The Man Who Froze Fire: True Stories of Conflict Transformation by Sanjay Kumar, Guided by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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The Ranvir Sena - CPI(ML) conflict in Bihar, insurgency in the Northeast, and terror-prone villages in Kashmir. Pulling off peace in such conflict zones, between deadly warring factions known for killing one another and those caught in the crossfire as well, can seem tumultuous. Bringing the killers back to society seems downright impossible.

The Man Who Froze Fire chronicles true stories of conflict transformation facilitated from ground zero by Sanjay Kumar under the guidance of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Suraj Duseja brings to you the exciting and intriguing backstage action of many such paradigm shifts in contemporary times. The book brings to the fore the crucial works that happened from 2000-2017 in bringing together and transforming conflicted communities whose lives and regions were destroyed by structural violence ranging from militancy, terrorism, and insurgency to Maoism.

Suraj Duseja started his career in writing working for a content agency in 2010. Currently handling a senior copywriter position in an ad agency in Mumbai, The Man who Froze Fire will be Suraj's first published book. Based in Mumbai, he is also working on fiction work that will soon be available in print and media.

Then Gurudev asked me to write a book for the organization Win 2018, my first thought went to Sanjay ji. Thankfully, everyone from Gurudev to Sanjay ji accepted my request. As I started researching his work and efforts, the sheer dedication and scale of his work left me amazed.

While I had been a part of the Art of Living for more than 13 years, it was only after I interacted with Sanjay ji at length that I realized the amount of effort that Gurudev makes to bring about transformation to every place that needs it.

The Man who Froze Fire is a collection of stories, a journey, that can hopefully and adequately describe Gurudev's vision of a 'violence-free, stress-free society' and the effort of the committed volunteers and teachers who make it happen.

Most people are unaware about the impact that violence and conflict can have on the psyche of a region. At a structural level, violence can completely corrode a society from within.

In our first interaction, Sanjay ji explained the concept of 'Structural Violence'. It was like listening to a doctor who was completely in grasp of the problem that the patient suffered from. This is what he explained:

"Violence leads to a culture of despondency, of helplessness, and resignation. When citizens lose their self-esteem and confidence to change society for the better, evil elements dominate society. No one is there to oppose them.

When violence transcends from mortal harm to corrupting the roots of society itself, it becomes Structural Violence.

Ever since it became an independent country, Pakistan has led an unceasing campaign to seize Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Besides waging four unprovoked wars against India, our western neighbour has been, for over three decades now, carrying out its proxy war in J&K with the objective of perpetrating violence and killings, creating chaos and enlarging the subversive activities of its terrorist organizations which ruthlessly spread radical Islam, even if it involves the cold-blooded massacre of young children and old men and women.

The Indian Security Forces have performed valiantly to consistently thwart Pakistan's unceasing efforts to annexe Kashmir. In this process, over the years, the ordinary people in J&K have had to face varied constraints and sufferings. The younger generations, particularly those living in the areas along the Line of Control, who have grown up in an environment of suspicion, fear and violence, have developed varied complexes, disadvantaging traits and disabilities.

Sanjay Kumar, a disciple of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the eminent founder of the Art of Living, the internationally known Bangalore-based organisation, has been working in Jammu and Kashmir for many years. Persuaded by Gurudev to give up his ambition of being a member of the IAS, he is a bold and fearless person, imbued with an extra ordinary missionary fervour.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages