I believe human beings don’t change overnight after reading a book. Change is a slow process. But one book that did change my life is Gosho. It is a compilation of writings of Nichiren Daishonin. The book is about a 15th century sage, who rearranged the sutras of Buddhism leading to the culmination of a new school in Buddhism. The book is based on one of the texts of Buddha known as Lotus Sutra.

The book answers a lot of questions that we encounter in our daily lives. One important lesson that I have learnt from this book is that religion was created to keep us happy. I like reading books about people’s survival. Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum is my all-time favourite. I love the character of Jason Bourne. This book talks about perseverance. The protagonist is lost but his phenomenal physical skills and strength help him escape the trap.

The other book that I read again and again is The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Howard Roark, the central character, is my hero for life. I feel when you read about legendary characters like Roark you get inspired by them.

The other fantastic book that I loved was Madhu Trehan’s Tehelka as Metaphor. The book is about the political saga that happened in the aftermath of an expose of defense deal by Tehelka. I was amazed by her accurate and factual reporting of events that took place. Also, the writer was brave enough to name all the politicians and generals in the book.

Rina Dhaka is a fashion designer

As told to Surbhi Tandon