Book “I Came Upon A Lighthouse” by Shantanu Naidu is a book of hope. Of inspiration. Of compassion. Of a pure friendship. Of soulful learnings. Of a world of countless possibilities. It is a story that might seem like a dream to many youngsters. It is a heartwarming account about life with an iconic legend, Ratan Tata and his unseen side recounted by a promising young millennial in the most endearing and earnest manner.

Shantanu Naidu, an automobile design engineer in his early twenties, developed an innovation to save the local strays from being run over by speeding cars. Ratan Tata, himself known for his compassion for stray dogs, took note of his noble gesture.

Shantanu’s humble and simple aspirations, family values, and events pushed him to pen a letter to Mr. Ratan Tata. The letter not only started a remarkable friendship but also marked the journey of Mr. Ratan Tata and Shantanu working tirelessly to positively impact many lives in the years to come.

It’s a thus a beautiful tale of friendship, love, business, school life, career, interpersonal dynamics, new ventures, and mentorship. The illustrations in the book are so lovelyj that they really help bring all the stories together.

The book has some lessons from Shantanu Naidu, the writer and a few from Mr Tata himself. Mentioning few..

“There will be times when we can get through stuff, and there will be times when we can’t. And when we can’t, don’t feel so caught up in getting it done no matter what. It’s okay.”.  – Ratan Tata

“We don’t sell broken businesses. We fix them.”    – Ratan Tata

“Silences are the longest when you have the most things to say.”

“The closer you get to something; the more painful rejection is going to be.”

“Business school applications aren’t just about the score. They’re also about the story of how you got there.”

An honest, light-hearted telling of an uncommon bond between a millennial and an octogenarian. An absolutely page turner book. I would recommend this book to each and everyone.

©️Sheetal Pradhan Deshpande