The Fault in Our Synergies

An HR professional fell for a novelist. What happened next will blow your mind. Or maybe not

- Tanul Thakur

CORPORATE ka king kaun? Piku Mhatre. The phonetic similarity is, of course, just a coincidence, but this rhyme rings deep. Because like the beloved Bollywood gangster, Piku inspires respect and fear. At the age of 26, heading the Human Resource department of a global consulting firm, WeWin, he’s already become a legend in the recruiting industry.

On many days, he’s fired a few employees—sorry, resources—before they’ve even contemplated their breakfast options. Actually, not fired, he hates that word, let gone. That’s what he’s best at, and most known for, downsizing. He’s also famous for his ‘corporate literary’ writing—his long emails have spawned their own fan base on job portals—culminating in a splash on the literary shores. A prestigious publishing house, Walrus, recently gave him a seven-figure advance for his collection of essays (tentatively titled Killing with Kindness).

Like many corporate professionals, Piku has an opinion on everything, including—and especially on—topics outside his core domain. “You guys write such crap,” he once told me at an industry event. “You call yourself the editor of The Awesome Times—the best newspaper in the country—but it’s impossible to read your reporters’ copies. Real Writing, you see ...” He pauses. “Well, scratch that, why don’t you come to my office someday? I’ll teach you a thing or two.”