The 3 Mistakes of My Life

Book Summary:

The 3 Mistakes of My Life is the story of three young friends, Govind, Ishaan and Omi. The three friends have different personalities and motivations but share one common passion, cricket. They plan to start a shop that sells cricket related items. Omi’s family has a lot of influence with the authorities at the local temple, and the three get a space in the temple’s commercial premises and open the shop. Govind is the most ambitious of the three. He was raised by his mother, as his father walked out on his family when Govind was only a child. She ran her own home-made food business to support herself and her son.

Govind dreams of being a successful businessman. He also feels that it is part of his legacy as he is a Gujarati, for Gujaratis have traditionally been good traders and merchants. He is fired by an ambition to become rich and also to achieve something in life. Ishaan is the most fanatic cricket fan of the three. He begins to take an interest in a young muslim boy who shows a lot of cricketing talent. Ishaan decides to help the boy pursue his dreams of playing for the Indian Cricket Team.

Ishaan has a sister named Vidya, who is a spirited and independent girl with dreams of breaking free of her middle class shackles. She is preparing for her medical entrance exam. But, one of the required subjects, maths, is her weak point. Ishaan asks Govind to coach his sister on the subject. The proximity leads to Govind and Vidya falling in love, and trying to keep it a secret from everyone, especially Ishaan.

Omi is a naive young man, who is easily influenced by others. His father is the priest at the temple where the three friends have their shop. Everything seems to be sailing along smoothly until the Gujarat earthquake, the Godhra incident, and the subsequent communal riots that seem to conspire to upset the lives, plans and dreams of not just the three friends, but everyone around them.

The 3 Mistakes of My Life is narrated by Govind, and it is his own three mistakes that form the title of the book. As he unfolds the tale, readers learn what the mistakes are and how it changes the course of his life and affects those of others The 3 Mistakes of My Life was adapted into a Hindi movie titled Kai Po Che!, which was released in 2013.

Book Details:

Title: The 3 Mistakes of My Life
Author: Chetan Bhagat
Publisher: Rupa Publications
ISBN-10: 8129113724
ISBN-13: 9788129113726
Year of Publication: 2008
Cover: Paperback
Pages: 260
MRP: Rs. 140

• About the Author

About Sprightly Spirit

“I dare do all that may become a man. Who dares more is none”. And all, may be. It may be the vigor. Or the spirit. Or the courage to avoid being “politically correct” or bent. And, ban all averse with immaculate overture of graciously fathomable words firm in views. Subtle. Justifying the undying conscience. Values. Knowledge. And, dares to stay true. True to own. True to the world. And, to the words. With a dream in eyes it exists. In you. In me. In all. The sprite that never shies away. The spirit that never dies!