Shillong (Meghalaya), May 28: Shillong turned inward on Thursday as author, lawyer and speaker Kartikeya Vajpai brought his widely discussed book, The Unbecoming: Let Life Reveal Its Purpose to the city, sparking a candid exchange on identity, anxiety and the quiet search for meaning at the Shillong Press Club.
In conversation with Padma Shri awardee and The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim, Vajpai told a packed audience of students, journalists and academicians that a generation driven by performance and comparison is growing emotionally exhausted. He said the real tragedy is not failure but living an entire life disconnected from one’s own inner voice. Published by Penguin Random House India and carrying forewords by the Dalai Lama and Swami Sarvapriyananda, the novel follows cricketer Siddharth and his mentor Ajay as they unravel ambition, fear, conditioning and self-awareness.
Vajpai described Meghalaya as one of the most emotionally and spiritually beautiful spaces for reflective conversations, saying the state’s sensitivity and intellectual depth encourage silence, literature and honest human engagement. Mukhim called the book a need of the hour in a world disrupted by mental health struggles and said its message of stepping out of oneself to explore oneself is urgent. She described Vajpai as an inspirational speaker.
The session drew strong responses from Shillong’s literary and academic circles, with many calling it thoughtful and emotionally resonant. Attendees said the book’s themes connect with Meghalaya’s reflective cultural ethos and the evolving concerns of its youth. The evening closed with an extended audience interaction and book signing where readers discussed detachment, relationships, ambition and emotional resilience with the author.
The Shillong launch opens Vajpai’s Northeast tour and marks the start of the Unbecoming Circles initiative, which will hold small-group dialogues in colleges and with mental wellness groups across the region. The Unbecoming is now available in bookstores across Shillong and online, with a Khasi translation under consideration following strong local interest.
