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Godman to Tycoon : The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev
From selling chawanprash on a bicycle and teaching yoga to small groups of people in the late 1990s, today Baba Ramdev is a media mogul who can shake governments. He sits at the top of a multi-billion-dollar consumer goods empire that sells everything from swadeshi jeans to ghee and has taken the yoga revolution down to small-town India. This is his story.
248 pages, Paperback
Published July 29, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 12, 2017
I read this book compulsively, two hours either side of a night's rest. The writing is crisp, not a word wasted. The research is prodigious - Pathak-Narain seemingly seeks not to interview Ramdev himself, but talks to anyone who might be able to shed light on him. Whether she's trying to piece together the disappearances, falling outs and mysterious deaths of Ramdev's close aides, or explaining Patanjali Ayurved's (the Rs.10,000 crore conglomerate he controls) business strategy, Pathak-Narain never loses control of the narrative or the reader's interest. She's also fair - both to Ramdev, and to her multiple interviewees.
Heavily recommended.
***
Update: The Delhi High Court has restrained the publishing, printing and selling of the book after Ramdev filed a petition.
"This order was passed ex-parte without hearing either the publisher, Juggernaut Books, or the author of the book, Priyanka Pathak-Narain, in order to avoid ‘the delay which would be caused during the process of serving the notice and hearing the defendants’."
Here's the publisher's statement on the order: http://blog.juggernaut.in/injunction-...
Heavily recommended.
***
Update: The Delhi High Court has restrained the publishing, printing and selling of the book after Ramdev filed a petition.
"This order was passed ex-parte without hearing either the publisher, Juggernaut Books, or the author of the book, Priyanka Pathak-Narain, in order to avoid ‘the delay which would be caused during the process of serving the notice and hearing the defendants’."
Here's the publisher's statement on the order: http://blog.juggernaut.in/injunction-...
August 30, 2017
First things first, it's a shame that the book has been barred from being sold under the orders of a court injunction, and most importantly, the publishers/author has not been allowed to put their side of the story. This is not a good sign, especially when journalists take on famous and financially/politically powerful people.
The book is not defamatory as the people opposing it seem to make it to be. It's extensively researched with almost 30 pages of sources cited at the end of the book. The author also has interviewed a number of people who have been and continue to be associated with Ramdev, a person who seems to attract controversy like an open bottle of patanjali honey attracts flies. She manages to be relatively neutral in most of the book, even seems to be in awe of his strategies and achievements but does not deviate from the aim of the book; to create a sort-of biography estimating the start and rise of the controversial "baba".
A good chunk of the information in the book would already be known to anyone who has been following the charlatan's life and achievements. A lot of it has been doing the rounds in hushed up circles and articles. The author or rather the publisher (juggernaut publishing) makes a vital mistake of giving away some of the juiciest scoops in their promotional articles and interviews/book excepts. As someone who has been following the progress of the book, I was expecting more such information, and was left hungry for more.
At this point of time in the contemporary history of our country, the book (and the controversy of censorship around it) is very relevant. Only time will tell if it's too late for this juggernaut (hah) to be made accountable for their wrongdoings and rhetoric which is being used to fool gullible people falling prey to substandard and harmful products peddled in the name of nationalism.
The book is not defamatory as the people opposing it seem to make it to be. It's extensively researched with almost 30 pages of sources cited at the end of the book. The author also has interviewed a number of people who have been and continue to be associated with Ramdev, a person who seems to attract controversy like an open bottle of patanjali honey attracts flies. She manages to be relatively neutral in most of the book, even seems to be in awe of his strategies and achievements but does not deviate from the aim of the book; to create a sort-of biography estimating the start and rise of the controversial "baba".
A good chunk of the information in the book would already be known to anyone who has been following the charlatan's life and achievements. A lot of it has been doing the rounds in hushed up circles and articles. The author or rather the publisher (juggernaut publishing) makes a vital mistake of giving away some of the juiciest scoops in their promotional articles and interviews/book excepts. As someone who has been following the progress of the book, I was expecting more such information, and was left hungry for more.
At this point of time in the contemporary history of our country, the book (and the controversy of censorship around it) is very relevant. Only time will tell if it's too late for this juggernaut (hah) to be made accountable for their wrongdoings and rhetoric which is being used to fool gullible people falling prey to substandard and harmful products peddled in the name of nationalism.
August 21, 2017
If this is the book that brought about the court order and injunction, one has to state that the subject has an incredibly thin skin. The author has demonstrated diligence and rigor in being able to cover the widest possible spectrum of perspectives. And that deserves fulsome praise - it is rare enough in these times.
However, there is little that is "untold" and more so, the veneer of praise that seeps through with caveats (phrases like "dubious acts" are immediately followed with anecdotes of wins) make this a wince-worthy read. The business acumen which leads to opening up new and sometimes non-existent markets is far too often contrasted with the "yogi" nature of life. The brand Patanjali is a force of nature, but there is enough material available which covers that. What would have been interesting is a deeper insight into the psyche of the man and the team around him - the things that make him tick; how he arrives at decisions which often contradict public statements made days back etc. These are a few things which would have made this book a spectacular one. Instead, it collates together various narratives; attempts to continuously highlight the business success and ignore everything else. A hagiography it is not, but then, neither is it too far away from being one.
However, there is little that is "untold" and more so, the veneer of praise that seeps through with caveats (phrases like "dubious acts" are immediately followed with anecdotes of wins) make this a wince-worthy read. The business acumen which leads to opening up new and sometimes non-existent markets is far too often contrasted with the "yogi" nature of life. The brand Patanjali is a force of nature, but there is enough material available which covers that. What would have been interesting is a deeper insight into the psyche of the man and the team around him - the things that make him tick; how he arrives at decisions which often contradict public statements made days back etc. These are a few things which would have made this book a spectacular one. Instead, it collates together various narratives; attempts to continuously highlight the business success and ignore everything else. A hagiography it is not, but then, neither is it too far away from being one.
September 22, 2017
Biographies can often end up being a muddled affair if it isn’t tightly focused on the subject. And that is why Priyanka Pathak Narian’s Godman to Tycoon, the biography of Yoga Guru and Businessman Baba Ramdev is fascinating and reads like a piece of concrete investigative journalism.
At 248 pages, the book is the rags to riches story of Ram Kisan Yadav, starts from his humble journey as a second child of a poor farmer, to his life as an Arya Samaj worker, to his path towards popularizing Yoga and Ayurveda among the masses. Along the lines, there are incidents after incidents that are stranger than fiction that puts a tight reign over the reader and makes the book unputdownable.
As part of the book, the author has interviewed 52 subjects and the attention to details is quite evident in the work. The author has tried to her level best to remain objective and disassociated as an outsider looking into the growth of a business empire. Today as Ramdev through Patanjali Ayurveda carves the second largest FMCG company, its quite necessary for people to read the person behind it.
