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31, a corporate thriller, was a nominee for the ‘Tata First Book Award’. It has been receiving rave reviews for its contemporary subject of restructuring and layoffs and it’s unique narrative style, with one chapter for each of the 31 days in the month of March. This crackling page-turner reveals the ruthlessly cut-throat world of the banking industry, but also its humour, quirks and strange camaraderie.
It is the story of Ravi Shastry, a regional head at Imperial, a multinational Bank. The month of March starts off on a positive note and he seems set for a promotion to the Head Office in Mumbai or possibly even an international assignment.
However the next 31 days will change his life forever…
The collapse in Imperial’s Brazilian subsidiary triggers an upheaval within the bank as thousands are laid off across the globe. A restructuring is advocated in the Indian operations and to make matters worse, it becomes clear that a firing list will be released on 31st March which could cull a large portion of the Indian employee base.
In such a state of cataclysm, battle lines are drawn, bizarre alliances of convenience are formed and conspiracies are hatched as employees struggle to ensure their name is not on the dreaded list. Ravi sees his friendships dissolving, his help lines disappearing and his reputation withering. He finds himself in a quagmire of deceit, lies and subterfuge.
In a perverted twist of fate, his wife Savitha discovers that her job is also on the line! A series of personal and financial debacles amidst social ignominy pushes Ravi to the verge of insanity.
He has been a stellar performer and a fast riser. This is unchartered territory that challenges his principles and demands political acumen.
Will he find himself compromising his principles to emerge victorious?
Will he keep his family together by 31st March?
Will he have a job on 31st March?
About the Author
A banking and finance professional by day, an engineer & MBA by background, Upendra has worked with leading Indian and multinational companies for over 16 years, having launched over 30 new products and setting up three new businesses.
He is an avid blogger and also has also contributed columns and articles to leading Indian and International publications on a wide array of subjects.
Upendra has set about to redefine the Indian thriller genre, wherein he would be taking on contemporary topics and turn them into nail biting thrillers. Touching upon contemporary subjects of corporate politics, layoffs, love, passions and modern relationships, 31 is the first in the Numbers series with the subsequent books being titled 60 and 8.
31 is his first in the NUMBERS series.
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