Three Thousand Stitches

When I was in college, I came across an article as an email forward which was written by a little known lady named Sudha Murty.  Actually it was about her life in a kind of a short essay.  It was quite refreshing and inspiring.  About 2 decades back, when internet or even computer was quite a luxury, this email was spreading fast.  Then I had understood she is the wife of Narayana Murty and Infosys is their brainchild.  I was quite smitten towards her.

This book, three thousand stitches is another book registering her encounters in life.  The titular story where she changes the lives of Devadasis is the most remarkable feat.  I can only imagine the threats and pressures that would have come their way.  It is no small step and she didn't buckle under pressure. 

The way she handles these subjects is like a grandmother or mother or even a elder neighbour recounting her days and you listen with keen and rapt attention.  I still wonder how she manages to put down all her remarkable achievements and still not come across as boastful.  It is something to learn from her.  In three handfuls story she writes about Kashi weaving through past and present.  She gives detailed account of the city and manages to make it interesting.  Such an eminent personality and yet she manages to give up shopping. I wonder if I ever will be able to give up such a thing.  I must say that everyone in her family has had an eventful life or she is very good at narrating mundane details in an interesting manner.  As with all her books she has included stories about her father and grandchildren.

This book gives a glimpse of the philanthropic works of the Infosys foundation.  The best one indeed is the funding for the women in distress in the middle east countries.  It was heart wrenching to read their stories, but it sadly it is the reality.  The last chapter about alcoholism was enlightening and scary at the same time.  How a innocent peg can drown a life is truly shocking.  Today social drinking is very common and to read about some real life encounters got me worried about the future of the next generation.

Most of them were warm stories down her memory lane but some were triggers to ponder on the social evils.  Weaving through her past and present she manages to create a book that is easy to relate and something to ponder on.