At 248 pages, the book is the rags to riches story of Ram Kisan Yadav, starts from his humble journey as a second child of a poor farmer, to his life as an Arya Samaj worker, to his path towards popularizing Yoga and Ayurveda among the masses. Along the lines, there are incidents after incidents that are stranger than fiction that puts a tight reign over the reader and makes the book unputdownable.
As part of the book, the author has interviewed 52 subjects and the attention to details is quite evident in the work. The author has tried to her level best to remain objective and disassociated as an outsider looking into the growth of a business empire. Today as Ramdev through Patanjali Ayurveda carves the second largest FMCG company, its quite necessary for people to read the person behind it.
August 11, 2017
Very well researched! An account like this really needs a large group people with diverse thoughts to be interviewed. Also there are several perspectives that need to be voiced. Author does a damn good job of raising doubts logically while examining other views too.
In the end , author brings out a balanced perspective. She calls out the legacy of Baba correctly and questions few practices in a very hard hitting way.
Highly recommend to read ! Do not confuse this with any color of politics. It's an absolute open mind required to read this.
In the end , author brings out a balanced perspective. She calls out the legacy of Baba correctly and questions few practices in a very hard hitting way.
Highly recommend to read ! Do not confuse this with any color of politics. It's an absolute open mind required to read this.
November 20, 2018
A very well researched book as there are almost 30 pages citation at the end in case you you want to go deep. Very crisp and concrete in detailing Baba Ramdev rise from his saffron robing to Patanjali Ayurved.
August 13, 2017
First things first. A district court has issued an injunction order 2 days back that restrains the publisher from publishing or selling this book. The order was issued without giving the publisher a chance to be heard in court. So grab your copy while you can.
The book, by an author who has covered godmen for Mint for many years, is a neat compilation of numerous scattered stories and facts - some known and some hitherto unknown- about a man whose rise has been nothing if not meteoric. Covers Ramdev's (born Ram Kisan Yadav) family and social background, the experiences that shaped his life and destiny, the numerous controversies surrounding him and how he built his business empire. Behind that charming and simplistic persona lies a mind of great cunning that knows how to grab an opportunity, manipulate, exploit and even threaten people to get his work done. The guy can give any sharp businessman a run for his money even without a formal education. Even the most powerful politicians think twice before crossing his path and for good reason. He's brazened out even the most naked infractions of law...so far. There lie, however, a number of skeletons in his cupboard from the past which a politician in power can use to cut him down to size should he ever become a political challenge. Ramdev has attempted it in the past during the UPA 2 days by forming a political party but the experience left him shaken. For now, he's focusing on accumulating money and goodwill and seems to be biding his time, waiting for his chance.
The book reveals a number of unsavory facets of his business that fill one with revulsion and disgust. To put it in short, I am never buying a Patanjali product ever again. Thankfully, have ever used only his toothpaste and honey so far so no great harm done.
The book, by an author who has covered godmen for Mint for many years, is a neat compilation of numerous scattered stories and facts - some known and some hitherto unknown- about a man whose rise has been nothing if not meteoric. Covers Ramdev's (born Ram Kisan Yadav) family and social background, the experiences that shaped his life and destiny, the numerous controversies surrounding him and how he built his business empire. Behind that charming and simplistic persona lies a mind of great cunning that knows how to grab an opportunity, manipulate, exploit and even threaten people to get his work done. The guy can give any sharp businessman a run for his money even without a formal education. Even the most powerful politicians think twice before crossing his path and for good reason. He's brazened out even the most naked infractions of law...so far. There lie, however, a number of skeletons in his cupboard from the past which a politician in power can use to cut him down to size should he ever become a political challenge. Ramdev has attempted it in the past during the UPA 2 days by forming a political party but the experience left him shaken. For now, he's focusing on accumulating money and goodwill and seems to be biding his time, waiting for his chance.
The book reveals a number of unsavory facets of his business that fill one with revulsion and disgust. To put it in short, I am never buying a Patanjali product ever again. Thankfully, have ever used only his toothpaste and honey so far so no great harm done.
August 27, 2017
Just WOW!! This is one fine piece of art by the brave journalist author.. Proud to say that I was born in the country of such brave souls.
Such a journey to read this, as if you are watching it visually..
Fortunate to have grabbed the last copy possible (post the ban) !!
Whether this book/narrative breaches the book ban might be a decisive moment to India's democratic strength!!
I am optimistic. Hoping against hope
For people who want to grab the summary & searching online, I am copy pasting from a REDDIT page (http://bit.ly/2vEIKI8)
Baba Ramdev (Ram Kisan Yadav) was born in Said Alipur in a poor farming family. A sickly child he rather became very obese and was a victim to his father’s frequent violent outbursts.
Somewhere in his early 20s, he finds a band of Arya Samaj workers and is immediately drawn to them. He joined Khanpur gurukul where he learnt Sanskrit grammar, tended cows, collected alms and met his future deputy-to-be Acharya Balakrishna
Balakrishna is quite into Ayurveda and is from Haridwar where he befriends Acharya Karamveer – a stoic, soft spoken Arya Samaj member who had three post graduate degrees in Yoga, Indian Philosophy and Vedas. Karamveer soon takes Balakrishna under his wing and soon Ramdev joins them after a controversy.
Ramdev learns yoga from Karamveer. To propagate Yoga to masses they soon take over ownership from Shankar Dev, a patron of Kripalu Bagh Ashram at Haridwar. Shankar Dev wants and only trusts Karamveer. But since he is Arya Samaj member he is not just ready to take Sanyas. Sensing an opportunity, Ramdev steps in. Taking Sanyas means two things - 1) He can’t keep any formal relations with his family 2) He cannot maintain any material wealth. I am bringing this up of course because this is very important
Balakrishna meanwhile sets up Divya Pharmacy using the license of a silent partner, Swami Yogananda. Balakrishna himself from Nepal has legal cases against him (still in courst) for forging his high school and other documents to attain a passport.
In early 2000s, Aastha and Sanskar become household name. The TV guys select Ramdev over Karamveer because - saffron robes means authenticity. An interesting story here is that after Aastha turned Ramdev down, our diligent Baba went to Sanskar paying Rs 1 Lakh for a twenty minute slot. This is also where I learnt that channels like Sanskar and Aastha don’t earn from advertising but godmen paying them for TV slots to demonstrate their abilities
We all now know the story. Ramdev becomes a household name, not only to nauli kriya or churning of the stomach but also his personality, self-depreciating humor and showmanship
Soon Ramdev has friends at high places. Mulayam Singh, ND Tiwari from Congress, Sudarshan Agarwal – ex UP governor. So when they are charged with Sales Tax fraud, Sudarshan Agarwal mounts immense pressure on Sales Tax Deputy Commissioner to drop the case and retire.
Ramdev soon brings his extended family who takes over the business. His younger brother Ram Bharat is soon in charge of the finances. This causes rift between Karamveer and Ramdev. Afterall Ramdev shouldn’t have familial relations. So one day, Karamveer just walks out.
Swami Yogananda (whose license enabled the setting up of Divya Pharmacy) has a falling out with them. Soon he is mysteriously knifed to death. The neighbors are cagey and the case goes unsolved.
