P C Balasubramanian or P C (as he is known to those close to him) is a man who dons many hats and has many interests. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, he is an entrepreneur and the founding member, CEO, and Managing Director of Matrix Business Services India, a firm known in the corporate circles as India’s largest integrated Business Assurance Company.
Always the one to believe in sharing knowledge, PC has been sharing the experience and expertise that he has acquired in his 17 years of entrepreneurship. Today, he addresses several companies and educational institutes on multitudes of topics including leadership, motivation, team building, goal management, ownership, entrepreneurship, career management, life management, brand building, work-life balance, productivity, and happiness.
His admiration of the superstar Rajinikanth led him to write, not one but two, books on the legendary actor – Rajini’s Panchtantra, and Grand Brand Rajini. But the writer in him didn’t stop there. He further ventured into the fiction genre and has penned two works – Ready..Steady..Exit, and A Drizzle in the Desert.
His latest book Jujube talks about the essence of happiness and why it isn’t as elusive as some make it out to be. In 30 simple steps detailed in 30 short chapters, P C takes us on the ‘journey to a joyful being’. His life mantras are simple and effective and are especially in tune with the sensibilities and requirements of the Indian masses.
When not working or writing, P C loves to indulge his other sides. He is a movie buff and a cricket aficionado and loves to devote time actively pursuing these interests.
You can know more about the author on his website https://pcbala.com/. Grab a copy of his latest book Jujube here.
We at bookGeeks got a lucky chance for a tete-e-tete with the author. Here is what he has to say about his work, his love for writing, and his future plans.
| Five books in ten years and out of that three non-fiction and two fiction – how do you decide to write and hop from fiction to non-fiction? |
| It all started in 2010 when I became an author suddenly, and I never thought that I would continue with writing. But the amazing feedback for my first book ‘Rajini’s Punchtantra’ and the fact that it became a national bestseller, made me continue with my writing. I write when something impacts me and acts as a trigger. The admiration and respect for Mr. Rajinikanth made me write two books with two different co-authors (the other one being Grand Brand Rajini). Later I did two fictions back to back, including Ready Steady Exit and A Drizzle in the Desert. When something impacts me, then I try to get my thoughts or the story into print. |
| How JUJUBE happened? And how did you arrive at the unique title? |
| Just a couple of months before the commencement of the first lockdown in 2020, I started writing this book, and during the lockdown, I could complete it in quick time and release. JUJUBE aspects grew up with me, and my life and experiences have taught me that there are multiple easy ways to discover happiness. And the way people crib, complain and get annoyed despite having everything they want, made me write this book - that’s the impact. I had wanted this book to be an interactive one. It's like the book talks to you, and you then talk to the book. As regards the title, initially, it was a cliched title, and I didn’t like it. Suddenly, I remembered the word superstar Rajinikanth has used in some of his movies (to convey the fact it is easy or nothing), and that word is Jujube. And when I chose this title, I felt very excited, and so did the publisher. I couldn’t have got a better title for this book, honestly. JUJUBE is India’s Ikigai. |
| How JUJUBE is different from other self-help books on the subject of ‘happiness’? |
| I can’t compare, but all that I can say is that this book is for all ages and every family. It is not only easy to read and relate to but quite feasible to implement as well. |
| Did you talk about the title to Mr. Rajinikanth? |
| Yes, I did after I chose the title. He liked it, and he laughed in his own quintessential style when I narrated the reason for this title. There is one chapter that talks about his jujube moments too. |
| And what’s the association with Mr. Rajinikanth? I think he has appeared in all your books so far. |
| Nothing other than unconditional love, admiration, and reverence. This has been there ever since he was launched into movies. Yea, even in my other books, he appears somewhere or the other, and so far, I have managed to continue this trend. It gives me that extra pleasure in making him a part of all my books. |
| How do you find time to write books and speak at times despite being the head of a company? |
| I write when I get time. Specifically, during weekends and any holiday, I spend a few hours together to write. Earlier I used to first write manually, and then convert it to the digital mode. It used to be time-consuming. Now, I am directly doing it on my system. I am selective when it comes to speaking, and based on the time slot available, I speak at various events or meetings. |
| What kind of books do you read? |
| These days more of non-fiction, and I am not too particular about the genre. From books on inspiration, management, self-help, biographies to select fiction, I love reading books by Indian authors. I have but one constraint, generally I can’t take up a book that’s over 350 pages. I am averse to reading big books. |
| What next? A fiction or non-fiction? |
| Certainly, this year or next year, there could be my next book, mostly non-fiction. |
| Your views on bookGeeks? |
| You are doing a great service. Reading habits will grow because of the good work from entities like yours. |