Team spirit will set Modi records right

Misquoted, misunderstood Modi. That’s who city-based publishing firm Team Spirit India Private Limited is plugging with its series of a...

Misquoted, misunderstood Modi. That’s who city-based publishing firm Team Spirit India Private Limited is plugging with its series of audio books.

An audio cassette and a book Narendra Modi on Terrorism — the first of the series — will be released in a week. Set to follow are audio books on development, education and religion and culture — all reflections of Modi that have been compiled from his speeches and writings.

Priced at Rs 150, the audio books will be available in English, Hindi and Gujarati. The English and Gujarati versions will soon hit the stands, while the Hindi version ‘‘will take some time.’’

Publishing firm Team Spirit was set up in July 2000. Urvish Kantharia and V. A. Dudwadkar are the directors of the company, which earlier promoted educational books by foreign publishers like Mcgraw-Hill, Simon and Schuster and Thomson Learning.

The firm has published about 15 books, including a series on educational and inspirational books. ‘‘It was sometime in 2001, Modi had just taken over as CM when we came up with the idea of publishing a book on him. As I know Modi for quite some time now, I met him to convince him. We had thought of a biography and started research work in early 2002,’’ Kantharia said.

Kantharia added that the team used to meet Modi often and it was in January 2003 that he had the idea of publishing books on Modi’s thoughts.

‘‘Modi is a political scientist, he has never shied away from displaying his thoughts and ideologies. His speeches are direct and an inspiration to many. Of course, he has often been misquoted on various issues, which damage his image. These audio books are a proof of what his ideas are, what he believes in’’ Dudwadkar said.

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The audio book on terrorism is almost ready while those on Development, Education and Religion and Culture will be out early next month. ‘‘We plan to launch 1,000 copies through 150 dealers in the country in the initial stage. As of now, we have only advertised the idea to dealers. We have their attention — from stores like Crossword to a small magazine vendor, they are all eager to get copies,’’ Kantharia said.

‘‘The books do not reflect Modi’s thoughts on any particular incident — neither last year’s riots nor the Akshardham attack. He talks about the issues with a global perspective and comprehensively. It is about a man of integrity, who is also the head of a border state, who is trying to bring about an awareness,’’ Kantharia said, adding that Modi’s biography — by N.V. Kamat — will be released by July end.