Enter Rajeev Dixit. A swadeshi and founder of Azadi Bachao Andolan. Ramdev’s interest in entering politics leads to these two becoming incredibly close much to the discomfort of Balakrishna and Ram Bharat
Meanwhile, his political favors with the Congress masters reap him reward as he wins contracts of Food Processing Plants. But soon, due to not paying workers at Divya Pharmacy minimum wage they draw the ire of CITU. Brinda Karat soon claims that the workers brought her ‘testicles of some sort of wildcat’. Apparently they told her deer horns and human skulls were crushed into the medicines. Though there is no proof to validate this, the samples tested by the Union Health Ministries’ Ayurvedic unit – AYUSH confirmed traces of human and animal DNA. Karat apparently met N.D Tiwari but according to her the minister didn’t budge to take any action
Soon Ramdev starts to do roadshows across the country and abroad. Patanjali Ayurved Ltd is born over the controversial Divya Pharmacy. And here we see the next mystery. The disappearance of 77 year old TB infested Shankar Mahadev (Ramdev’s Guru). Mahadev was becoming quite vocal and anxious about the venture of Ramdev and his deputies. Police find nothing but a note in his room saying “I have taken some loan from you for this trust but I cannot pay it. Please forgive me. I am leaving”. Ramdev who was on a foreign trip didn’t cut it short as would have been expected.
Ramdev and Rajeev Dixit set up a new party – Bharat Swabhiman Andolan.
The Takeover of Aastha – When SEBI freezes 93% of Aastha’s owners share, sensing an opportunity Ramdev moves in and buys the remaining 7% for 10 crores in installment. The installments were never paid, but the ownership was transferred to Ramdev. Part of this was done in faith. Once the formalities are done, in a confrontational meeting, Ramdev bullies the owner and MD into resignation. Meanwhile, he asks another follower to buy Sanskar channel for him. Which that follower did.
As mentioned earlier, keeping inline with Ramdev’s political ambitions, Rajeev Dixit and Ramdev became increasingly close much to dismay of Balakrishna and Ram Bharat. Soon, Rajeev Dixit was found dead in a locked bathroom. The hospital said it was cardiac arrest. Ramdev said on television that he had told Rajeev to take care of his health as he had diabetes, BP and heart disease. But Rajeev’s brother Pradeep says that he had no such health problems. Next, Ramdev convinces the family to conduct funeral in Haridwar as Dixit was son of the soil instead of his native Wardha. But as his body was laid for public demonstration, the Bharat Swabhiman Andolan workers were stunned. Dixit’s face was unrecognizable, strange purple and blue. His skin was peeling strangely. There was black, blue blood coming from his nose. Soon there was hue and cry. The Andolan workers wanted to conduct post mortem. Ramdev called a few of them for a personal meeting, confiscated their phones, checked their pens for cameras and told them that post mortem is against Hindu Dharma. When they refused to budge, Ramdev agreed but soon went back to the hall ahead of the workers and spoke on microphone ‘Some people have come from Mumbai. They want me to do a post mortem. Such cutting is against Hindu Dharma’. Soon Ramdev’s men got the body ready and set off to cremation ghats.
Ramdev’s biggest fall came during his participation in the Anna movement. He wanted to use the movement for his political mileage. Hence while the original protesters were focused on a stronger Lokpal bill, Ramdev was more about bringing black money back. So he sat on a fast onto death protest. Meanwhile there was a backdoor meeting with senior Congress members (Pranab Mukerjee, P.K Bansal, Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay). He then agreed to something and then went ahead and did the exact opposite. This ired the Congress as at midnight the cops swooped on the protestors with lathi charge. Ramdev of course famously tried to escape dressed in a white salwar kameez
Part of the credit towards the success of Patanjali should go to their ex-CEO – S.K Patra. He helped them lay the foundations, setup best practices for what was a highly disoriented company with no ethics or standard operating procedures. Patra also used his connections to stabilize against the witch-hunting on Ramdev’s business enterprises by the Congress Govt. But soon Patra’s influence once again made Balakrishna and Ram Bharat uneasy. Patra was let off after some ugly confrontation with Baba.
Today Patanjali is the second largest FMCG company with revenue of Rs 10561 crores. Its best selling products are ghee – Rs 1467 crore, Dant Kanti toothpaste – Rs 940 crore. But Patanjali ghee isn’t normal ghee but actually white butter which is not really good for health. Caravan has published a transcript from the book on this section - Link
Part of the reason for Patanjali’s market share is its price. Its below market as Baba believes only in taking a marginal share. But this is also possible because working at Patanjali is considered as seva and asking for increments and privileges are frowned upon. Economic Times has published a transcript from the book on this section – Link
There are a number of violations flagged by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) including license number fraudulence on Patanjali noodles. A lot of third party agencies have written about the poor conditions and lack of hygiene in the production units.
Ramdev is a businessman, politician and godman rolled into one. He has no doubt helped popularize Yoga and Ayurveda in India. The people who speak to the author are no doubt captivated, influenced and no doubt bullied by him. His close association with BJP government today means none of the open cases would move anytime soon. His target is to get Patanjali to 20,000 crores by 2018-19. And under the environment of nationalistic and swadeshi assertions he very well might do it.
Such a journey to read this, as if you are watching it visually..
Fortunate to have grabbed the last copy possible (post the ban) !!
Whether this book/narrative breaches the book ban might be a decisive moment to India's democratic strength!!
I am optimistic. Hoping against hope
For people who want to grab the summary & searching online, I am copy pasting from a REDDIT page (http://bit.ly/2vEIKI8)
Baba Ramdev (Ram Kisan Yadav) was born in Said Alipur in a poor farming family. A sickly child he rather became very obese and was a victim to his father’s frequent violent outbursts.
Somewhere in his early 20s, he finds a band of Arya Samaj workers and is immediately drawn to them. He joined Khanpur gurukul where he learnt Sanskrit grammar, tended cows, collected alms and met his future deputy-to-be Acharya Balakrishna
Balakrishna is quite into Ayurveda and is from Haridwar where he befriends Acharya Karamveer – a stoic, soft spoken Arya Samaj member who had three post graduate degrees in Yoga, Indian Philosophy and Vedas. Karamveer soon takes Balakrishna under his wing and soon Ramdev joins them after a controversy.
Ramdev learns yoga from Karamveer. To propagate Yoga to masses they soon take over ownership from Shankar Dev, a patron of Kripalu Bagh Ashram at Haridwar. Shankar Dev wants and only trusts Karamveer. But since he is Arya Samaj member he is not just ready to take Sanyas. Sensing an opportunity, Ramdev steps in. Taking Sanyas means two things - 1) He can’t keep any formal relations with his family 2) He cannot maintain any material wealth. I am bringing this up of course because this is very important
Balakrishna meanwhile sets up Divya Pharmacy using the license of a silent partner, Swami Yogananda. Balakrishna himself from Nepal has legal cases against him (still in courst) for forging his high school and other documents to attain a passport.
