There are some people who influence us more than others. There is something about their personality that attracts us to them. And we, consciously or otherwise, try to be like them -if not exactly, at least in some respect.

I love reading mythological tales. Among all writers, I like Devdutt Pattanaik the most.

Pattanaik (born 11 December, 1970) is an Indian physician-turned-leadership consultant, author and communicator whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology and management.

He has written more than 600 articles and 30 books on the relevance of stories, symbols and rituals in modern times. His works include Myth = Mithya, Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana, Business Sutra: An Indian Approach to Management, and Shikhandi And Other Tales They Don't Tell You.

I met the author at a conference when he came to Odisha and it was one of my most memorable experiences.

Sahil Pradhan,
Class VII,
DAV Public School, Pokhariput,
Bhubaneswar