Indian Express editor-in-chief Shekhar Gupta‘s much-awaited book, Anticipating India, a compilation of his Saturday columns, has seen a change of cover.
At left is the original cover, with the tagline “If Modi wins on Sunday”. At right, is the actual book jacket, with the tagline now reading “The best of National Interest”.
The 516-page book, published by Harper Collins, is dedicated to Viveck Goenka, the chairman of the Indian Express and the grandson of Ramnath Goenka.
“For Viveck Goenka, ninetten years, 900 columns and not one call to ask ‘why’. If you find more newspaper owners like him, please do exchange notes with me.”
The book is also dedicated to his children Mandakini Gupta and Abhimanyu Gupta and their respective spouses, the “four points of my compass”.
The sleeve notes records this line about the author:
“A proud father of a pastry chef in Delhi and a mathematical economist in London, Gupta lives in New Delhi with his wife—and the company of an adorable family of dogs and cats whom you would call stray at your own peril.”
Also read: You have read the column, now read the book
IJR 
Dear Sir,
1.It is blasphemy for a South Indian Kappi drinking Brahmin to say that the first newspaper of choice for me(now) is the Indian Express and my namesake’s column, mandatory reading.
2.It was fascinating to watch Prannoy Roy flinching on Monday(NDTV,24/7, the last word) when Mr Gupta talked about spanking Congress leaders for tweeting, leaking and vanishing from the election scene and giving the opposition party a free ride, an open goalpost.
3.It is this refreshing ability to speak his mind in a language easily understood by readers/viewers that ranks Mr Gupta among the most influential journalists today.
4.May his tribe increase!
SG has also fallen prey to the temptation; 509 pages are too long as the 49 days or so for the tiring general election 2014. Add another 50 for the IPL that starts today to relieve the tedium in between. I cannot say which team SG fancies . All pen pushers that is the political pundits are giving psephologists a run for their money. One of my colleagues left service to join as a cook of a up and coming politician in Nagpur. He (my colleague) was a good cook and caterer but also fancied himself to be a psephologist. I can’t say what the up and coming politician thought of my colleague for his culinary skills or for his discerning forecasts as a psephologist.Last heard my erstwhile colleague is also a journalist.
I can relate to Shekhar Gupta’s sentiments, having worked in the IE Mumbai group. I have spent my best years as a journalist with The Financial Express.