The Fading Causes Podcast

Today, I had the privilege of launching my first book, My Five to Thrive: Practices That Transformed My Body and Mind—and Can Transform Yours, at the Beijing International Book Fair. 🇨🇳  The journey began long before Beijing. I was born in Calcutta 🇮🇳 home to one of the oldest Chinatowns outside China 🇨🇳 —a place where Indian and Chinese cultures have enriched one another for generations. Fitting, perhaps, that a life beginning at the intersection of these two civilizations would lead to a book inspired by the wisdom of both. It crystallized during 21 days of quarantine in a Guangzhou 🇨🇳hotel room in January 2021. After nearly three decades with the United Nations 🇺🇳 across some of the world’s hardest places, I had a quiet realization: I had spent a lifetime helping repair the world, and neglected to repair myself. This book is the story of that transformation. It draws on India’s ancient traditions of yoga, breath, and mindfulness, and China’s vision of wellbeing as a public good, embodied in Healthy China 2030. At its heart are five practices: breathwork, fasting, meditation, movement, and the healing power of heat and cold. At 62, I am healthier, calmer, and more fulfilled than ever—not because I found something new, but because I returned to something ancient. My deep gratitude to CICG and its President Mr. Chang Bo, and to Sinolingua, for believing in this project; to Ambassador Luo Zhaohui for honoring me with his presence and remarks; and to the many friends in China whose encouragement gave me the confidence to write. My hope is simple: that this book helps others not merely live longer, but live better—toward a world where health is not a privilege and balance is not a luxury. From the streets of Calcutta’s Chinatown to the halls of the Beijing International Book Fair, this journey reminds me that the deepest bridges between nations are built not through politics or economics, but through shared humanity. 🇮🇳 🤝 🇨🇳 🌍 #MyFiveToThrive #BeijingInternationalBookFair #HealthyChina2030 #Wellbeing #China #India