Learning from people's games

Rajeev Karwal, acknowledged as a leader of the consumer durables industry, gives Business Line a line-up of his favourite books.

Karwal founded Milagrow Business & Knowledge Solutions in 2007. He has also been associated with LG, Onida, Philips, Reliance Retail and Electrolux, to name a few.

Karwal reads on flights, in his car, late at nights and early mornings. “Literally whenever I find time from my schedule,” he says.

Karwal reads only on his tabtop and says he is somewhat a sucker for ‘management books.' “There was a time when I would get my hand on every new management book within a fortnight of its release,” he says.

What are you reading at the moment?

‘ Indian Mujahiddin - Tracking the Enemy Within ' by Shishir Gupta. I personally feel that any kind of internal fundamentalism and terror is bad. Apathy, ignorance, prejudice and preconceived injustices are an offshoot of this fundamentalism. There are areas where Naxalites are worshipped, so it becomes important to apply balm or else everyone would want a state of their own.

One book that has influenced your management style.

Eric Burne's ‘ Games People Play ' has taught me many things. Here, I understood the relationship psychology between child-child, child-adult, and adult-adult. I learnt a lot about communication styles.

Which has been your most memorable pick?

Almost every time I find myself at a Railway station, I pick up a copy of Geeta Prakashan's biography of Gandhiji. I read a few pages and then gift it to someone, and I am always left baffled by Gandhiji's life from the few pages that I read. He made the same mistakes as we do but he was a Mahatma, simply because he embraced the truth.

Which is one book that you could not read beyond two pages?

I wouldn't say that Ayn Rand's ‘ Fountainhead ' is my worst pick. Somehow, I do not identify with her philosophy. It loses me after the first two pages simply because nobody can have such an attitude.

Happiness and success are meant to be shared with family and friends. I have only read its reviews.

What is the most that you ever spent on a single book?

The most I have spent on is on the ‘ Times Life Encyclopaedia ', which I bought for Rs 49,000 for my children. Today, however, their efficacy has been replaced by Wikipedia and the internet.

Name one book that you have read the most number of times.

I have read ‘ Jonathan Livingstone Seagull ' by Richard Bach more than 20 times. This book is on the philosophy of life. A seagull is not supposed to soar high or dive deep but one ordinary seagull broke the code and was outcast by his comrades. It is a very inspiring read.

Your wish-list at the moment.

Steve Jobs' biography would be my next pick, but I need to find time for that book. Jobs was misunderstood as a very cold person. However, the fact that he wanted his children to know him better through his autobiography speaks volumes about his soft side.

Which is the most unusual book that you have read?

I think it would be ‘ Alchemist ' by Paulo Coelho. This book is good in parts, but I haven't understood many parts. There is just too much preaching and philosophy.

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