In early 2000s, Aastha and Sanskar become household name. The TV guys select Ramdev over Karamveer because - saffron robes means authenticity. An interesting story here is that after Aastha turned Ramdev down, our diligent Baba went to Sanskar paying Rs 1 Lakh for a twenty minute slot. This is also where I learnt that channels like Sanskar and Aastha don’t earn from advertising but godmen paying them for TV slots to demonstrate their abilities
We all now know the story. Ramdev becomes a household name, not only to nauli kriya or churning of the stomach but also his personality, self-depreciating humor and showmanship
Soon Ramdev has friends at high places. Mulayam Singh, ND Tiwari from Congress, Sudarshan Agarwal – ex UP governor. So when they are charged with Sales Tax fraud, Sudarshan Agarwal mounts immense pressure on Sales Tax Deputy Commissioner to drop the case and retire.
Ramdev soon brings his extended family who takes over the business. His younger brother Ram Bharat is soon in charge of the finances. This causes rift between Karamveer and Ramdev. Afterall Ramdev shouldn’t have familial relations. So one day, Karamveer just walks out.
Swami Yogananda (whose license enabled the setting up of Divya Pharmacy) has a falling out with them. Soon he is mysteriously knifed to death. The neighbors are cagey and the case goes unsolved.
Enter Rajeev Dixit. A swadeshi and founder of Azadi Bachao Andolan. Ramdev’s interest in entering politics leads to these two becoming incredibly close much to the discomfort of Balakrishna and Ram Bharat
Meanwhile, his political favors with the Congress masters reap him reward as he wins contracts of Food Processing Plants. But soon, due to not paying workers at Divya Pharmacy minimum wage they draw the ire of CITU. Brinda Karat soon claims that the workers brought her ‘testicles of some sort of wildcat’. Apparently they told her deer horns and human skulls were crushed into the medicines. Though there is no proof to validate this, the samples tested by the Union Health Ministries’ Ayurvedic unit – AYUSH confirmed traces of human and animal DNA. Karat apparently met N.D Tiwari but according to her the minister didn’t budge to take any action
Soon Ramdev starts to do roadshows across the country and abroad. Patanjali Ayurved Ltd is born over the controversial Divya Pharmacy. And here we see the next mystery. The disappearance of 77 year old TB infested Shankar Mahadev (Ramdev’s Guru). Mahadev was becoming quite vocal and anxious about the venture of Ramdev and his deputies. Police find nothing but a note in his room saying “I have taken some loan from you for this trust but I cannot pay it. Please forgive me. I am leaving”. Ramdev who was on a foreign trip didn’t cut it short as would have been expected.
Ramdev and Rajeev Dixit set up a new party – Bharat Swabhiman Andolan.
The Takeover of Aastha – When SEBI freezes 93% of Aastha’s owners share, sensing an opportunity Ramdev moves in and buys the remaining 7% for 10 crores in installment. The installments were never paid, but the ownership was transferred to Ramdev. Part of this was done in faith. Once the formalities are done, in a confrontational meeting, Ramdev bullies the owner and MD into resignation. Meanwhile, he asks another follower to buy Sanskar channel for him. Which that follower did.
As mentioned earlier, keeping inline with Ramdev’s political ambitions, Rajeev Dixit and Ramdev became increasingly close much to dismay of Balakrishna and Ram Bharat. Soon, Rajeev Dixit was found dead in a locked bathroom. The hospital said it was cardiac arrest. Ramdev said on television that he had told Rajeev to take care of his health as he had diabetes, BP and heart disease. But Rajeev’s brother Pradeep says that he had no such health problems. Next, Ramdev convinces the family to conduct funeral in Haridwar as Dixit was son of the soil instead of his native Wardha. But as his body was laid for public demonstration, the Bharat Swabhiman Andolan workers were stunned. Dixit’s face was unrecognizable, strange purple and blue. His skin was peeling strangely. There was black, blue blood coming from his nose. Soon there was hue and cry. The Andolan workers wanted to conduct post mortem. Ramdev called a few of them for a personal meeting, confiscated their phones, checked their pens for cameras and told them that post mortem is against Hindu Dharma. When they refused to budge, Ramdev agreed but soon went back to the hall ahead of the workers and spoke on microphone ‘Some people have come from Mumbai. They want me to do a post mortem. Such cutting is against Hindu Dharma’. Soon Ramdev’s men got the body ready and set off to cremation ghats.
Ramdev’s biggest fall came during his participation in the Anna movement. He wanted to use the movement for his political mileage. Hence while the original protesters were focused on a stronger Lokpal bill, Ramdev was more about bringing black money back. So he sat on a fast onto death protest. Meanwhile there was a backdoor meeting with senior Congress members (Pranab Mukerjee, P.K Bansal, Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay). He then agreed to something and then went ahead and did the exact opposite. This ired the Congress as at midnight the cops swooped on the protestors with lathi charge. Ramdev of course famously tried to escape dressed in a white salwar kameez
Part of the credit towards the success of Patanjali should go to their ex-CEO – S.K Patra. He helped them lay the foundations, setup best practices for what was a highly disoriented company with no ethics or standard operating procedures. Patra also used his connections to stabilize against the witch-hunting on Ramdev’s business enterprises by the Congress Govt. But soon Patra’s influence once again made Balakrishna and Ram Bharat uneasy. Patra was let off after some ugly confrontation with Baba.
Today Patanjali is the second largest FMCG company with revenue of Rs 10561 crores. Its best selling products are ghee – Rs 1467 crore, Dant Kanti toothpaste – Rs 940 crore. But Patanjali ghee isn’t normal ghee but actually white butter which is not really good for health. Caravan has published a transcript from the book on this section - Link
Part of the reason for Patanjali’s market share is its price. Its below market as Baba believes only in taking a marginal share. But this is also possible because working at Patanjali is considered as seva and asking for increments and privileges are frowned upon. Economic Times has published a transcript from the book on this section – Link
There are a number of violations flagged by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) including license number fraudulence on Patanjali noodles. A lot of third party agencies have written about the poor conditions and lack of hygiene in the production units.
Ramdev is a businessman, politician and godman rolled into one. He has no doubt helped popularize Yoga and Ayurveda in India. The people who speak to the author are no doubt captivated, influenced and no doubt bullied by him. His close association with BJP government today means none of the open cases would move anytime soon. His target is to get Patanjali to 20,000 crores by 2018-19. And under the environment of nationalistic and swadeshi assertions he very well might do it.
May 22, 2020
On a macroscopic level, this book is an age-old tale of how the thirst for power can corrupt even the purest of us ( quite literally corrupting a saint in this case). I was particularly interested in Ramdev's story as I have seen his meteoric rise to fame during the 2000s. How the channels 'Aastha' and 'Sanskar' took over our morning routines. How Ramdev was discussed as at almost every family function. The book is well researched, and I didn't feel the author had an agenda to defame Ramdev. It rather praises Ramdev for his unmatchable grit and business acumen, but you don't build a Rs 10,000 crore company without bending a few rules ( not just few as the author would say).
