In 1982, my printing journey began while working at Aloke Alloys. We needed a brochure printed, and with the help of a friend who did screen printing, I managed to get it done at a reasonable rate. This was before computers became common in India, and the electric typewriter had just arrived.

In 1986, I joined a printing firm called Printwell, introduced by a family friend, Parimal. This marked my formal entry into the printing industry.

In 1987, I was deeply involved in several printing projects for the Divine Life Society, celebrating Swami Sivananda’s Birth Centenary. I coordinated the printing of brochures, free literature, and a souvenir. Working with my father, Sakaram Rao, and Bholanath Seth on editing and compiling, I also printed tickets for a musical night by Nitin Mukesh at Shanmukhananda Hall. This experience was a major learning opportunity, and I even contributed my first written piece, a poem on Swami Sivananda, to the souvenir.

I was sent to Chennai along with Janak to help print a souvenir in December 1987 on the occasion of the inauguration of the Swami Sivananda Centenary Hospital at Pattamadai. We were there for more than 20 days to get it printed and took a few copies with us to Pattamadai.

In Delhi I went to print the first edition of Ponder These Truths, with a unique binding that allowed the book’s pages to lie flat. During this time, I also collaborated with Yvonne Lebeau on revising This Monk from India. Working with her over twenty days, we developed a close bond, and she shared her spiritual journey with me, which left a lasting impression.

Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj was compiling a book called “Inspirational Thoughts”. We at Guru Niwas collected a few poetries to be added.

In 1990, for my mother’s 60th birthday, I printed Divine Gems, a collection of inspirational quotes compiled by Sri Swami Chidanandaji. We collaborated at Guru Niwas to assist with the compilation.

In 1991, I spent a month in Cuttack assisting with the printing of another souvenir. It was a memorable experience that introduced me to wonderful people and unique opportunities.

In 1993, to commemorate 50 years of the Mahamantra and Vishwanath Mandir, I was tasked with printing another souvenir. I took full responsibility for this project, from selecting articles to overseeing the design and final printing, all coordinated in Delhi.

In 2000, during the Millennium program, I contributed to the printing of several books, including Chidananda Hun. One of my proudest contributions was that several photographs of Swamiji Maharaj in the book were taken by me during his visit to Gangotri.
At the end of the Millennium I got the opportunity to transcribed all the English lectures and was edited by Abha Suchak. The Hindi ones were transcribed and edited by Shridham Parivar and coordinated by Swami Brahmanishananda Mataji.

To commemorate over 50 years of our family’s association with Sivananda Ashram, I wanted to create a book featuring pictures and correspondence. Shreya helped design the book, and she aptly titled it Perennial Blessings. Though we had our disagreements over the selection of pictures, the book turned out beautifully. With more pictures still in hand, we may consider a follow-up edition.

Chit Pravaha was the most time-consuming project from concept to print. In 2016, during a visit to Uttarkashi along with my wife, Maitili and Shreya Trivedi. There Swami Ramswarupananda conceived the idea for a book about Swami Chidanandaji’s visits to Uttarkashi and Gangotri, with the central theme that “every picture tells a story.” Swami Ramswarupananda shared stories with the photos, and Shreya and I created a basic design. Though he loved it, time constraints delayed progress. Eventually, Swami Ramswarupananda recorded his stories, which I transcribed, and we worked with a DTP designer. However, due to weaker stories and an excess of photos, the project was shelved. Years later, when Swami Yatidharmananda wanted to revive the book in Mumbai, Chit Pravaha was Shreya Trivedi’s brain child incorporating photos and Shreya incorporated quotes of Swami Chidananda on the Ganga. Shreya put in a lot of effort and thought in the designing as three rough drafts were made. Lots of pages were changed from time to time. Chit Pravaha has been Shreya’s baby. Bioth Swami Yatidharmananda and myself have given inputs in them. It was heartening to see that finally, Chit Pravaha was released on 24th September 2020.

I writing started with poems meant for my little sister Dhira. It was representing her emotions and feelings during that phase of her life. This was in the early 1980s. Then I wrote my first short story in around 1984. Since then I have been writing and accumulating them.

