There Is Humility In Receiving Too, And A Sick Woman Remembers To Thank Her Benefactor Even From Her Deathbed. These Are Just Some Of The Poignant And Eye-Opening Stories About People From All Over The Country That Sudha Murty Recounts In This Book. From Incredible Examples Of Generosity To The Meanest Acts One Can Expect From Men And Women, She Records Everything With Wry Humour And A Directness That Touches The Heart. First Published In 2002, Wise And Otherwise Has Sold Over 30,000 Copies In English And Has Been Translated Into All The Major Indian Languages. This Revised New Edition Is Sure To Charm Many More Readers And Encourage Them To Explore Their Inner Selves And The World Around Us With New Eyes. &Nbsp;

Indians believe that you must serve your guests well, for they come to your house in the form of god. This is the exact mentality Sudha Murty’s hosts have when she goes to volunteer in a small village in Odisha. Because of the heavy rain, Murty decides to take shelter in one of the villagers’ hut—already low on supplies, what are the hosts ready to give up in order to serve their guest? Murty delves into the great extent hosts are willing to go to in order to please their guests. Read more to see what Sudha learns about the Indian values.

Who can resist a good story, especially when it’s being told by Grandma? From her bag emerges tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and gods. Here comes the bear who ate some really bad dessert and got very angry; a lazy man who would not put out a fire till it reached his beard; a princess who got turned into an onion; a queen who discovered silk, and many more weird and wonderful people and animals. Grandma tells the stories over long summer days and nights, as seven children enjoy life in her little town. The stories entertain, educate and provide hours of enjoyment to them. So come, why don’t you too join in the fun.

What secrets lurk in a family’s past—and how important are they in the here and now? Sudha Murty’s new book comprises two novellas that explore two quests by two different men—both for mothers they never knew they had. Venkatesh, a bank manager, stumbles upon his lookalike one fine day. When he probes further, he discovers his father’s hidden past, which includes an abandoned wife and child. Ventakesh is determined to make amends to his impoverished stepmother—but how can he repay his father’s debt? Mukesh, a young man, is shocked to realize after his father’s death that he was actually adopted. He sets out to find his biological mother, but the deeper he delves, the more confused he is about where his loyalties should lie: with the mother who gave birth to him, or with the mother who brought him up. The Mother I Never Knew is a poignant, dramatic book that reaches deep into the human heart to reveal what we really feel about those closest to us.

Autobiographical anecdotes on the life of the Kannada writer.