All of us want to be achievers in life. For this purpose, we can learn from the lives of past great achievers, get inspiration from them, and also take suitable actions in our life. Every young child has some ambitions and dreams, and also some questions and doubts. We can learn from our own experience, but it is wiser to learn from the experience of others. This will help us in making fewer mistakes, and turn our life towards our objective. The examples of twelve eminent persons of India, who have achieved excellence in their respective fields, have been given in this book. These are Nani Palkhiwala, Medha Patkar, Satish Gujral, Lila Seth, Rahul Bajaj, Viswanathan Anand, Yash pal, Amjad Ali Khan, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Ruskin Bond, MS Swaminathan and Sai Paranjpai. These Chapters narrate their initial childhood days, and how they got ideas, opportunities, and motivation etc., to reach the high levels of achievement in their fields.
Dr. M S Swaminathan, the green guru, got a lesson from one action of his father that, participation of all people is required, for success in any field. Their family had plantation in their native village. He used to watch farming activities, including planting the saplings. He thought of using machine for this purpose. He observed some new variety of seeds withering away. Then during world war, besides death and destruction, he came to know of the Bengal famine, which claimed thousands of lives. He participated in a discussion about food grain production, wherein the plight of poor persons came to light. He said that we have to work hard, and increase food grain production.
His class fellow suggested him, to take up Agriculture. But his desire was to find out, how to increase the yield per acre of land, by research in the laboratory, so that these findings could be used all over India. He thought of genetics to bring out better strains of crops, for dramatic improvements, so that famines do not occur, by using the power of the people. Ultimately, he became a leading agricultural scientist of India, known and respected all over the world. His main contributions are in respect of high yielding varieties of wheat, strategies for managing natural disasters etc., leading to the green revolution in India, and bringing self sufficiency in food. He has had numerous high ranking appointments and awards, in his life.
This book provides dedication, Contents, Preface and many sketches at appropriate places. With a view to motivate the present day children, and develop the can do attitude, it provides important details of the early life of some eminent persons, who have achieved excellence in their fields. Most of such persons have become great, through determination and perseverance. This book is based on personal interviews with these persons. It makes interesting reading. It is useful for the young persons.