Read Of The Week (Dec 6th to Dec 12th)

Few brands inspire the kind of devotion that an Enfield does. Its distinctive look and feel, the sound of its engine and the image that it creates of its rider have all contributed to putting the brand on the kind of pedestal that others can only dream of. From the beginning of the brand’s journey in India in the early 1950s, the Enfield bikes have had quite a ride. Initial success and acceptance notwithstanding, by the 1980s, the brand was considered an underachiever and a basket case. Enter Vikram Lal of Eicher in 1990. Lal’s enthusiasm for the brand gave it a new lease of life. In the past few years, Enfield has come to represent successful business turnarounds even as its bikes have found newer and newer converts. Indian Icon: A Cult Called Royal Enfield by Amrit Raj maps the trailblazing story of the brand, the company and most of all, the individuals who have made it what it is. It is also the story of the clash of the old guard with the new, leading to dramatic changes in the business.