Nidhi Vadhera: Books and a healthy reading habit continue to anchor us in this digitally drowned world full of distractions

One of the first things that came to her mind is the gap between vernacular languages and English. With this thought in mind she started her show Kitabi Gyaan that has been successful and quite popular.

Saying that the feedback she has been getting for the book was heartwarming, Nidhi adds, “I get lots of love and appreciation from viewers in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, US, UK, Australia, Dubai and Turkey and many other countries. People see me as someone with answers to their questions. The channel has been growing consistently. I have reviewed over 130 books so far. Some of the reviews got the attention of world renowned publishers and even authors. Interestingly, one book I loved reading and reviewed, ran out of stock within weeks of the review going public. It was the first time I experienced firsthand power of social media and how a simple effort can bring about a big change. The video went viral and I received a congratulatory note from the publisher for helping them sell out the entire stock in India.”

Nidhi’s book ‘Romancing Targets’ has also received appreciation. “The journey has been extremely rewarding and fulfilling. I’m getting connected with some of the best minds in the world. I’m also speaking at various international forums, institutions and organizations to address their members on the importance of learning through reading books,” she says.
 

Sharing the process of choosing book titles for review, Nidhi adds, “Reading is a solitary act. I used to go to bookstores and spend hours browsing to find the perfect book. Once the connection was made either through serendipity or sometimes through recommendations, I dedicated myself to the book. My inclination is more towards non-fiction and I also feel this category has a broader appeal. Thus I began my book-reviewing journey with books that I loved reading. Eventually, friends, and later my viewers began sending in requests asking me to review books of their choice. To cut the long story short, if I connect with the book and I feel reviewing it would add value to the viewer - I do it.”

Nidhi began the channel with the vision of bringing about a social change, especially in the smaller towns and cities of our country. “It would be so meaningful if through a book we could bring people together. Personally, I envision having the dominant presence of the channel as that of Evan Carmichael, and more. But at the core of it, I simply want to enjoy reading and living the lessons I gather from each book I review,” she says.

The Book reading habit, according to many, is facing threat from social media. However, Nidhi has a different opinion.

“On the contrary, books and a healthy reading habit continue to anchor us in this digitally drowned world full of distractions. On top of it, the recent pandemic has increased people’s interest in self-learning and reading books continues to remain one of the most relevant ways of educating oneself. Books have survived two World Wars. I don’t think we are going to find an alternative anytime soon. The mediums and platforms may keep changing but the human brain requires the ability and the art of reading to evolve,” she ends.