Charles W Eliot had very rightly said, "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers." India Inc leaders share some valuable business/life lessons derived from reading some of their favourite and inspirational books

Naresh Wadhwa, president and country manager, Cisco India and SAARC

My best pick: Bhagavad Gita and Bound Together: How Traders, Preachers, Adventurers, and Warriors shaped Globalisation by Nayan Chanda.

Business lessons learnt: As a leader, globalisation is very relevant in my sphere of work. The book Bound Together by Nayan Chanda presents an interesting perspective on globalisation and gives the reader an insight into the journeys that began from early agrarian societies to our 21st century world of telecommunications, networks and silicon chips. What I like most about the book is that it forays beyond economics and the political aspects to delve into what globalisation means from a historical and social perspective.

Personal inspiration drawn: The Bhagvad Gita is one of the most spiritual yet practical guides on how to lead life. The Gita is something I always go back to. Every sentence is powerful and every time you read it, you derive a different meaning out of it. The biggest learning I have derived from this book is to do the right thing and then, to let life take its course.

Shantanu Ghosh, SVP & global head - solutions, transitions and practice, Genpact

My best pick: Fault Lines by Raghuram Rajan; How the West was Lost by Dambisa Moyo, an African author; Boomerang: The Meltdown Tour by Michael Lewis; The Big Short by Michael Lewis; and The Next Convergence by Michael Spence. My most favourite amongst these has been Boomerang: The Meltdown Tour. It talks about the crisis, which took place in Ireland and Greece.

Business lessons learnt: The lessons derived from most of these books is that when you make a strategic decision around a product, business, people management or HR policies, the way you shape your strategy and approach it, has a long-lasting affect on how that translates and plays out in your performance.

Personal inspiration drawn:  There is a book called The Paradox of Excellence by David Mosby and Michael Weissman. The whole thesis of the book is on how communication is important to articulate the value of any service anyone is receiving. It is about how effective communication is critical in ensuring that the customer understands the value of what they are  getting.

Deepinder Bedi, executive director, Tulip Telecom

My best pick: Multipliers by Liz Wiseman.

Business lessons learnt: The biggest investment organisations are making in today's hyper-challenging times is in its people who become 'multipliers' (leaders who amplify team capabilities to get better results) for the company. My learning from the book was largely around ways to nurture multipliers and also about learning the distinguishing factors between multipliers and ‘diminishers' (leaders who drain capability and intelligence from their teams).

Personal inspiration drawn: The very process of distinguishing the multipliers from the diminishers is very tricky. I believe having read the book has helped me to make the process of distinguishing simplistic. However, this learning of distinguishing is an ongoing process.

- Yasmin Taj