The spontaneous moment that had me enrol to write a book!

During Dussehra week, I ended up registering for the Likhega India Mission, and it happened quite by chance.
I had only shared the message announcing this initiative in one of our book lover WhatsApp groups. The message had just been lying there for days. I may have glanced at it earlier, thinking, all right, let's share it with the book lover community, because where do I have the bandwidth to write a book!!
Then someone suddenly posted that the initiative looked interesting and asked whether anyone had signed up for it.

Later, someone responded that they had just registered.
Then suddenly, I signed up and messaged that I had registered too!

This was how I landed myself here today facing the challenge of writing a book!

I never would have enrolled if it weren't for the sudden enthusiasm I felt at that moment, I forgot about my practical thinking I had otherwise held that writing a book was a commitment I wasn't up to!

Feeling the nudge to get prepared to write a book

However, over the next few days, I thought nothing of it until the person who had enrolled for the Likhega India Mission asked whether I had been added to the WhatsApp group.

I knew that the WhatsApp group invitation must be in the emails sent by Sweta Samota. I was aware that I had received an enrolment confirmation by email, but I hadn't opened it.

Just a few days ago, I opened the first email from Sweta Samota. It mentioned that the word requirement for a book written for adults was 8,000, while the word requirement for a book written for children was 3,000.

I joined the main Likhega India WhatsApp group from there and informed the other person who had enrolled to check their email and join the WhatsApp group.

Two days ago, Sweta Samota posted a message in the group, asking us to be geared up for the first session and to come equipped with a pen and notebook. The Likhega India Challenge starts soon, on October 31st!

The sessions are meant to guide us, the Likhega India participants, through the process of writing a book, completing it and publishing it on the big day, December 19, 2026.

December 19th is a big day, when all those who are part of the Likhega India Mission collectively aim to publish their books, with the goal of setting a record for publishing 5,000 books on that day. This record is intended to be recognised by the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records.

Rough plans set on the Topic I would write on already!

I began to feel the gravity of the prospect of writing a book yesterday, after Sweta's message asking us to gear up for the first session.

Sweta Samota and her team would guide us through the process in the sessions beginning on October 31st.
This would involve:
Choosing the topic to write the book on
Researching the topic
Creating titles and structuring the content into chapters
Editing
Publishing
And even a monetary assessment of profitability (:

However, even before attending the first session, I found the topic I am going to write my book on (:
I can write on many subjects, some of which could actually be easier for me. But writing on this particular subject would be meaningful, even if it is more challenging than the other topics I could have chosen.

Sweta Samota and her team would guide us through the process in the sessions beginning on October 31st.
This would involve:

- Choosing the topic to write the book on

- Researching the topic

- Creating titles and structuring the content into chapters

- Editing

- Publishing

- And even a monetary assessment of profitability (:

However, even before attending the first session, I found the topic I am going to write my book on (:
I can write on many subjects, some of which could actually be easier for me. But writing on this particular subject would be meaningful, even if it is more challenging than the other topics I could have chosen.

Positive Measures of Community Dog Welfare Initiatives That Integrate Dogs with the Community

The subject I intend to write about is community dogs in my area, emphasising how it is possible for our streetie canines to coexist with us.

Some of our free roaming community dogs I used to spend time with earlier.

Yes, I have written a few stories about my dog friends over the years - free-roaming, happy, loving, interesting and even entertaining dogs.
My Early association with these tame spirited dogs on the park
Step in and experience fun times with these active and free spirited doggies

Petting sessions that my free roaming dog buddies enjoy!!

Active Doggies that are fond of something tasty to chew in addition to pet massages

Through my stories, readers may understand that street dogs, whom I refer to as community dogs, are not necessarily dangerous animals that aim to attack or bite humans.
They can be friendly, happy and fun creatures if we approach them with some understanding, instead of looking down upon them as stray dog beasts that have no place in our areas because they are considered a threat to humans.

A hostile approach versus a humane, scientific approach to dealing with these dogs can result in very different environments. In one, where dogs may angrily bark at and chase people away, while in another, they may greet you as you walk past.

Calm, community-led efforts can create an environment where dogs live freely alongside humans, with both sharing the same spaces.
Earlier, I had written stories about my dog friends and acknowledged that volunteers are behind the well-being of these dogs - keeping them fed, vaccinated and neutered.

However, the efforts of the volunteer community need to be highlighted, and lessons from their work need to be learned and adopted so that street dogs in other areas can also be managed effectively in a similar way. This could go a long way towards addressing the stray dog menace in other areas. We can have dogs that are free-roaming, vaccinated and less aggressive and, more importantly, animals that can exist without posing a threat to residents.

The solution to addressing the stray dog problem cannot be a brute-force approach of taking these dogs off the streets and putting them in animal shelters. That is not even practical, as animal shelters cannot house the entire stray dog population.

Happy Votka!

The solution can be adapting to living alongside them and coordinating with the local government to get the strays vaccinated, neutered and fed properly.
Our area volunteers do this. They crowdfund and arrange food (chicken and rice) for the community dogs, treat injured animals and help the local government trap dogs so they can be neutered.
All our community dogs are monitored to ensure that they receive rabies vaccinations, so that even if they bite, the risk of rabies can be significantly reduced. The community does this by coordinating with the local government.

We have Votka playing with another dog!

I intend to write about this, along with stories of my personal experiences with dogs.

From avoiding Street dogs to getting dog friends!

Like many others, I was once someone who was scared of street dogs. Before I became acquainted with a dog called Grinny, I was often frightened, bullied and chased away by stray dogs that barked at me.

Later, those very dogs that once barked at me now allow me to walk freely and even pet them.

My Friendly street dog encounter!

Eventually, I began to find joy in the company of a few dogs who became my friends. We formed a bond of friendship, where they enjoyed my company and I enjoyed theirs, just as they were. My time with them was enriching, as these dogs were entertaining and interesting, each with their own distinct personalities.

Dogs like Biscuit used to run after my car, hoping I would notice him, stop and pet him. Now Batman does it. I see him running madly in my rear-view mirror, so even when I am in a hurry, I usually get down and pet him.

Earlier, Biscuit used to find me on the street and walk with me to the pet store, even accompanying me inside. I would often be asked, "Is he your friend?"

Grinny is still thrilled to see me. She jumps and paws at me and licks at me with her loving genuine enthusiasm. At times, when she notices me from a house where she takes shelter, she jumps over the compound wall and cries out to get my attention.

Although I call her Monkey Dog here… she’s Dog Grinny, greeting me from compound wall!!

Then there is energetic Votka, who used to run towards me like a horse and paw at me to greet me.

Behind these wonderful dogs are invisible forces in the form of volunteers who have ensured their well-being but are not adequately acknowledged or recognised.
Some people see these volunteers in a negative light and harass those who feed them, even though it is not easy to arrange meals for a large number of stray dogs every day. Regular feeding also helps ensure that they remain calm and content, settled in a secure place rather than wandering around searching for food and becoming frustrated.

Dog Biscuit who used to run after my car to greet me!

I know how these efforts have helped these dogs feel happy, accepted and safe, making them less likely to behave aggressively towards humans. I also know how harsh survival can otherwise be for these dogs and how community care has helped them live happy lives with the dignity they deserve.

This is why I am going to write a book touching on them – exploring how community involvement in stray dog management can help convert loose street dogs, into free-roaming content community dogs who are part of our neighbourhood and can actually bring joy to residents!

That's the subject I roughly intend to write about.