We have all heard of the fabulous tale involving the lion and the mouse, where the latter saves the life of the former despite his diminutive stature. The king of the beasts was taught a lesson or two in the small things in life. But what if one could draw upon the same in real life, and utilise them for enhancing their own learning experience? Better still, what if someone took the effort to write them down and hand it to you in the form of a book, so all you had to do was read? That’s quite precisely what Prof Dasharathraj Shetty has done with his recent publication, which is aptly titled Learning Like a Lion. Shetty is an author, columnist, engineer and social entrepreneur who teaches at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT). Holding three PG degrees in Finances, Management and Computer Sciences, he was naturally oriented towards books from an early age. “I grew up with my grandfather, who was a voracious reader. He would gift me books for birthdays and other special occasions, and write notes within the pages that explained why that book would make for an interesting read. Given the sort of environment I grew up in, it’s no wonder that I took to reading and writing quite early in life,” says Shetty.
He became a regular blogger, writing articles for newspapers and magazines, before deciding to focus more on the publication part – a decision that resulted in him penning his first book. “The work is available on Amazon, has sold copies globally and also received high ratings by reviewers,” he adds. When quizzed about the viability of seeking out a career as an author in India, a nation addicted to engineering and medicine, Shetty echoes the plethora of writers who strongly feel that it is difficult to work solely as a writer. “Directly jumping into the profession of writing might not be financially viable, but you could have a permanent job and write part-time. Eventually, you will get noticed and start receiving royalties, and that’s when you should contemplate taking writing seriously,” he says.
As the title states, the book revolves around the various life lessons and personal experiences of the author. He has sought to implement these as variable parameters by which readers can compare, judge, drawn inspiration or motivation and ultimately benefit, should they face a similar situation in their own lives. The book is more of a collection of the thoughts and ideas of someone who wishes to reach out to a larger audience with simple advice, rather than a dedicated career-counseling publication.
“My book is divided into various sections – one regarding learning from the people I have met, another pertaining to my travel experiences, and yet another on daily interactions. What separates my work from your standard ‘motivation book’ is the fact that I have personally experienced the incidents mentioned in the book and correlate them to my own opinions and thoughts. What you read is what I have seen, felt and processed,” he remarks. His writings align themselves to two fields in particular – management and technology. This places his book in a rather unique spot, for it empowers readers employed in the aforementioned fields to benefit from ‘what-if’ and ‘would-be’ scenarios. “The way in which the book is written allows people to read and understand for themselves, the message or information presented without me telling them what to do. The content is basically given directly to the readers without any hidden messages or guess work,” Shetty adds.
The research required for writing the book was a compendium of the diverse experiences, emotions, opinions and thoughts that the author had subconsciously collected over years of interaction. “It’s not that I just sat down one fine day and decided to write a book for the sake of it. The chapters in my book are very small, and each one tailor-made based on the individual real-life experience associated with it,” he says. The author also feels that all of us have the potential to become writers, provided we have the right exposure. “In any book, it’s the first three lines that matter the most. A mentor, someone who can advise you, can help significantly,” Shetty concludes.