This book has all the elements for making a good thriller movie, but Ramdev will manage to get that banned too, just like he did with this book.
This book has all the elements for making a good thriller movie, but Ramdev will manage to get that banned too, just like he did with this book.
August 19, 2017
Can't say there's much here that's very new or explosive. Still, a good consolidation of all that has been written over the years on him. Pacy and reads like a masala movie script at times. Doesn't really shed much new light either on baba ramdev or his associates. (especially the latter who remain as shadowy as they were at the beginning of the book). Yet another in a long series of books that could have been more (especially when one considers the hype). But I guess it's worth it if more people read it and understand their friendly TV yoga guru's antecedents. I am still waiting for a better journalistic, investigative book that deserves the compliment of a ban. (also, dear Juggernaut, I understand that you're interested in getting people to read on the app but surely you could afford better quality paper? I have seen school textbooks or regional pulp novels printed on better stuff).
January 14, 2021
The book is not defamatory as few people or Baba’s followers think. It’s a fine piece of art by the courageous journalist cum author Priyanka Pathak-Narain. An interesting compilation of the various events in Baba's life which has defined his public image.
The author has interviewed a number of people who have been associated with Baba Ramdev. She has managed to create an easy-to-read narrative of his rise with the essays on business practices and strategies adopted at Patanjali Ayurveda including the death/disappearances of his associates. Although some instances rouse suspicion and disbelief at times, an open-ended conclusion does justice to the entire narrative and provide a balanced insight. Very well researched!
The author has interviewed a number of people who have been associated with Baba Ramdev. She has managed to create an easy-to-read narrative of his rise with the essays on business practices and strategies adopted at Patanjali Ayurveda including the death/disappearances of his associates. Although some instances rouse suspicion and disbelief at times, an open-ended conclusion does justice to the entire narrative and provide a balanced insight. Very well researched!
November 16, 2020
Brilliant piece of journalism. Exploring the side of story that has not been touched till date by Indian media.
August 20, 2017
An unnerving yet unsurprising story of the Godman whom millions revere in this country, Priyanka Pathak-Narain has managed to create an easy-to-read narrative of his rise. The essays on business practices and strategies adopted at Patanjali and the death/disappearances of his associates do provide a balanced insight into the way he operates. Some chapters rouse suspicion and sometimes disbelief. An open-ended conclusion does justice to the entire narrative. This book is a treat to the cynical mind.
August 18, 2017
The book seems to be a direct attack on Ram Dev and mostly talks from the PoV of the so called victims of Ram Dev's hunger for power. And there seem to be far too many of them. Whether its his breaking of oauths with his first guru or the Patanjali empire, everything has been questioned on moral, ethical and legal grounds.
The book defames Ram Dev completely. No wonder the court has put an immediate ban on this book.
Do I recommend this book? Yes. Purely to know the other point of view. Do I judge the man after reading it? No. Its a one-sided version. Am not a Ram Dev fan. But I am also not anti-Ram Dev :)
The book defames Ram Dev completely. No wonder the court has put an immediate ban on this book.
Do I recommend this book? Yes. Purely to know the other point of view. Do I judge the man after reading it? No. Its a one-sided version. Am not a Ram Dev fan. But I am also not anti-Ram Dev :)
July 6, 2018
This is an interesting compilation of the various events in the Baba's life which have come to define his public image. The author has maintained a fairly neutral tone throughout most of the book, which makes the defamation charge made against it all the more conspicuous. The author has interviewed lots of people associated with Ramdev in order to shed light on his controversial rise. Pathak-Narain sticks largely to publicly known facts, and builds an image of Ramdev through the eyes of people who have personally dealt with him (the author herself has personally dealt with him too). However I feel she has focused more on Baba the Businessman rather than Baba the person. Expounding on the person behind saffron-clad Baba would have made for a more intriguing read in my opinion. But, nevertheless, an interesting glance at the godman/yoga guru/political dilettante/business tycoon.
May 11, 2018
Imagine collecting all the articles of an investigative journalism series, then arranging them in chronological order. This is exactly how this book reads. And this is a good thing.
The author has really put together the life of the Swami in whole, even trying to fill the gaps if there were any (especially relating to his birth). His struggles to survive his poor days, to the ones involving political scuffles and business controversies - you get to read it all.
This is a spoiler-free review, so all I can say is that the decision of the court to finally release this book is a welcome win for free speech. Priyanka has done a great job presenting all the facts in as crisp a manner as possible, and then drawing logical conclusions without being biased. Kudos.
Verdict: A must read.
The author has really put together the life of the Swami in whole, even trying to fill the gaps if there were any (especially relating to his birth). His struggles to survive his poor days, to the ones involving political scuffles and business controversies - you get to read it all.
This is a spoiler-free review, so all I can say is that the decision of the court to finally release this book is a welcome win for free speech. Priyanka has done a great job presenting all the facts in as crisp a manner as possible, and then drawing logical conclusions without being biased. Kudos.
Verdict: A must read.
June 28, 2018
3.5/5
I was not particularly interested in Baba Ramdev's story. Not until I read about him trying to ban this book. Not that I had an opinion either way even then, but it piqued my interest. I wanted to know just what was in this book that was incendiary enough to elicit this reaction.
I do see now, why this book would cause Baba Ramdev a certain amount of concern. But that apart, this book has also left me feeling very conflicted and I will admit, a bit saddened.
Let me start at the beginning. Priyanka Pathak-Narain starts off this narrative attempting to come across as a neutral chronicler of Baba Ramdev's life. In my opinion, she did not quite manage to retain objectivity in her narrative, especially at the beginning. Despite the veneer of neutrality, there was a certain amount of implied allegations, and snide comments about the Baba.
I cannot say I blame her completely for the tone of her text. It would likely have been informed by the entirely of the picture she had already built up in her mind about the subject of her book. And once a human being has formed specific opinions, it is very difficult to shake them off, even while attempting to write a very 'balanced' piece on that topic.
Pathak-Narain seems to have developed a special dislike toward Baba Ramdev's right-hand man, Balkrishna, describing him numerous times as a "power hungry" and "insecure" lieutenant, utterly lacking in any manner of social conduct whatsoever. It is possible that her opinion of him is based in some truth, and shaped by his "angry outbursts" at her for bringing up uncomfortable topics during their interviews.
However, when it comes to a narrative involving such complex circumstances and people, it is almost impossible to judge just how impartial the story teller really is.
I found, as I moved through the book, that the author had conducted a copious amount of very meticulous research. Agreed, she seems to have interviewed a larger proportion of people who have had a falling out of some kind with Baba Ramdev. So this is bound to raise some questions on the skew of interview subjects, and rightly so.
On the other hand however, it is also apparent that the narrative also contains a lot of truth. And this is the part that saddens me: although this is the story of a real human being, it could just as well have been a cautionary tale of the heady mix of riches and power - and what it can do to any human being, no matter how humble his beginnings, or what colour of robe he has chosen to don.
