Book Review: Because Life is a Gift

Book: Because Life is a Gift

Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors

Pages: 208

Price: Rs 125

Disha is an unusual achiever. A graduate from Delhi College of Engineering and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kolkata, she balances a high pressure job in a travel organisation along with her writing and has authored two books in as many years. Her books are unusual too. She doesn't write just for herself (as many writers claim to), nor does she write for her readers (as the other half assert). Instead, she writes on topics that touch her, telling stories she believes must be told — and brought alive. "Because no one else writes about them," she says.

Her first book, My Beloved's MBA Plans (Sristhti Publications), released to rave reviews last August. It was a rather interesting take on modern day relationships. Written in an interview format, it told the stories of 16 real life couples whom Disha interviewed while she was doing her MBA. Sacrifices, adjustments, unconventional choices, the tug between ambition and pragmatism, decision dilemmas — all were vividly portrayed. Author-politician Shashi Tharoor recommended the book, which found huge resonance with young people chasing their dreams and pondering unconventional decisions (don't we all deliberate between viable and not so viable options at some stage of our life).

Her second book, Because Life is a Gift, released recently. This one is even more heart-warming. There are 15 real life stories of differently-abled people, their lives, struggles and victories. It is about the people whom we so conveniently ignore, whom we regard as disabled instead of differently-abled, and who go beyond their personal handicaps to give back not only to themselves and their families but also to society.

All the stories in the book are awe inspiring. Like that of Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati, a miracle boy suffering from debilitating muscular dystrophy. He is, at the age of 12, India's youngest patent holder and the youngest disabled patent holder in the world. The chess games he has created are a rage the world over. Being a gadget freak (his home is a technology store house), he now wants to put his games on the android platform. Lots of celebrities follow him on his Facebook page. Hearty, as he is known to his loved ones, says, "The only disability is no self-esteem. People who cannot walk can fly with their attitude... I cannot walk but I am flying today."

So is Divya Arora, the girl behind Hrithik Roshan's performance in Guzaarish. Effervescent and driven, cerebral palsy could not take away her will to live life to the fullest. Disha encapsulates her journey from a child dancer to Bollywood's budding producer with a lot of empathy.

Sukhsohit Singh's story is an absolute eye opener too. I, too, remember interviewing him some years ago for a story on thalassemia (a genetic blood disorder) and being inspired by his can-do spirit. He cracked the civil services, one of the toughest exams in the country, but the government did not deem him 'fit' enough and rejected his application on medical grounds. Sukhsohit stood up to fight for what was truly his and his victory has now paved the way for many others.

There are many more such stories in the book. Disha herself admits that researching for the book, meeting all these differently-abled people high on life has made her a better human being today.

The reason that Disha chooses to write such uplifting, hard to write (and sell) books makes her an achiever. And that's not all.

Disha also leads the Delhi chapter of the NGO Pick-a-Fight (www.pickafight.in). The group picks up a social cause and tries to fight its way against it. This courageous woman has also taken a conscious decision to not use any surname as she has been brought up by her mother. She has never seen or met her father so refuses to take his name.

dna.sunday@dnaindia.net; @dna