This needs to be told before I write anything else in this book review. Savitha Rao’s book is not a fiction, fancy motivational non-fiction or a book meant for entertainment or spending a few hours of leisure reading something. This is a book that asks the readers (Indian readers) – what have you done for the nation? What did you do to make your country better? What’s your contribution in making India better? And the most important question that the book tacitly asks is whether a person is India Positive Citizen or someone who constantly asks questions but does nothing to make a positive change happen. Savitha’s book will provoke you, inspire you and certainly charge you positively with the examples of little but very important deeds that bring positivity and energetic inspiration in the surroundings.

Certainly, it is rare these days that we care for the causes in the books. All the authors care for is their sales and the readers think about their share of entertainment and joy, most of the times. The book that I am reviewing today has a direct message in its very title (with an expressive subtitle) – India Positive Citizen: Building A Great Nation, one India positive action at a time. The author urges the readers to do things which are positive, one thing or two things or just something that can bring a change. Once you start reading the book, you will reach to chapter 10 that has 52 short, inspirational and stirring stories of small acts of kindness, affection, empathy and positivity that will certainly motivate you into an action mode – why cannot I do small things for others in need? For example, the author asks:

“If you are the awesome mom or dad cooking the lunch for your young children – once a week, can you consider packing an extra lunch for one person to whom you can gift it with joy?”

And the story in which Savitha Rao asks this question is about a few women in Mumbai who have started this initiative of sharing homemade food with children near the railway stations. They simply pack an extra box with the food that they take with themselves for lunch in the office. Simple. A B C and they have made many children smile… cannot we do it? Is it too much?

Likewise, another story that stirred me personally was Savitha’s own efforts to illuminating a road which was denied light set-ups by the authorities on the grounds of being a private one. Savitha Rao, the author, and her efforts of bringing the locality together ended up in ensuring that the dark road was lit in the nights thereafter and also the manholes were covered properly by concrete covers. A small effort helped in getting better results without much protests, showmanship and noise. And yes, we can always make little things click and get bigger results once we try to be responsible, quick-thinkers and positive.

The book has every single page loaded with positive vibes, clarion calls to get into action mode and make our efforts to fuse inspiration in people around us to do their bit. We can do many big and small things just by sitting together once a week, making plans, and executing those. We cannot wait for someone else to take the initiative and stand behind. If we want change, if we want a better country for tomorrow, we have to take action. The author has summarised the idea beautifully in her preface:

“The significant problems we face, as a nation cannot be solved without the participation of citizens – whether litter on the street, air pollution or inequity or making the country safer for women and children or overcoming the COVID pandemic and its impacts on the economy.”

Are you ready?

India Positive Citizen, after many months, is a book that I recommend without any ifs and buts. Read it. Enjoy the beautiful deeds of people mentioned in the book. Learn from them. Teach others. Get inspired. Inspire others. Let’s make India beautiful! Share the book after you read. Make others read it. Make it contagious. Spread the idea. Spread the book. Get into action mode. One action in a week… we can make many good things happen around us. All the best!

This review appeared on https://indianbookcritics.in/