BCS students told not to fear failure by US author Mukul Sheopory
On Tuesday 7th February 2023 students from Bishop Cotton School, Shimla (BCS) were given a creative writing session from an American business author in the Irwin Hall. Ruskin Bond, Raaja Bhasin, Raghuvendra Tanwar and Mukul Sheopory are just some of the authors to pass out from the heritage school.
The Old Cottonian and author Mukul Sheopory lives in California and studied at the school for ten years leaving in 1990. Mukul told the senior classes how the stories in his Hindi class (with Mr Bhardwaj) and his routine life at BCS have helped him in his multi-faceted career in engineering, marketing and writing.
“Being in a boarding school and having to live without my parents doing everything for myself has really helped give me the confidence to become an author. Failure only helps you to get better in life, for example: the first time I wrote the book it was in a terrible mess and I nearly ditched it. I had to come back to it again and again until I was happy with it for publication. Don’t fear failure as this is how we learn best.”
Mukul Sheopory was working as a management consultant when, on a rainy afternoon, he chanced upon a biography of Alexander the Great in a downtown Manhattan bookstore. The similarities between the emperor’s life and what he was observing in the modern business world kickstarted a series of inquiries that eventually resulted in his first book BUCEPHALUS’ SHADOW: 10 Business Lessons From the Life of Alexander the Great
The boys had a chance to ask questions on creative writing styles and how he weaved his business ideas together with Alexander the Great’s most famous battles. He also told them that he had asked his old school mates who were good at English to proofread his chapters and give their honest criticisms.
Mukul was on a rare visit back to Shimla from his home in California and the school was grateful for his precious time.
Bishop Cotton School, Shimla is one of the oldest residential boys’ schools in Asia (founded 1859) and has played a key part in shaping the development of public schools and education in India as well as producing a host of well-known and successful alumni. Ruskin Bond, Raaja Bhasin, Raghuvendra Tanwar and Mukul Sheopory are just some of the authors to pass out from the school.
Images: HM MP John, Author Mukul Sheopory and Mr Bhardwaj
Background – About the book
BUCEPHALUS’ SHADOW: 10 Business Lessons From the Life of Alexander the Great – By Mukul Sheopory
ABOUT THE BOOK:
What does Alexander the Great’s horse have to do with the creation of iTunes? How is his siege of an island fortress similar to a pair of hedge fund managers taking on the mighty Bank of England? Is there a resemblance between his battle strategy at Gaugamela and how Elon Musk went about space exploration?
Bucephalus’ Shadow takes the life of one of the greatest military leaders and draws parallels with the business events of today. In connecting the dots between past and present, military and business, it changes how we think about strategy.
Mukul Sheopory was working as a management consultant when, on a rainy afternoon, he chanced upon a biography of Alexander the Great in a downtown Manhattan bookstore. The similarities between the emperor’s life and what he was observing in the modern business world kickstarted a series of inquiries that eventually resulted in this work.
Sheopory lives in California and works with technology companies to serve small-business owners.