The way Pathak-Narain has neatly organized and chronicled events makes it very easy for a reader to visualize this slippery slope which Baba Ramdev must have found himself traversing.
However, the book also contains certain problematic allegations and certain hyperbolic descriptions that take away from the author's claim to not being biased. For instance, the murder of Swami Yogananda, while unfortunate and vile, cannot reasonable be pinned on Baba Ramdev. Making it seem like this is an obvious fact weakens the author's credibility.
On the other hand, the disappearance of Shankar Dev, Baba Ramdev's guru, is certainly very suspicious, as is the Baba's reaction to the entire episode.
Few things are fairly clear though:
1. Priyanka Pathak-Narain has put in a great deal of painstaking work to compile this book, and it is certainly worth a read.
2. Baba Ramdev's saintliness (or lack thereof) aside, he certainly has an uncannily shrewd business sense.
3. Not all is as hallowed as it seems in Baba Ramdev's businesses and products. This does not imply automatically that all of Patanjali's products are terrible. But it certainly makes a case for greater consumer awareness and illustrates the perils of blind faith.
4. Baba Ramdev has definitely had a huge impact on the revival of interest in Yoga and Ayurveda, and he does deserve credit for those things.
Like so many things in life, this too is a mixed bag. The book has been crisply edited, and is a fast read. It presents events with great attention to chronology and detail, although the vested interests of the interview subjects / narrators could sometimes (but not always) be questioned. Overall, it is worth a quick read.
I was not particularly interested in Baba Ramdev's story. Not until I read about him trying to ban this book. Not that I had an opinion either way even then, but it piqued my interest. I wanted to know just what was in this book that was incendiary enough to elicit this reaction.
I do see now, why this book would cause Baba Ramdev a certain amount of concern. But that apart, this book has also left me feeling very conflicted and I will admit, a bit saddened.
Let me start at the beginning. Priyanka Pathak-Narain starts off this narrative attempting to come across as a neutral chronicler of Baba Ramdev's life. In my opinion, she did not quite manage to retain objectivity in her narrative, especially at the beginning. Despite the veneer of neutrality, there was a certain amount of implied allegations, and snide comments about the Baba.
I cannot say I blame her completely for the tone of her text. It would likely have been informed by the entirely of the picture she had already built up in her mind about the subject of her book. And once a human being has formed specific opinions, it is very difficult to shake them off, even while attempting to write a very 'balanced' piece on that topic.
Pathak-Narain seems to have developed a special dislike toward Baba Ramdev's right-hand man, Balkrishna, describing him numerous times as a "power hungry" and "insecure" lieutenant, utterly lacking in any manner of social conduct whatsoever. It is possible that her opinion of him is based in some truth, and shaped by his "angry outbursts" at her for bringing up uncomfortable topics during their interviews.
However, when it comes to a narrative involving such complex circumstances and people, it is almost impossible to judge just how impartial the story teller really is.
I found, as I moved through the book, that the author had conducted a copious amount of very meticulous research. Agreed, she seems to have interviewed a larger proportion of people who have had a falling out of some kind with Baba Ramdev. So this is bound to raise some questions on the skew of interview subjects, and rightly so.
On the other hand however, it is also apparent that the narrative also contains a lot of truth. And this is the part that saddens me: although this is the story of a real human being, it could just as well have been a cautionary tale of the heady mix of riches and power - and what it can do to any human being, no matter how humble his beginnings, or what colour of robe he has chosen to don.
The way Pathak-Narain has neatly organized and chronicled events makes it very easy for a reader to visualize this slippery slope which Baba Ramdev must have found himself traversing.
However, the book also contains certain problematic allegations and certain hyperbolic descriptions that take away from the author's claim to not being biased. For instance, the murder of Swami Yogananda, while unfortunate and vile, cannot reasonable be pinned on Baba Ramdev. Making it seem like this is an obvious fact weakens the author's credibility.
On the other hand, the disappearance of Shankar Dev, Baba Ramdev's guru, is certainly very suspicious, as is the Baba's reaction to the entire episode.
Few things are fairly clear though:
1. Priyanka Pathak-Narain has put in a great deal of painstaking work to compile this book, and it is certainly worth a read.
2. Baba Ramdev's saintliness (or lack thereof) aside, he certainly has an uncannily shrewd business sense.
3. Not all is as hallowed as it seems in Baba Ramdev's businesses and products. This does not imply automatically that all of Patanjali's products are terrible. But it certainly makes a case for greater consumer awareness and illustrates the perils of blind faith.
4. Baba Ramdev has definitely had a huge impact on the revival of interest in Yoga and Ayurveda, and he does deserve credit for those things.
Like so many things in life, this too is a mixed bag. The book has been crisply edited, and is a fast read. It presents events with great attention to chronology and detail, although the vested interests of the interview subjects / narrators could sometimes (but not always) be questioned. Overall, it is worth a quick read.
October 26, 2020
This book is banned everywhere. Which if I'm being honest was my hook to read this in the first place. I asked for help in various sub reddits and a kind Indian who purchased a copy when it was released almost 2 years ago offered to post it to me. I paid over the cover price for the book + postage for his troubles.
I therefore wanted to savour every word of this book to justify the cost and effort and it did not disappoint me one bit. My approach to this book was like reading any other business book to understand the meteoric rise of Patanjali and what business lessons we can draw from it. The underlying principles exploited by him and his company is not really different like having a USP (Nationalism), a great brand ambassador (in Baba Ramdev), Sacrifice from the founder for the greater good of the company (Baba Ramdev accepting the life of a yogi), managing stakeholders (political patronage from UP), Ability to understand the maket sentiment and respond accordingly (when he basically turned all allegations on his product quality as an attack by western companies), I can go on and on, but you get the drift.
The chapter on his guru vanishing and his reaction is a window into the basic principles that guide him in life. The way he managed to stay on the Astha channel despite the disapproval from the channel owner is another great anecdote to illustrate his stubbornness. Which if I’m being honest is an essential element for any success, although the manner in which he deployed his skills seems out of step from any ethical considerations.
The most troublesome theme from the book came out to be the blind lust for the profit with almost no consideration towards the process in which the product is made. It didn’t matter what one had to do as long as the profits kept rolling in, once again blurring the ethical boundaries for a business to operate in an ecosystem. I was equal part fascinated and repulsed reading sections of this book and seeing as the name on this book can attract very high partisan noise, I would recommend at least read this very well researched book on possibly the most consequential book to understand the big picture of retail market in India.
I therefore wanted to savour every word of this book to justify the cost and effort and it did not disappoint me one bit. My approach to this book was like reading any other business book to understand the meteoric rise of Patanjali and what business lessons we can draw from it. The underlying principles exploited by him and his company is not really different like having a USP (Nationalism), a great brand ambassador (in Baba Ramdev), Sacrifice from the founder for the greater good of the company (Baba Ramdev accepting the life of a yogi), managing stakeholders (political patronage from UP), Ability to understand the maket sentiment and respond accordingly (when he basically turned all allegations on his product quality as an attack by western companies), I can go on and on, but you get the drift.