My first book that got published was, “Whispers of the Soul”. The second was, “Faces of Humanity”.

From Printing to Publishing: A Journey Through Ink and Inspiration

In 1982, my journey with printing began unexpectedly at Aloke Alloys. We needed a brochure, and thanks to a friend in screen printing, I managed to produce it at an affordable rate. This was a pre-digital era in India, with electric typewriters as the newest technology.

A pivotal moment came in 1986 when I joined a printing firm called Printwell, thanks to a family friend, Parimal. This was my formal entry into the industry, where I would find myself immersed in projects that were both challenging and deeply rewarding.

In 1987, I became heavily involved in printing materials for the Divine Life Society’s celebrations of Swami Sivananda’s Birth Centenary. Brochures, free literature, and a special souvenir were all on the agenda. Alongside my father, Sakaram Rao, and Bholanath Seth, I worked on editing and compiling content. I even got to print tickets for a musical night by Nitin Mukesh at Shanmukhananda Hall. This experience was a milestone for me—I contributed my first written piece, a poem dedicated to Swami Sivananda, to the souvenir.

December 1987 saw me in Chennai with Janak, working tirelessly on a souvenir for the inauguration of the Swami Sivananda Centenary Hospital in Pattamadai. It was an intense 20 days of effort, but holding that freshly printed souvenir in our hands made every moment worth it.

My work later took me to Delhi, where I printed the first edition of Ponder These Truths. This edition had a unique lay-flat binding—a detail that felt innovative at the time. While in Delhi, I collaborated closely with Yvonne Lebeau to revise This Monk from India. In the span of twenty days, she and I not only polished the text but also forged a meaningful connection as she shared her own spiritual journey, which left an indelible mark on me.

Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj was working on a book called Inspirational Thoughts, and we at Guru Niwas contributed several poems to be included. In 1990, for my mother’s 60th birthday, I coordinated the printing of Divine Gems, a compilation of Swami Chidanandaji’s inspirational quotes. It was a heartfelt project, created with the loving collaboration of our Guru Niwas community.

In 1991, a month in Cuttack involved the printing of yet another souvenir, opening doors to new friendships and unique experiences. Two years later, in 1993, I oversaw the entire process of producing a commemorative souvenir for the 50th anniversary of the Mahamantra and Vishwanath Mandir. This project, from choosing articles to finalizing designs, took place in Delhi and was a true labor of love.

Fast forward to the millennium, where I had the opportunity to work on multiple books, including Chidananda Hun. One of my proudest moments was seeing photographs I’d taken of Swamiji Maharaj included in the book, capturing moments from his journey to Gangotri. The millennium concluded with a massive transcription project. I transcribed all the English lectures, which were then edited by Abha Suchak, while Shridham Parivar managed the Hindi ones, coordinated by Swami Brahmanishananda Mataji.

As a tribute to my family’s decades-long connection with Sivananda Ashram, I undertook a personal project to document this legacy through pictures and letters in a book. Shreya helped me design it, and after a spirited debate over photo selection, Perennial Blessings was born. We still have a collection of additional photos and may consider a sequel.

One of the most demanding projects was Chit Pravaha, a labor of love initiated in 2016 during a visit to Uttarkashi. Ramswaroopji had envisioned a book centered on Swamiji’s visits to Uttarkashi and Gangotri, driven by the idea that “every picture tells a story.” He shared anecdotes for each photo, which Shreya and I worked into a design. Although the initial project stalled, Ramswaroopji later recorded his stories, which I transcribed. Eventually, Yatidharmananda in Mumbai revived the project, adding quotes from Swami Chidanandaji and more photos, leading to Chit Pravaha’s release on September 24, 2020.

My writing journey began in the early 1980s, crafting poems for my younger sister Dhira to express her feelings at that time. A few years later, around 1984, I penned my first short story, and since then, my writing has only grown.

Looking back, my path from printing to publishing was more than just producing words on paper—it was a journey of passion, learning, and profound connection, a story captured not just in ink, but in every step and every memory.

As an author, I have published two books, Whispers of the Soul and Faces of Humanity. My third book, The Human Mosaic, is set to be released in mid-March 2025, continuing my exploration of human stories and emotions