Born in Jangam, the Secretary to the Government of Telangana for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture Department, IAS officer Burra Venkatesham, has recently launched his debut book Selfie of Success. In it, the author has taken upon himself to hold a mirror to the world about what success is.
Breaking down success
Talking to us, the author starts by recounting his journey from a very underprivileged background in a village to where he is right now. “I have seen various phases in life. There was one point, after my father had passed away, when my family and I struggled in the village we lived in. I was seven years old then. But in contrast, today, I get to meet various prominent people and to travel to various locations. Given the range of experiences I have lived through, I thought it would be right for me to not only pen down my experiences but also to put a face to what success mean — the good, bad and ugly about it,” says Burra.
The cover of the book
The senior bureaucrat then goes on to add that ‘success’ is the most glamorous and sought word after among all words in English or any other language. “Since the beginning of creation, from the single-celled organisms to complex organisms like human beings, everybody craves success and lives and dies for it. We come across a number of books written, re-written or discussed on this subject in various styles and formats in almost all written and unwritten languages. My thought of writing this book on a subject, which is the most written, is to present a holistic view of the subject, i.e., success. Every book written so far has continually showcased success as the most fascinating, noble and virtuous subject in the world. The books on this subject have always lured or enticed the reader stating that the aftermath of success is all enjoyment, glory and greater happiness in the lives of successful people,” says Burra, offering an insight into his book.
Stories of the prosperous
The officer of the Telangana cadre took to writing the book to follow through on his passion to serve the people for a larger good. With captivating stories and anecdotes of some well-known personalities from across the world like Michael Jackson to his own experiences, the book takes the reader through a journey into reality and what it really takes to be a successful person.
“It took me a week to decide what exactly I wanted to write and another six months to do the research, find suitable examples with whom everyone can relate to and then to finally get down to writing. Selfie of Success is only the first of the series of three books which I am planning to write about success. Next in the lines are How much success is needed in life, which will be followed by Thank you, Mr Enemy, you made me what I am which might release next year,” the bureaucrat concludes.
