The Book, The Varied Hues of Life, by Dinesh K Kapila, was launched at a well attended function at the UT Guest House on 6th January 2024. The Book launch organised by Novel Bunch was presided over by Shri Vivek Atray, Noted Motivational Speaker and TEDx Speaker and a former Bureaucrat, Prof (Dr) Deepti Gupta, Professor of English and Cultural Studies, Panjab University, Mrs Saguna Jain, Mr Hardeep Singh Chandpuri and Mrs Anita Sharma.
The Book Launch was followed by a conversation between the author, Dinesh Kumar Kapila, and Prof (Dr) Deepti Gupta. It was informal in orientation yet engaging and resonated with the audience as the author elucidated upon the broad spectrum of emotions and experiences he had culled from his life, personal, professional and then from observing quietly as various events and day to happenings of life were chanced upon by him. Hence “The Varied Hues of Life“.
These ranged across humour, light hearted views of life, to sadness, nostalgia, travel to matters military and then back to a light touch in writing. Asked by Dr Deepti Gupta, why the book, the author stated that he took to writing off and on during service just to destress after a long day, the night was at often just to write a short note or to think about something that he saw or read and which stayed in the mind. It was just a catharsis in a way. And then he started enjoying the process, it could be anything, current affairs, military matters, professional matters or life as it is. But mainly he cherished just watching people as they go about their lives.
To a question on his core philosophy of life, he said that life has much to offer and at the same time can be beautiful, sad, pensive, happy, even at times tough and full of trials and even envy and politics. Every day is a different day. Its best to go through it with a light touch. That is what the compilation is all about. A premium on grace, culture and refinement, maybe good manners too. This was all there was all to it. And the influence of his parents specially his father, Maj Gen Rajendra Nath, PVSM (Retd), as in Down Madhumati Road, 45 Cavalry and Thank You 17 Punjab.
There is an underpinning of philosophy and an insight in each snippet, often illustrated by a happening from life as it happened or was observed to be. Having studied at various schools across India and then working in NABARD (retiring as a Chief General Manager) had provided a broad range of exposure to what went on across multiple cultures. His own favourites were The Secretary Came at Noon, The Pipes of Bakloh, Tales Café”s Don’t Tell You, The Girl in Red and The Boy Alone. Dr Deepti Gupta stated her favourite was the anecdote on Coriander, Kadoos in Love and The Park was Romantic in the Hot Afternoons. And she loved the tailpieces.
Mr Vivek Atray, Chief Guest, appreciated the range of emotions and cross section of life so vividly illustrated by words in The Varied Hues of Life. And he liked the popping up of the love for beauty in different forms in the book. The philosophy of life which silently underlay many chapters was also highlighted by him.
As the author says, read it over a hot coffee, a wine or something amber in hue !