Panel Discussion
Vasant Vihar Club, in association with The Book Baker’s Literary Agency, hosted the launch of the book followed by a panel discussion on H A Rahman’s debut book – AND A LEADER IS BORN on Saturday, January 18. The panelists were: Nalin Verma, Shehla Rashid, Vineet Malhotra, Puja Gupta, H A Rahman, Gautam Vohra, and Suhail Mathur.
Excerpts: When asked about the challenges faced by Rahman while writing his book, the author shared:
“I encountered numerous obstacles. I began writing during a difficult time, as my father was battling stage 4 cancer. My mind was preoccupied, and this being my first book, I lacked experience. It took me eight months to complete the first draft, which I shared with my father. I had hoped he would launch the book, but unfortunately, that was not meant to be. That’s why I’ve brought my mother here today to unveil it, making this moment even more special.”
The author revealed that his motivation for writing about political leadership stemmed from a childhood fascination with Alexander the Great. “Reading about Alexander’s life as a warrior and leader had a profound impact on me,” he said. “Particularly, his complex relationship with his mother left an indelible mark on my mind, inspiring me to explore the intricacies of leadership further,” he added.
The book is a political thriller. On the challenges of writing a book in political space, Suhail acknowledged, “It’s a tricky terrain. In some cases, lawsuits are filed against the publisher and author even before the book’s release. The unfortunate reality is that neither publishers nor authors often have the financial resources to defend themselves against such litigation.”
For a first-timer, it’s a well-written book. Political journalist and co-author of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s autobiography, Nalin Verma wished the author well and remarked that it was brave of Hasib to have debuted with a political book.
Gautam Vohra spoke about how difficult it is to merge the Nehruvian ideology of politics the protagonist, Sikander aspires for in today’s age of cutthroat politics. Suhail added that it was this line of thought that separated Rahman’s book from the others and was a relationship drama at its core.
The event was well attended with several bestselling authors like Rrashima Swaarup Verma, Shaurya Kanojia, and Aslam Rahaman, along with Rajinder Maggu, Honorary Secretary, Vasant Vihar Club, who was also felicitated for his valuable contribution in encouraging literary events.
The event ended with Hasib mentioning that he was now working on a non-fiction historical based on a medieval Queen from the Deccan before signing a copy of his latest hit book for the Vasant Vihar Club’s library.
