Greatness lies in participation but not in winning! In early 2021, our Prime Minister Modi Ji announced an all India contest, Mentoring YUVA, in collaboration with the National Book Trust of India (NBT) to empower the youth and foster a vibrant learning ecosystem in the country. Applicants from across the country were invited to participate in the contest and all the participants were allowed to write on a wide range of subjects promoting Indian heritage, knowledge and culture. To commemorate the 75^th year of Indian Independence, 75 exceptional winners from the contest would be selected by the jury and would be offered a mentoring program aimed at nurturing talented writers.

Among these aspiring authors was Sharvesh, who embarked on a poetic journey titled The 5Cs of Mother India, weaving a tapestry of pan India Celebrations, Culture, Curiosity, Courage, and Compassion with ten poems under each category. Sharvesh displayed immense dedication, crafting 50 poems in just 30 days but just before submission we learned that poetry was not a conventional genre for the contest! Recognizing his passion, I promised myself that I would definitely get his anthology of poems published to encourage and motivate the budding author.

Undeterred by the initial setback, Sharvesh quickly delved into another project titled Pudumai - A Tour to the Past, a captivating blend of science, history, and fiction. Within ten days, he had submitted his new work to the contest, earning an acknowledgement for his submission. Although he was not selected as one of the 75 authors to receive the YUVA mentoring, his journey did not end there.

As a mother, I found myself irresistibly drawn to join forces with Sharvesh, providing unwavering support in refining and enhancing the narrative of Pudumai - A Tour to the Past. After countless hours of hard work and dedication, I am thrilled to present this beautifully crafted book to you. Sharvesh’s resilience and determination have allowed his creative spirit to shine brightly, promising a bright future as a talented author. We are eager and delighted to share his remarkable work with the world.

The unwavering belief of a mother in the immense value of her son’s story has flourished into a magnificent masterpiece, scheduled to be released in the 77^th year of Independence

I wholeheartedly attribute the success of his previous book - The 5Cs of Mother India and the present Pudumai - A Tour to the Past to the Mentoring YUVA contest, which has played a pivotal role in nurturing thousands of aspiring authors like Sharvesh.

Bhuvaneswari Subramani