AGAINST ALL ODDS: THE LIFE OF KISHORE V. SONPAL Paperback – August 10, 2021

Against all odds is a quick and easy read. I found the life of Kishore Sonpal inspiring because of his self discipline and Parenting methods. Above all he has raised a son who is grateful for his parents, which is something, all parents like us aspire to do.

"Against All Odds" is an amazing book written by a loving son (Hetal) as a tribute to the fulfilled and purpose-driven life of his father (Kishore). Often times we read biographies of great men who just seem to be too distant and unrelatable. But this book of an extraordinary life led by a simple man, and the easy writing style of the author, has us all naturally think of our own parents and the struggles and successes in their life.Hetal does a wonderful job weaving historical timeline (pre-independence to present), and geography (from Gujarat, to Chennai, to Bhopal, to Coimbatore) into the narrative of his family's story. This not only gives us the context in which Kishore was operating, but also provides us the golden nuggets from the past that are only found in the oral tradition of parents telling their story to their children.Kishore's wisdom and his life story is relevant and helpful to us in many ways, but there are three inspirations that I want to point out: First, Kishore had a tremendous capacity to re-invent himself. Not only did he change course to make optimal decisions in his younger days, he made career changes at 52 and 71, very much outside his comfort zone, and succeeded. Second, he was continuously learning throughout his life- whether in his job, or from books, or from people around him. Third, he was always driven by a higher calling- whether it was to take care of his family, or have a corruption free profession, or help his colleagues and friends, or set up a business for friends and artisans, or take care of schools and impart education, or finding spirituality in his life.This book is a work of love for Hetal... a memoir to the great man he loved. In this book, in his family, and in the many lives he touched, the story of Kishore lives on.

An excellent book. Perfect length and very well written. The writing style of the author is so realistic that I could visualize every moment right in front of my eyes. The life story of Mr.Kishore Sonpal is very inspiring. Exactly, "against all odds".I feel, even if one can implement a small thing from his life, he/she will be very successful in his/het life. What I loved about this book was, the divisions of the life in a well narrated wordings...The chapter titles and the details.I am so glad to come across this title. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it away!!Thank you.

Hetal truly honors his father (Kishore) with remarkable story-telling filled with timeless life lessons, wisdom, and fascinating historical context. It was a true pleasure learning more about Kishore’s beautiful journey.. he is a true inspiration for people from all walks of life!

For most of us, our Dad was the first Superhero in our lives. Hetal through this memoir has sketched the journey and experiences that shaped his father's beliefs and principles for success in life. Thanks Hetal for sharing your dad's story.

‘Against All Odds’ is a touching biography written by Hetalji, celebrating the remarkable life of his father, Kishore V Sonpal, who was born in 1938 amid India's struggle for independence.Kishoreji's childhood, though marked by poverty, was rich in values. Honesty, frugality, hard work, and kindness were the cornerstones of his family.Hetalji has done a fantastic job in sharing the stories of resilience of his father. Despite the financial woes, his father became an engineer through his determination and secured a job in the Indian Railways.He quit the job at the railways after seven stellar years as he had unwavering commitment to integrity and leading a life without blemishes of corruption.There are stories of how his father narrowly escaped death during Bhopal gas tragedy, train accident and crushing typhoid fever. I consider these as divine interventions which knew he would lead a life of purpose and service.I was able to relate to each of the life stories and lessons. My eyes welled up in the last chapter reading Kishoreji’s fight against cancer.Kishoreji took bold career decisions and even at the age of 71, he joined as a registrar for an educational institution. His expert negotiation skills ensured he had a stellar career as a procurement head in the companies that he worked for and the empathy he demonstrated won profitable deals and excellent relationships with vendors. He has imbibed the teachings of the greatest spiritual teachers and leaders of our country in the last century.I highly recommend this biography as it's a testament to a life shaped by resilience, principles, and a profound commitment to goodness. Kishoreji's story inspires, reminding us that a life well-lived is not measured by the absence of challenges but by the enduring impact of love, wisdom, and purpose.

I recently had the privilege of reading this remarkable book by Hetal Ji, which serves as a tribute to the extraordinary life of Kishore V. Sonpal. The book reads like a sublime and poignant personal guidebook, offering profound insights into Kishore Ji's life characterized by hard work, integrity, and unwavering commitment.The narrative skillfully captures the invaluable lessons learned by Kishore Ji throughout his life journey. As a reader, I found myself inspired and gained practical wisdom from the experiences, quotes, and Kishore Ji's musings shared in the book. The book is a testament to the deep respect Hetal Ji holds for his father who is someone truly worth looking up to. A beautiful read.

Awesome representation and journey of Kishore Sonpal, and audacious task to represent the life on few pages, Hetal did an outstanding job to do so.Beautiful Narration, Simple to read and you walk the path in visualization with Kishore in his life journey, learnings, and practical implementation of true life principles.So much to learn and reflect upon.When you have eyes welled up & still don't want to put aside the book, ... it's riveting.Finished the book in a day.Entire life lessons are summed up in 10 pages of Gujarati journal writings (translated to English).Inspiring and surely very appropriate respect to such a beautiful life (immortalized)thank you for writing and look forward to reading the teachings of Kishor Ji from his journal.The first thing I did, reading the last page gave it to my son to read.A MUST READ and Share with teen kidsOne of its kind to relate with real-life heroes in our lives, be it uncle, aunt, brother, sis, or parents.

Written truly straight from heart by a doting son on the lifestory of his father, this book leaves you with a medley of emotions that make you warm from within and with a tinge of awe at the inspirational journey of a rare individual. Hetal's book takes one through a roller coaster journey of his father, Mr Kishore Sonpal, who while being born in Gujarat, moves between Mumbai & Ahmedabad during his childhood, equally at ease at both the milieus, learning various life skills before embarking on his professional career first to Hyderabad and then to Bhopal and finally to Coimbatore, leaving an indelible mark on all that he connected with by his sheer perseverance, integrity, enterprise and never say never attitude.There are many instances in the book that leave one not only introspecting but also getting inspired by Mr Sonpal's journey. His razor sharp memory, ability to connect at a personal level with his customers/ partners/ friends/ family and his will to learn and unlearn & start something afresh at the age of 52 and then at 71 leaves you with sheer admiration for him.Hetal's writing is simple and crisp that connects instantly, and what makes it even more admirable is that he has been affectionately supported by his daughter, his sister and sister's kids in this endeavour, that is truly an ode to an ordinary man who lived an extraordinary life.

How many sons write a book on their fathers? In most cases, the father-son relation is often complicated. But the author of the book Mr. Hetal is really fortunate! His relationship with his father is akin to a friendship between two best friends. Mr. Kishore Sonpal lived an inspiring life, never deterred by setbacks and difficulties in life. He was a fighter, a man of principles who inspired whoever came into contact with him.The book is extremely well written. In fact, readers get a very good idea of pre and post independent India and there is a feeling as if readers are also making the journey through these times! The book is full of life lessons and practical wisdom. The author has done a commendable job and I thank him for writing this beautiful book. To influence lives of thousands, one simply needs to be a person with a pure and simple heart! :This is one of the core messages I derived reading this very beautiful book. 🙏