Palmful of Diamonds: The Saga of Life & Love, based on the Memoirs of a Medico - Softcover

Korada, Dr Prabhakar

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1548237760 ISBN 13: 9781548237769

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

Synopsis

‘Palmful of diamonds’ is the saga of life and love of an Indian psychiatrist born in a foreign land. He was the middle one in a large family. He was twelve when political uncertainty displaced his family forcing them to return to India as refugees. Faced with poverty and unexpected challenges, young Surya developed the attitude of a fighter. His exposure to the dynamic philosophy of Swami Vivekananda molded his character into one of a radical nationalist. This quality coupled with his all round stage talent endeared him to the youth and he emerged as an active student leader. But unknown to them, his personal life was checkered and tearful; destiny placed obstacle after obstacle in his path, testing his moral courage at every step. Hunger had not spared him; it was a painful task keeping it a secret. Upon his confession to his doting classmate about the realities of his life, she silently walked out on him plunging him into further misery. But his philosophy of life, and his multiple talents stood by him, winning him awards at the national level. During the infamous Emergency of 1975, his political awareness did not allow him to remain a meek spectator. He joined the opposition and vehemently fought against the undemocratic forces.Being disillusioned with society’s attitude towards family physicians, he chose to specialize in psychiatry and joined the government Institute to pursue his Master’s through the National Board of Examinations. His discovery of organized sex crimes targeting female patients, in the Institute, made him react, once again. But the lobby he pitted himself against was powerful. They subjected him to several threatening and humiliating situations and declared him insane. It was a Herculean task to complete his specialization.He was comfortable in a settled practice when young and pretty Sindhuri entered his life. She was an upcoming fashion designer, just out of college. She belonged to an inherently rich defense family. She was learning to swim when she accidentally kicked him on his face, underwater. This encounter evolved into genuine friendship. The bond between them was creativity. He inspired her to design textile art works based on Cosmic Sexuality and biological facts, which became an instant success. Learning about his challenging past triggered a reaction in the psyche of the young girl that later developed into overwhelming love for him. But, societal norms, and his, as yet, unsolved problems made him reject her proposal. Although he did not admit it overtly, he too developed deep feelings for her. He trained her in swimming, basic self defense, pranayama and meditation. He tried to convince her that true love is non possessive and that he would always be there as her good friend. He gently prevailed upon her to accept a suitable match approved by her parents. She thus got engaged to a handsome young army captain. But unfortunately her engagement could not last, and she had to break it under traumatic circumstances.An untimely bereavement in Sindhuri’s family created a crisis that suddenly changes the dynamics of the story. Surya had not accepted her proposal thinking she would outlive him, but now her medical reports hint otherwise. How he deals with an emotional paradox and what decision he makes is a tribute to his personality and his value system which make a compelling read, for couples in love. The author’s unique talent in presenting Indian literary finesse through a foreign language becomes evident when Sindhuri in a poignant situation poses a question to Surya, "Do you think we will meet again in the next janma?" He, in an emotion choked voice, replies,"If our love is true as Truth can be We meeting next is destined to beSomewhere on the banks of a stream Somewhere in the depths of a dream .......Some day we shall somehow we willWork out our karma and wish fulfill"For the first time a psychiatrist opens his heart for the world to view its inner secrets... Read on...

About this title

About the Author:

Prabhakar was born in Rangoon, Burma on the 1st of December 1950 to Korada Suryanarayana and Susheela. His early education was in Sacred Heart High School, Rangoon. He was the middle born in a large family. The military coup in 1962, had made the family leave with only their personal belongings to settle in Hyderabad, INDIA. The Chicago Addresses by Swami Vivekananda created a strong impression on his young mind. Prabhakar completed his school education in St. Patrick’s High School, Secunderabad. He studied MBBS in Bellary Medical College, Karnataka. He was an active student leader. He specialized in Psychiatry through DNB from Osmania Medical College. His contribution to the field of Psychiatry is largely in the area of Indian concepts that are relevant to Behavioral Sciences. His presentation of the A-Guna Personality as the Ideal Personality will remain etched in psychiatric literature. He is a Professor and member of the Editorial Board of some prestigious journals, including international. He is multitalented. His first writing, in high school, was a one-act play titled, “The Rangoon Road Devils” which won him three interschool awards. “The World of the Conscience” and “Daku Mangal Singh” are two other examples. He also won the Best Actor award for his role as James Dyke in the “Valiant” at the All India Intermedical Youth Festival, JIPMER, Pondicherry, in 1972. He was a debater and a lead singer in his college orchestra. Post Emergency the Janata Party had nominated him as the Convener of Bellary District Youth Wing of the Party, and later in 1991, he filed his nominations through BJP to contest for the Lok Sabha from the prestigious Secunderabad Constituency; the assassination of Rajeev Gandhi caused a reverse tide, and he dropped from the contest and preferred to serve society as an activist. He headed the Hyderabad Psychiatric Society as its President in 2006 and got unanimously elected as the President of the undivided Andhra Pradesh State Branch of the Indian Psychiatric Society for the period 2014 – 2015. Prof. Dr. Prabhakar Korada holds some stimulating and thought provoking opinions; according to him, Gandhi misinterpreted Ahimsa and stretched it beyond all practicability. His first book was a medical guide, “Before You Reach the Doctor’, then followed, “2012 is not the End: Prophecies of a Hindu Sage”. “Palmful of Diamonds: the Saga of Life & Love” is his debut novel; it is a work of fiction based on real life experiences.

From Kirkus Reviews:

A long novel by Indian psychiatrist Korada (2012 is Not the End, 2012, etc.), based on his own experiences.

This epic work, in the vein of Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel A Suitable Boy, shares that book’s theme of striving to find an appropriate spouse. It opens in 2006 with Dr. Surya Rao preparing for the opening of SURYA Hospitals, which offer affordable, holistic psychiatric treatment. He’s a professional success but also carries a personal sadness with him. When Lakshmi Beliappa turns up to the opening ceremony with an unfinished painting by her grown daughter, Sindhuri, Surya is plunged into his own memories. He met Sindhuri, a budding fashion designer, eight years before when she accidentally kicked him in the face in a swimming pool. They became close friends through their shared interests in swimming, karate, and meditation, but Surya resisted his romantic feelings, reasoning that he was too old for her: “my love for her...was truly non-possessive, truly platonic,” he told himself. Instead, he encouraged her to accept one of her parents’ chosen suitors, but none were satisfactory, and one even assaulted her. After Sindhuri’s father’s sudden death, Surya finally changed his tune and proposed to her. Their marriage of true equals was ultimately cut short, but Surya’s philosophical approach to life and death allowed him to make it through: “I am with you through this, Sindhuri....It hurts me as much as it hurts you,” he says. This tragic romance plotline distinguishes the novel, which, despite its excessive length, gallops along fairly well. Religious concepts, such as karma and ahimsa, are unobtrusively discussed along the way, and moments from Indian history and Surya’s activist past are introduced through further flashbacks. There are occasional flashes of poetic language, such as “the sun...appeared like a ball of saffron in the distant horizon.” However, there are persistent problems with misused or missing prepositions and articles (as in “the art to defend ourselves,” “I was at loss for words,” and “She screamed on top of her voice”).

A compassionate tone drives this tender but sometimes shakily written love story.

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1548237760
• ISBN 13: 9781548237769
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 750