HarperCollins India is delighted to announce the publication of Pavan C. Lall's new book 'Forging Mettle: Nrupender Rao and the Pennar Story'

• Hardcover | Harper Business | 252 pp | Rs 699
• Releasing 12^th September 2022

NEW DELHI, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Forging Mettle: Nrupender Rao and the Pennar Story by Pavan C. Lall is a unique story of how a business built with ethics, social and environmental concern at the core of its values can indeed be profitable and sustainable.

Nrupender Rao took a leap of faith in 1987, buying the loss-making Pennar Steels and hoping to turn it profitable. Decades later, the Pennar Group is an established name in multiple diversified ventures.

Sachin Sharma, Executive Editor, says, "Forging Mettle proves that we can build large organizations on the foundations of values and sustainability. Nrupender Rao is one of the most rare business leaders in corporate India. His value system, integrity and long-term vision will serve as a template for generations of entrepreneurs to come. We are proud to publish this exceptional book."

Author, Pavan C. Lall says, "In a world where business success fortunes are minted overnight it's possible to lose focus of what ought to form the core of   a corporation's fundamentals. Those include both a focus on people and long term sustainability which allow for not just widespread employment but also an institution with ability to last. The creation of Pennar by its founder and entrepreneur Nrupender Rao is one such fable that serves as a reminder of how it's possible to achieve all that, while doing the right thing."

ABOUT THE BOOK

The endless possibilities of a value-driven enterprise

Most business leaders trace their journeys on their balance sheet, counting how their profits have grown under their business acumen and the speed with which they accumulate fame, fortune and sometimes a cult of personality.

A first-generation entrepreneur, Nrupender Rao's story is as unique as they come. Born to a politician father, J.V. Narsing Rao, who served as deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nrupender took the non-obvious path to his dreams, first at IIT Kharagpur, followed by a master's degree at Purdue University and a corporate career that included stints at National Cash Register, Coromandel Fertilisers and Union Carbide.

When he took the leap of faith in 1987, buying the loss-making Pennar Steels and hoping to turn it profitable, many thought it wasn't a wise decision. Decades later, the Pennar Group is an established name in diversified ventures that range from environment projects, solar projects, steel guard rails, railway coaches and infrastructure components.

In Forging Mettle, senior journalist Pavan C. Lall tells the story of Nrupender Rao and his entrepreneurial journey. It's also the story of how a business built with ethics and social and environmental concern at the core of its values can indeed be profitable and sustainable.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pavan C. Lall is a Mumbai-based author and journalist who has written for Fortune magazine's Indian edition, the Dallas Business Journal, Moneycontrol, Mint and the Business Standard, on the automotive sector, private equity, real estate, storied conglomerates and more. A winner of the Citi Journalistic Excellence Award in 2016, what really drives him, besides very fast German cars, is telling great stories that have not been heard.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

G.V. PRASAD, CO-CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, DR REDDY'S LABORATORIES - "Driven by innovation and technologies ahead of their times to serve unmet needs of the industry and society, here is a dynamic entrepreneur from my city, Hyderabad, who built multiple businesses in the last several decades. Nrupender Rao's journey has not been linear and has had its highs and lows, but what is consistent throughout is his commitment to principles and ethical ways of doing business. He has shown that ethical entrepreneurship can create tremendous value to all stakeholders."

SAJJAN JINDAL, CHAIRMAN, JSW GROUP - "I recommend this book to all who believe that entrepreneurship and optimism are the mechanism by which we can create enduring institutions."

B.V.R. MOHAN REDDY, FOUNDER CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBER, CYIENT - "The entrepreneurial journey of Nrupender Rao in Forging Mettle gives the reader a front-row seat in the roller coaster ride of starting a company, getting great traction, facing sudden seemingly insurmountable challenges and existential risks and to finally overcoming them. This book exemplifies his never-say-die spirit and his total commitment to ethical management and job creation. In a country like India, one sometimes wonders if it's possible to build an institution that is profitable, principled and kind. Nrupender Rao's lifetime of work has been his attempt to answer that question."

ARUNACHALAM VELLAYAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, MURUGAPPA GROUP - "For many entrepreneurs, the definition of a successful business is high profitability, liquidity and market capitalization. Nrupender Rao and Pennar's story presents a unique philosophy for a company which is rooted in doing good and being good. I recommend this book to all aspiring entrepreneurs who want to understand how to build a principled and ethical institution."

About HarperCollins India 

HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover and Lonely Planet. HarperCollins India is now the recipient of five Publisher of the Year Awards – In 2021 and 2015 at the Publishing Next Industry Awards, and in 2021, 2018 and 2016 at Tata Literature Live. HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers. 

For reviews, excerpts, interviews, and more information, please contact:

Vandana Rathore 
vandana.rathore@harpercollins.co.in

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