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Shantanu Naidu projected his passion for reading into work and launched Bookies, an initiative to develop reading habits.
Naidu was one of Tata’s closest and trusted manager. (Photo Credits: LinkedIn)
It has been nearly two months since Ratan Tata, one of the most respected business leaders, passed away. His demise left a deep void among his admirers and close ones, and one of them was his young manager, Shantanu Naidu. From developing a bond through their mutual love for animals to working closely for several years, the two shared a lasting friendship, with Tata playing a strong role in Naidu’s life and career. Moving on in life, Shantanu Naidu has now launched his new passion venture, projecting his love for reading into a profession.
In a LinkedIn post, Shantanu Naidu announced Bookies, a project that aims to bring people together in public places to read silently. Initially introduced in Mumbai, it has also expanded to Pune and Bengaluru. On Sunday, December 8, Bookies is set to be launched in Jaipur, following which Naidu also plans to expand to Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat. “What started as an experiment is now a movement. Bring Books Back. Bookies conduct silent reading sessions in the following cities,” his post read with details about his various launches across cities.
In another post, Naidu announced the Jaipur reading session with the caption, “Jaipur, it’s time 🙂 We will see you on Sunday the 8th at Jaipur Bookies. Sign up for the launch below ☺️ SO EXCITED!!!”
Through this initiative, he aims to build the habit of reading among people, believing that reading as a community can help develop the habit. “The whole essence of Bookies has always been to bring back reading. It seems that reading is very central to the human experience. And it’s just gone back into the background. Anything you do as a sense of community has a much larger push that makes you form a habit quicker than you do yourself,” Naidu said during one of his Bookies sessions, as per Livemint. He also highlighted how people usually get distracted by mobile phones and have developed a short attention span.
Who Is Shantanu Naidu?
Shantanu Naidu was one of the most trusted managers of Ratan Tata, who even found a place in his will. Following Tata’s demise, Naidu shared a heartfelt post on LinkedIn, mourning his loss. “The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse,” his post read.
