Asian Literature
Sanjay Kumar Gupta’s Beyond the Rat Race, Twice is an unassuming yet profoundly resonant memoir that traces a journey from a modest Delhi childhood to a life defined by self-awareness and inner freedom. Published by Evincepub Publishing in August 2025, the book offers far more than a chronological record of events; it is an intimate meditation on ambition, resilience, and the art of stepping off the relentless treadmill of comparison.
Gupta begins in the cramped lanes of Ber Sarai, where his parents—first-generation migrants from rural Uttar Pradesh—nurtured a household of quiet dignity despite limited means. Early anecdotes, such as sneaking into the IIT Delhi campus for cool water on sweltering afternoons, paint a vivid picture of childhood resourcefulness. But these charming recollections gradually reveal deeper themes: the subtle beginnings of the “rat race,” when class rankings and social expectations first sow the seeds of competition.
Education becomes the memoir’s first arena of striving. Gupta’s ascent from a Hindi-medium government school to a science stream and eventually postgraduate studies in mathematics and operational research is marked by diligence and disappointment in equal measure. He shares his near-misses with medical and engineering entrance exams and the painful reality of navigating elite spaces without mentors or networks. Yet his narrative resists melodrama. Instead, he examines these setbacks as quiet turning points that guided him toward a richer understanding of purpose.
One of the book’s most striking qualities is its celebration of ordinary virtues. Gupta’s parents embody integrity and generosity: his mother settling small market debts before making new purchases; his father quietly supporting higher education despite communal expectations to enter trade. These understated lessons in honesty and empathy shape the author more profoundly than any classroom lecture. Such scenes, rendered in clear, conversational prose, linger long after the page is turned.
The second half of the memoir chronicles Gupta’s professional life, particularly his formative years at MART, a rural research consultancy. Here the narrative blossoms into a study of work as vocation rather than mere employment. Vivid descriptions of dusty field trips across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu capture both the physical rigor and the intellectual rewards of grassroots research. Through these experiences, Gupta learns to listen deeply, honor rural wisdom, and value ethical choices over easy gains—a counterpoint to the corporate ladder-climbing that often defines success.
Throughout, moments of personal loss—most poignantly the sudden death of his father—are handled with restraint. Gupta writes of grief not as spectacle but as a force that clarifies priorities, reinforcing his decision to “exit the race” a second time. His quiet refusal to inflate expense reports, his choice to share modest tutoring income with his mother, and his eventual realization that fulfillment lies beyond titles or salaries all underscore a central conviction: integrity and inner freedom outweigh external accolades.
Stylistically, Beyond the Rat Race, Twice is lucid and unpretentious. Gupta favors simple sentences and careful detail, allowing the weight of experience to speak for itself. Occasional philosophical reflections—on respect, solitude, and the inevitability of walking life’s path alone—emerge organically from the narrative. Readers accustomed to dramatic plot twists may find the pace gentle, but those willing to linger will discover a richness in the quiet cadences.
This memoir will particularly resonate with first-generation students, professionals seeking meaning beyond promotions, and anyone questioning the culture of relentless competition. It is also a valuable social document, capturing the textures of middle-class Delhi from the late 1970s onward: the excitement of DDA housing lotteries, the subtle hierarchies of English and Hindi education, the evolving aspirations of a newly liberalizing India.
In the end, Gupta’s achievement lies in showing that stepping away from the race is not withdrawal but arrival—a conscious embrace of authenticity. Beyond the Rat Race, Twice reminds us that a life measured by self-knowledge, compassion, and quiet perseverance can be more radical than any headline-grabbing success.
Title: Beyond The Rat Race, Twice
Author: Sanjay Kumar Gupta
Publisher: Evincepub Publish
