Book Review- River Valley to Silicon Valley by Alexander Turkov, Russia

What is Indian culture famous for?

Let’s say Shiva- the multi-headed and sharp-teeth…

Then Raj Kapur, the artist

And the Yogis- strangest of the all castes…

- Russian poet Vladimir Visotsky(1938-1980)

The poet Vladimir Visotsky wrote these words about thirty years back how his compatriots saw and understood the distant India.
How and why the knowledge of the Russians about India has changed since that time?Certainly that iron curtain has collapsed and dozens if not hundreds of thousands of Russians have visited this great country as tourists in the past few decades and not as members of delegations. However in our opinion while being in India they were looking at India from a different view-point. It is not easy to understand the rarities of India for a person who has grown in completely different conditions and has never come across people, cultures and traditions of India.
The book “River Valley to Silicon Valley” by Abhay K, a young person who recently started his diplomatic career, enables a reader to look from inside at modern India; a dynamically developing country that has become a regional super-power.
As a matter of fact this is a story of childhood and youth of the author with an excursion into his family's history. At the same time the book gives understanding of peculiarities of Indian mentality, comprehension of its surroundings, system of values prevailing in the country and possibly, apart from author’s will, shows the steadfastness of Indian culture that continues existing and flourishing even with the onset of globalization.
We think that the book is about the country where the bondage with its past has not yet disintegrated but yet in a few decades India has been able to enter the era of information technology.
It will be interesting for the Russian readers to see the life in India with the eyes of their young Indian contemporary.

- Alexander Turkov, Interpreter and Political Commentator, Moscow, Russia

The Original Russian Text is placed below-

Чем славится индийская культура?

Ну, скажем, Шива – многорук, клыкаст...

Еще артиста знаем Радж Капура

И касту йогов – странную из каст,

писал поэт про представления своих соотечественников о далекой Индии более тридцати лет назад. Как и почему изменились с тех пор знания российских граждан об Индии?

Да, конечно, рухнул «железный занавес» и десятки, если не сотни тысяч россиян посетили почти за два десятилетия эту великую страну уже не «в составе делегаций».

Однако, на наш взгляд, при этом они, будучи в Индии, смотрели на Индию как бы со стороны – реалии Индии нелегко понять человеку, выросшему в совершенно других условиях и никогда не соприкосавшемуся с народом, культурой, традициями и природой Индии.

Книга Абхая Кумара, молодого человека, недавно поступившего на дипломатическую службу Индии, позволяет читателю взглянуть изнутри на современную Индию – динамично развивающуюся страну, которая уже сегодня стала региональной сверхдержавой.

По сути дела это рассказ про детские и юношеские годы автора с экскурсом в историю его семьи. Попутно книга дает представление и об особенностях индийского менталитета, о восприятии окружающего мира, системе ценностей, принятой в стране. а также, возможно, помимо воли автора, показывает стойкость индийской культуры, продолжающей существовать и развиваться в условиях глобализации.

Думаем, что книга о стране, в которой не распалась связь времен и сумевшей всего за несколько десятилетий шагнуть в эпоху информационных технологий, будет интересна и российским читателям – они увидят жизнь в Индии глазами их молодого индийского современника.

A Review letter from Malgorzata Kucharska, Poland

Brzeg Dolny 22.06.2007

This is my short opinion about your book. The specific thing is its very easy reading and that is what makes “From the River Valley to the Silicon Valley” book suitable for people in each age. We can identify with the little boy throw his adolescence until he becomes a successful man. It brings unforgotten memories about the first day in school, first time being on the own, first crucial success and at last the first love.

The book is filled with various emotions, which are very emphatically described. Nothing is hidden. When you were crying of happiness, I was crying with you; when you became disappointed with your defeats – I felt to run and cheer you up; when you were waiting anxious for exam results – my heart was beating faster waiting good news impatiently. But essence of the book is bravery, which describes your names meaning completely – “fearless”. You are an inspiration for everyone; for kids keeping in their desires, for youth who should never give up in gaining their goals and adults – giving reflection and motivation for fighting among all adversities.

You have broken all stereotypes which are showering upon us nowadays – namely, that money is “the lord”. You did not have money, did not have acquaintances in “top bananas”, your parents could not afford you comfort at the University, nevertheless you have never complained and owing to hard work today you can say: “I have made it”. This is “a light in the tunnel” especially for villagers, poor young people, who are languishing all around the world.

Finally I have to say this is one of a few books which keep conversing with the reader. While reading, reflections brought lot of questions in my mind, but the main is - can I say “I have made it”? The answer is still unknown, but I can say one thing: This book made me sure of making right choices in my life, owing to this book I am closer to achieve my goals.

…waiting for the 2^nd book