Ashok S. Ganguly, former Hindustan Unilever chairman, pens down a powerful and inspiring memoir, Afterness. Published by Penguin Random House India, it captures his lifelong curiosity and longing that led to his successful career. It is scheduled to release towards the end of September.
The author invites readers to journey with him as he looks back fondly on his extraordinary life – from his childhood to his upbringing in the metropolitan Bombay of the 1930s, to his PhD in Illinois and his eventual return to India. After joining Hindustan Unilever’s R&D department, Ganguly quickly rose up the ranks as a talented young professional, eager to discover and learn new things.
Afterness spans across eighty years of his life, its edges tinged by the tumultuous events in India in the twentieth century, and interspersed with fascinating people, from the mysterious Kishen Khanna, who accurately predicted events in Ganguly’s life, to encounters and friendships with well-known historical figures such as Mother Teresa and Rajiv Gandhi.
Dr. Ashok S. Ganguly’s journey was interspersed with failures, but he doesn’t shy away from talking about these and the sacrifices that went on to define his life. He covers three important aspects in the book – importance of family and upbringing, impact of corporate environment and influence of society and outward perspective.
Honest, reflective, personal and revelatory, Afterness provides valuable insight into his thinking process and decision-making skills that enabled Ganguly’s meteoric rise and sustained his legendary career.