The chapter on his guru vanishing and his reaction is a window into the basic principles that guide him in life. The way he managed to stay on the Astha channel despite the disapproval from the channel owner is another great anecdote to illustrate his stubbornness. Which if I’m being honest is an essential element for any success, although the manner in which he deployed his skills seems out of step from any ethical considerations.
The most troublesome theme from the book came out to be the blind lust for the profit with almost no consideration towards the process in which the product is made. It didn’t matter what one had to do as long as the profits kept rolling in, once again blurring the ethical boundaries for a business to operate in an ecosystem. I was equal part fascinated and repulsed reading sections of this book and seeing as the name on this book can attract very high partisan noise, I would recommend at least read this very well researched book on possibly the most consequential book to understand the big picture of retail market in India.
February 1, 2018
You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.
-Social Network, 2010
I think same can be said about Baba Ramdev. This is not an official biography, and the majority of narrative constructed in this book is from the interviews of the people who had a falling out with Ramdev over the years. And I can understand why he got an injuction against it. If the stories presented in this book are false, then he wouldn't want people to read them, and if the stories are true, then he would certainly not want anyone to read them.
This book induces confirmation bias. Hater will find more reason to think of him as evil, and followers will be convinced that devils are trying to defame and bring him down. I think this book can be added as another chapter in the Josy Joseph's Feast of Vultures.
The rise of Lala Ramdev from a small village and a yoga guru to the helm of a multi-billion dollar company is astonishing. Like him or not, but his ability to make connections, recognition of opportunities, and tapping the gullibility of masses is outstanding. I vehemently loathe the marketing of his company products as swadesi and his hate campaign against MNCs products. But people buy both his narrative and the products. It's incredible how his saffron rob dressed him as a Godman without explicitly selling religion and how it is also shielding him from the repercussions of his misdeeds from the public and the authorities. He's untouchable.
His ambitions, capabilities, and sanyasi image, combined with the large number of ardent followers, it's possible that I'll live to see him becoming the Prime Minister of India. Trump showed the world once again that never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
-Social Network, 2010
I think same can be said about Baba Ramdev. This is not an official biography, and the majority of narrative constructed in this book is from the interviews of the people who had a falling out with Ramdev over the years. And I can understand why he got an injuction against it. If the stories presented in this book are false, then he wouldn't want people to read them, and if the stories are true, then he would certainly not want anyone to read them.
This book induces confirmation bias. Hater will find more reason to think of him as evil, and followers will be convinced that devils are trying to defame and bring him down. I think this book can be added as another chapter in the Josy Joseph's Feast of Vultures.
The rise of Lala Ramdev from a small village and a yoga guru to the helm of a multi-billion dollar company is astonishing. Like him or not, but his ability to make connections, recognition of opportunities, and tapping the gullibility of masses is outstanding. I vehemently loathe the marketing of his company products as swadesi and his hate campaign against MNCs products. But people buy both his narrative and the products. It's incredible how his saffron rob dressed him as a Godman without explicitly selling religion and how it is also shielding him from the repercussions of his misdeeds from the public and the authorities. He's untouchable.
His ambitions, capabilities, and sanyasi image, combined with the large number of ardent followers, it's possible that I'll live to see him becoming the Prime Minister of India. Trump showed the world once again that never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
July 27, 2019
For those people who still think Baba Ramdev is just a Saffron(bhagwa) wearing saint doing some yoga on more than one national channel,selling so called indigenous(desi),natural & pure(shuddh) products, crusader for the cause of bringing all the black money back to India and making India corruption free this book is an eye opener.
The author Ms. Priyanka Pathak Narain has done a commendable job of writing this book based on her research and first hand interviews of the people closely associated with the subject (Baba Ramdev). The book unfolds many mysteries surrounding Baba Ramdev that have been doing rounds time and again in the media since a long time. Language of the book is good to read and understand (smooth and swift). There was a reason why Baba Ramdev wanted this book to be banned(it went out of print eventually), if you can get this book give it a read and you will come to know there is much more to Baba Ramdev than what we see every day all day on national television.
All things sold in the name of swadeshi may not be fit to consume so choose your food wisely. Businessman like Baba Ramdev will sell anything in the name of Swadeshi, Natural or whatever term that draws you closer to the Nation and gives you a feeling that you are doing your bit for the nation by buying their product on the cost of your well being.
Don't trust everything blindly that is covered in a Saffron robe.
Thanks to Ms. Priyanka Pathak Narain for writing this book, @juggernaut.in for publishing it and @bahrisons_booksellers for arranging this book.
The author Ms. Priyanka Pathak Narain has done a commendable job of writing this book based on her research and first hand interviews of the people closely associated with the subject (Baba Ramdev). The book unfolds many mysteries surrounding Baba Ramdev that have been doing rounds time and again in the media since a long time. Language of the book is good to read and understand (smooth and swift). There was a reason why Baba Ramdev wanted this book to be banned(it went out of print eventually), if you can get this book give it a read and you will come to know there is much more to Baba Ramdev than what we see every day all day on national television.
All things sold in the name of swadeshi may not be fit to consume so choose your food wisely. Businessman like Baba Ramdev will sell anything in the name of Swadeshi, Natural or whatever term that draws you closer to the Nation and gives you a feeling that you are doing your bit for the nation by buying their product on the cost of your well being.
Don't trust everything blindly that is covered in a Saffron robe.
Thanks to Ms. Priyanka Pathak Narain for writing this book, @juggernaut.in for publishing it and @bahrisons_booksellers for arranging this book.
February 20, 2023
The material is very nicely compiled and edited and is thoroughly engrossing. This baba and his cronies need to be investigated and brought to book. High time already. But he is out there in the open, isn't he, and it sure don't look like that is going to happen any time soon.
If there are so many whistle blowers Like I read "A feast of Vultures" by Josy Joseph recently and they all have enough dope through their research to implicate those they are accusing, and if it is still not being done, then we are not exactly in a functional democracy, are we now?
I am a slow reader but even I read this one off the Juggernaut app in a couple of days The estd. reading time on the app was a couple of hours or so, if truth be told. If you can read 248 pages in 2 hours, hats off to you man! I can't do it . The text on the app scrolls real smoothly and that makes for very fast reading.
Thank you Juggernaut for putting this out there. I believe they tried to scuttle the release and I salute the author. It takes a lot of courage to do this. More power to ya!
If there are so many whistle blowers Like I read "A feast of Vultures" by Josy Joseph recently and they all have enough dope through their research to implicate those they are accusing, and if it is still not being done, then we are not exactly in a functional democracy, are we now?
I am a slow reader but even I read this one off the Juggernaut app in a couple of days The estd. reading time on the app was a couple of hours or so, if truth be told. If you can read 248 pages in 2 hours, hats off to you man! I can't do it . The text on the app scrolls real smoothly and that makes for very fast reading.
