Writing is often perceived to be cathartic by many. But, for Shivoo Koteshwar, a Bengaluru-based leadership professional and entrepreneur, penning down his observations sprouted out of an innate spirit of inclusiveness, which egged him on. His debut read, 50 Shades of Life, focuses on gems we all ought to learn — ways to push through the boundaries, to learn to ‘unsee’ rampant evils through thought-provoking real life narratives. With the intent to reach out to the needy, a major chunk of the proceeds from the book will go towards Belaku Foundation (an orphanage and old age home) and education trust. In a candid chat, the author tells us more...
“Most of the stories are largely the by-products of my daily interactions with children. I’ve been fortunate to work with developing minds, whose turmoils, worries, ambitions and goals have only taken me aback! It’s important for parents to help their kids break away from the cocoon. The sheltered lifestyle only kills immunity towards facing real problems. Hence, the book was a guide to help children equip themselves to face hardships, through socially-relevant messages,” adds Shivoo. The book entails illustrations entirely done by teenagers. “I believe in the creative abilities of children. During my chat with a 16-year-old budding artist, Sakshi Satwani, I spoke to her about the book I was authoring. She read the stories I had written and told me she had a concept in mind, and painted it for me. The image was perfect, I decided to go ahead and use it. So, you know the book was an all-hands-at-deck venture,” reveals the IIM-B alumnus, who has also heads four start-ups.
Writing aside, the leadership professional also has an eye for green spaces. “I love farming. The perfect weekend getaway equals gardening and tending to animals,” he enthuses.
Quite unlike most of his counterparts, Shivoo isn’t putting too much thought into the numbers game. “When I started writing, I had a typical 16-year-old in my mind. But post-release, I’ve learnt even kids as young as 10 were interested in reading the book. For me, it was all about giving wisdom, which wasn’t available during my growing years. I hope people think the book is relatable. As the success of anything depends on how much your target audience can make sense out of it,” he signs off.
