The Empty Pedestal and Other Stories

This collection of short fiction has been written over a period of two decades. The stories do not belong to any particular genre . They could vary from addressing issues of national import to dealing with the trivia of everyday life. As with much of short fiction each story is a snapshot. Yet the attempt is to make each as complete as possible. In a sense the stories are a commentary on the India of today - it's strengths, it's weaknesses, it's frailties, it's eccentricities, it's idiosyncrasies.

R. M. Rajgopal grew up in Cochin, Kerala, in an atmosphere of learning and reading. His father, T. R. K. Marar, a professor of English, had a profound influence on him. His passion for writing emanates from this milieu. Rajgopal was corporate HR head of SRF Ltd. for many years. He also managed some of SRF's subsidiaries as CEO. He continues as an advisor with the same company forty-two years down. As an HR professional, Rajgopal's innate sensitivity to human feelings contributed considerably toward his writing.