Thank you Juggernaut for putting this out there. I believe they tried to scuttle the release and I salute the author. It takes a lot of courage to do this. More power to ya!
February 25, 2018
I bought this book after reading an article on Reddit, I was not a big fan of Babaism in India and nor to this gentleman apart from his role in distributing Yoga to every Bedroom in India.
But after reading through his journey and betrayal (as per book), Mysterious deaths, legal cases against him, I can understand that to run a multi-million dollar company is not a task which he portrays in television, the book really clears some of the misconceptions I had with him, although it seems in times that the book is written completely on the con side of the baba, so I did not just love the story as it was what I needed to feed my brain with. I am also going to read a pro book on Baba to get a clear picture and make a middle ground on his personality, but So far I am convinced in a showbiz only a follower believes whats shown in TV, there is hidden and dirty business behind the curtains no matter who the man is.!
Doubt Everything and Everyone!
But after reading through his journey and betrayal (as per book), Mysterious deaths, legal cases against him, I can understand that to run a multi-million dollar company is not a task which he portrays in television, the book really clears some of the misconceptions I had with him, although it seems in times that the book is written completely on the con side of the baba, so I did not just love the story as it was what I needed to feed my brain with. I am also going to read a pro book on Baba to get a clear picture and make a middle ground on his personality, but So far I am convinced in a showbiz only a follower believes whats shown in TV, there is hidden and dirty business behind the curtains no matter who the man is.!
Doubt Everything and Everyone!
September 17, 2017
Came recommended from my friend, and it was indeed a quick, good weekend spend reading this book. The author has been very fair to both Baba Ramdev and different people that she has interviewed.The opinions are laid down without taking sides and its upto the reader to interpret. While some incidents can look shocking to Baba's followers , but looks like most of them have some element of truth. The book talks about exposing some untold stories but at the same time talks about determination and grit of young baba who turned Patanjali into great conglomerate. I wish the book also had some elements/interviews from Baba , so that it could have been interesting to see same story from different viewpoints.
Note : The sale of this book, has apparently been banned , but I was able to get this from Amazon
Note : The sale of this book, has apparently been banned , but I was able to get this from Amazon
May 11, 2018
Book #10 for the year is Godman to Tycoon - untold story of Baba Ramdev, a fast paced novel chronicling the rise of Ramdev and his FMCG empire. The book makes for an interesting read, encapturing the reader till the very last page. Even though it feels a bit biased against the Baba, giving more airtime to his detractors rather than fans, it largely does manage to come out as a neutral commentary on Ramdev, his close aides, his widespread business interests, future ambitions and everything else in between. A must read for anyone wanting to understand the phenomena that is Patanjali that has brought major FMCG brands to their knees in just a few years and are still struggling to respond to the ever-frequent new launches and mammoth sales of Ramdev's brand.
February 21, 2019
No doubt, why Baba Ramdev wants to ban selling of this book. The author here has very well analysed and compiled all the facts related to Ramdev's life which might be ignored by the public.
The chapters in the book are short and the language use is very simple. The book has got the grip to hold the reader's interest.
Which I don't like about the book is, it seems as if the book is published just to ruin his image, or instead to spread negative opinion about him. There is not a single positive word about him in the book. I am not a follower of him, neither do I use his products very much, but a book should be fair enough to have all the pros and cons of the subject. But here it contains only the cons.
The chapters in the book are short and the language use is very simple. The book has got the grip to hold the reader's interest.
Which I don't like about the book is, it seems as if the book is published just to ruin his image, or instead to spread negative opinion about him. There is not a single positive word about him in the book. I am not a follower of him, neither do I use his products very much, but a book should be fair enough to have all the pros and cons of the subject. But here it contains only the cons.
July 7, 2019
the portrait of dazzling ascent and a robustly fluid moral compass, ("the ability to nurse new dreams, pursue them, and abandon them if needed... fluidity") the narrative weaves like an objective bystander with an aftertaste of bias- there is clear admiration for the rags to riches narrative, ("real and perceived power") but it isn't the bookends of the journey, but the journey itself where you can locate the bias, which for a problematic figure mired in cases, and hypotheses, bails and court cases, is befitting, and personally, inadequate.
fundamentally, it is about how to tell a story of a man who elicits as much admiration as doubt? In the end, by asking more questions than answering.
fundamentally, it is about how to tell a story of a man who elicits as much admiration as doubt? In the end, by asking more questions than answering.
December 18, 2024
Godman to Tycoon by Priyanka Pathak-Narain unravels the enigmatic rise of Baba Ramdev, a figure who transcended his roots as a yoga guru to become the face of a multibillion-dollar empire. Blending spirituality, nationalism, and relentless ambition, Ramdev's story is as much about inspiration as it is about intrigue. The book pulls back the curtain on his carefully cultivated persona, exploring the contradictions, controversies, and power plays that define his journey.
This isn’t just a biography; it’s a deep dive into how culture, commerce, and charisma collide to build empires. For anyone curious about the intersection of faith, business, and politics, this is a fascinating and unflinching read.
This isn’t just a biography; it’s a deep dive into how culture, commerce, and charisma collide to build empires. For anyone curious about the intersection of faith, business, and politics, this is a fascinating and unflinching read.
November 18, 2017
In India religion sells, quite possibly it sells better here than it does in any other country and Ramdev is probably its best trader. But seemingly that's not all he is. This book does an insightful job of describing Ramdev's meteoric and unbelievable rise and how for him end has always justified means. Baba ji might have made yoga highly accessible but he is no renunciate, he is an opportunistic crony capitalist with a knack for dramatic performance. More people need to read this book so that they get educated about his malpractices and stop buying into his claim about purity of Patanjali products.
May 2, 2018
This is the book that Ramdev didn't want us to read. And once you read it, you will realise why. The meteoric rise of Ramdev, Aastha channel and more importantly the Patanjali brand, is waylaid by scandals. Corruption, mysterious deaths, murders of people close to Ramdev are far too many to be ignored.
That Patanjali finds itself on the wrong side of the law, and regularly gets away with it, is due to the astute political acumen of Ramdev.
This book uncovers a lot of hidden facets of the enigma that Ramdev is. If intrigued by the topic, one should read it before the book gets entangled in some other legal hassle.
That Patanjali finds itself on the wrong side of the law, and regularly gets away with it, is due to the astute political acumen of Ramdev.
This book uncovers a lot of hidden facets of the enigma that Ramdev is. If intrigued by the topic, one should read it before the book gets entangled in some other legal hassle.
July 14, 2018
Godman to Tycoon is a fast paced read, keeping the reader's interest till the very last page. It is about the fast ascent of Baba Ramdev and his empire, Patanjali. Even though the book is slightly skewed against the Baba, it manages to keep the neutral tone. It covers Baba Ramdev's journey to one of the most influential personalities in the country; his political and economic ambitions, successes & failures, and people around him who played an important role in this journey. A must read for anyone who wishes to understand the phenomenal rise of Patanjali Empire that is giving a hard time to major FMCG companies in the country.
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