Face –to-Face
...with Mr. Sunil Kumar Balchandani
January 20, 2021
Mr. Sunil K. Balchandani graduated with Maths (Hons.) from Government College, Ajmer. He has an experience of 25 years in bookselling and library developing. He has been organizing book fairs at schools since 15 years. Reading and discussing books are his cherished pastimes. He’s a firm believer of Mark Twain’s quote “Good friends, good books and sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.”
Elvira: Hello Sir. It’s so nice to have you with me for this conversation. You’re a dealer with books. Why did you choose books and not something else?
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Mr. Sunil: Hello Ma’am! (laughs) Ahh… I am a bookworm since childhood and it would be foolish to do something else. I not only love reading but also like the smell and touch of books. So I think I was born a bookseller. The love for books inspired me to take care of the dream project of my grandfather. There are many incredible things about bookselling; one of them is helping readers connect with books and authors. I love to help readers find themselves in books, learn about a new culture or escape on a new adventure. Another thing I like most about bookselling is talking to people, finding something they love and giving it to them. It’s like building a relationship, for them to come back again. The best part of being a bookseller is that you get to meet so many different people, most of whom share your love and enthusiasm for reading and literature.
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Elvira: What a beautiful thought! Sir, how old is your bookstore, 'Bookland'? What are the changes in reading patterns you’ve observed over the years?
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Mr. Sunil: (thoughtfully) I would like to emphasize here that ‘Bookland’ is not just a name or a place but it is the dream of my grandfather. He lay the foundation of this dream way back in 1951 when he along with his family settled in Ajmer, migrating from Sindh, Pakistan during the partition. Initially, he sold books from his rented house at Madar Gate, Ajmer. Later in 1971, his dream of owning a bookshop came true, at our present address, 75 Kutchery Road, Ajmer. (laughs) I remember I used to visit the shop frequently as a kid with the only desire to read comics. Officially, I joined my grandfather in 1995 after my graduation. (On a serious note) Earlier, people were more interested in literary works rather than pulp fiction which is now selling like hot cakes. The authors were intellectuals so were the readers and people were judged by the collection of books they had. Time has changed so is the reading habit. Moreover, technology has completely changed the reading habits of readers. But thanks to new authors who are writing books/novels in such a simple and gripping manner that the younger generation is taking an interest in reading. The people who are most excited to hold a book, to hug a book and smell it - all the stuff book lovers talk about, are teenagers in the young adult section. It is not the 40-50-60 years old readers but it is the young people, I really feel nice to see reading, as a bookseller.
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Elvira: Hmm… (thoughtfully) Sir, you just spoke about technology. How exactly has technology affected book readership?
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Mr. Sunil: (with emphasis) Technology definitely affects everything and as I said earlier it has also affected the readership.
On a negative note technology has diverted readers. With the introduction of Kindle, e-books and audiobooks people have started drifting away from print media. People prefer ‘listening or watching’ over reading today, but on a positive note technology has made it far easier for people to connect with others. Social media allows readers to connect with and follow their favorite authors, discover new and diverse authors and interact with other readers. Technology is also responsible for giving us books in new formats. It is easier than ever to find and connect with local booksellers. Survey continues to show that although technology is convenient, print books remain much more popular than e-books. Many of us spend the majority of our day in front of computers and other devices but ‘print books’ provide the escape.
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Elvira: That was very well said. You’re an avid reader too. Right, Sir? Any interesting or hilarious interaction or discussion you remember having with your customer(s) in relation to books?
Mr. Sunil: (laughs) Well, there are many interesting episodes but there is one which is very close to my heart. I am thankful to my destiny which gave me the opportunity to serve people by providing books to quench their thirst for knowledge. A few years back, a man in his thirties came to ‘Bookland’ looking for the book ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne, suggested by his friend. He was looking quite depressed… harassed with the ups and downs of life. By chance that book was out of stock with us and was due to come back in stock after 7-8 days, this added to his frustration. I suggested some books and out of them I recommended ‘Man’s search for meaning’ by Victor Frankl and summarized the story which says, “You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you.”
Now ‘Fast forward’ to about two weeks later when he returned to the shop… he was radiant! He told me how much he enjoyed reading the book suggested by me. He looked for more books and even had his picture taken in front of the shop. He gave us a 5 Star rating on Google and other sites.
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Elvira: Wow that’s really interesting! And now my last question to you Sir… why is reading essential according to you?
Mr. Sunil: (thoughtfully) Reading is a must! There are many advantages of reading, the first and most important is books serve as mental stimulators, they keep your brain active and engaged and prevent it from losing power. Just like other muscles in our body need exercise to keep fit our brain also needs exercise to be strong. (with a nod)
Secondly, books are stress relievers. No matter how much stress you have at work or in your life it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a good novel, letting tensions drain away and you feel relaxed.
Last but not the least, books improve your knowledge. Everything you read fills your head with new information. The more knowledge you have the better equipped you are to tackle any challenge you will face. One can lose everything- job, money, house but knowledge can never be taken. Knowledge is forever.
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Elvira: Incredible! Thank you so much Sir for this invaluable conversation. I’m sure this will be a reading delight for all book lovers.
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