Social activist to release book on forgiveness on May 7

He wrote it during the Covid lockdown to distract himself from ‘survivor’s guilt’

Author, social activist and engineer Pranay Patil was inspired to write ‘Burgundy Winters: in Europe’, during the Covid lockdown. The book, which will release in Bengaluru on Saturday, “changed his life” and he wants to use it to help others.

The 35-year-old says the story revolves around self-forgiveness, love at first sight, abuse, cocaine addiction, redemption, and extreme guilt. “It talks about how often life gives second chances to people and they should grab these chances and try and make a change,” he says.

The plot is: American rockstar Jace Tanner is a drug addict. Something really tragic happens in his life and he goes to rehab. His sister Pearl takes him on a tour to Europe, where he meets Yasmeen, a tour guide in France. They go around visiting places like Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Germany, and fall in love.

During the first Covid-19 lockdown, Pranay felt “caged”. Many he knew were infected by the virus, which took a toll on his mental health. “People who I thought I would meet or receive a call from the next day, were suddenly admitted (in hospitals). I was feeling terrible. I tried to help people with ration, but I felt it wasn’t enough,” he says. Pranay felt like he was “suffering from survivors’ guilt”.

He decided to distract himself with writing. “I decided whatever profits I would get from the book; I would give it to charity. Once I started writing, I started feeling better and my mental state started getting better and I fully recovered. Simply saying, the book saved my life,” he says.

It took Pranay about a year to complete his first draft and another eight months to get the final draft ready.

Pranay Patil

The book is inspired by a true story, as he “believes no book can be a 100% fiction”. “There’s always an element of the author’s experiences and that reflects in the books they write,” he says.

Why is the book called ‘Burgundy Winters’? Pranay was thinking of an appropriate title and asked his wife to “think of something warm”. “I was thinking on the lines of Christmas and my seven-year-old daughter suggested burgundy. Burgundy (similar to red) also refers to the wine in France, which has a Christmasy feeling, and the colour also refers to love and even something tragic,” he explains.

Profits to charity

After the book was an Amazon bestseller at number 18 in the US, Pranay’s publisher suggested that he donate the proceeds to St Jude’s Children Research Hospital, New York. “Now that the book is releasing in India, my plan is to donate (the proceeds from the sale) to organisations here that help children with HIV, and help children in rural areas, who don’t have the means to proper education,” he says.

Pranay, who hails from Belagavi in the state, is involved in agriculture in his village. Along with his father, politician Vivek Patil, he also run several schools and educational institutions registered under the Mahakali Educational Society in rural and urban Belagavi.

Bengaluru connect

News anchor Rajdeep Sardesai and wellness coach Pooja Bedi will be in conversation with Pranay during the book launch at Higginbothams, M G Road, on May 7, 4.30 pm.

“I wanted to release the book in Bengaluru in India as I was born here. Whenever I came back for vacations, places like Higginbotham’s and Koshy’s stayed fresh in my memory,” he says.