Renowned neurologist Panagariya's memoir to be released posthumously June 28

On the day of his demise from post-Covid complications, renowned neurologist Ashok Panagariyas publisher announced that his memoir, "Monk in a Merc", which will serve as a poignant reminder for anyone looking to achieve eternal happiness and mental peace while pursuing all of lifes luxuries, material wealth and professional success, will be released on June 28.

It will pull at the heartstrings because it asks questions like: Can we find happiness and attain mental peace without relinquishing our material goals? What if we could understand why we behave and act the way we do? How does our brain really trick us into many of the decisions we make every day? What if we could actually train our brain and improve our ability to lead a more meaningful life -- not only for ourselves but also for society?

The memoir is all the more poignant because Panagariya blends his life experiences with modern science and Indic philosophy to tackle these questions and shares tools that anyone can acquire to become a better ‘brain-manager'. He delves deeply into the human mind, showing what makes the brain unique and the remarkable intrinsic capacity it holds to influence our lives. He does all this while making us acutely aware of the role luck and chance play in how we eventually shape up.

"Monk in a Merc" (Bloomsbury) is an insightful read for anyone looking to achieve eternal happiness and peace while still enjoying all that life offers -- material wealth and professional success. It turns the table on the conventional understanding of monkhood, which seeks renunciation of material pursuits in search of a spiritual quest.


Ashok Panagariya is the younger brother of Arvind Panagariya, the first Vice Chairman of NITI Ayog and who has just published his own book titled "My Father: The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary Man", which details the journey of their father Baloo Lal Panagariya, then twenty-five years old, who arrived in Jaipur in 1946, to join the editorial staff of the newspaper Lokvani, devoted to exposing the excesses of the British and princely rulers of Rajputana.

One of India's leading neurologists, Ashok Panagariya was a recipient of the Padma Shri (his elder brother was honoured with the Padma Bhushan) and the BC Roy Award. A former President of Indian Academy of Neurology, he had practised medicine for over 40 years and had served more than a million patients. A mentor and a life coach to many, Panagariya endeavoured to help people find health, happiness and longevity by tapping into the power of the brain and mind.-IANS