ANDUL GORIA

JALADHAR NASKAR, 29

The winner of the Merit Award says he’s inspired by life on the sidewalk.

“What happens on the footpath happens in our lives,” he says. “My entry is a series of crates that are used by street vendors to store fruit. I used to see pigeons make their home in these, so I’ve titled it ‘Shelter-1’. You’ll see these khanchas on streets everywhere.”

The second in his series, he reveals, is going to be the humble “chatai” (or mat) that “protects us from the floor”. And the third one? “I haven’t thought of that yet,” he laughs.

Must art always have a social message? “We must capture and represent today’s times,” agrees Jaladhar.

Is social media a help to young artists, or a distraction? “It depends on how you use it,” he says.

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production, media, and linguistics. Since then, it has really been a ground-up, organic and experiential metamorphosis into emerging as perhaps India’s foremost fully-integrated agency.

Talentrack has, within a short span of time, been recognised as the leading online talent aggregator in the Indian entertainment space, and a powerful platform for professional creatorgenerated content and influencer marketing. The go-to destination for brands and marketers looking for artiste-generated content and social commerce, Talentrack has over 5,00,000 registered artistes and over 20,000 industry recruiters on board.

Harappa Trilogy Trilogy, Mastaan

It has indeed been quite a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy kind of story, where life has allowed me to live many avatars at the same time. One cannot feel more blessed. Working with one of the most respected companies in the world gives me unparalleled exposure to global business, international best-practices, and a vast playing field. Partnering with some of the biggest multinational corporations towards building their brands in a diverse market like India offers an ever-enriching opportunity. On the other hand, and after being in business for 20 years, donning the entrepreneurial hat fills me with energy, hustle and raw ambition all over again.

Coming to the books, three of which are soon to take the shape of major motion pictures— these keep the creative artist in me alive! How monochromatic life would become if we lost our inner spark to the daily grind of making a living? My business books aim to give back to the entrepreneurial community and my fiction novels have earned a near-cult following. What more can one ask for? The love and popularity I have been showered with after the Harappa Trilogy and now Mastaan, are unprecedented. This has been one of the most gratifying aspects of my life.

With so many feathers in your cap including being the author of three business books, and five bestselling fiction novels—the and the how are you able to merge sharp business acumen with a deep creative fabric?

India is witnessing a start-up boom with aspiring entrepreneurs looking to attract investments, even on television. What would your advice to them be?

My first advice to budding entrepreneurs would be to work as a collective rather than as individuals. Deeply connected teams have solo entrepreneurs for breakfast. Second, despite all the glitz and glamour of large rounds of funding, keep in mind that the fundamental rules of business have not changed. Eventually a business succeeds on the problem it solves and on the merit of its long-term revenue-model. Build businesses to win customers, not investors.