Lata uncovers captivating tales in the mundane. Her writing weaves compelling narratives around resilient characters with charming imperfections, entwined in captivating plots. With a remarkable career spanning three decades in Journalism and behavioural training, she's a versatile talent. In her leisure moments, you'll often find Lata engrossed in reading, penning her thoughts, or doing Yoga. For a taste of her adventurous side, whisk her away to the mountains, where her spirit truly soars.
Lata does extensive work in the Leadership space. She is an internationally certified NLP trainer, trained under Dr. William Horton of the National Federation of Neuro Linguistic Programming, USA. A keen student of psychology, she is trained in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). She is a pioneer in Emotional Intelligence-based training interventions in India, and is certified in Emotional Intelligence Competency by the Forum for Emotional Intelligence Learning and SBM NMIMS University. She does extensive work with managers, parents, and especially with women in this area. She is also a certified DISC (PPA) practitioner.
She has conducted over 3500 workshops and has trained over 75,000 people. Besides corporate workshops, Lata also delivers lectures at various educational institutes and seminars, reaching a cross-section of people right from teenagers to retired professionals. Her boundless energy finds its wellspring in her loving family: husband Sunil, son Sagar, daughter-in-law Kaushalya, and pet dog Monk.
Her literary pursuits include:
1) Incognito
Anjali's plain and staid life suddenly turns into a whirlpool when she befriends four very different individuals, leading distinct lifestyles. Slowly and steadily, they entrap Anjali into their lives. Anjali becomes the nucleus of their existence. She witnesses their lives from the ringside, and draws vicarious pleasure in their passionate love affairs. Then Anjali inadvertently becomes a mute witness to their plotting of four bizarre murders. Will Anjali be able to extricate herself from the tentacles of her four friends, or is the fabric of their relationship so intricately woven, that Anjali can only be drawn deeper into the sinister labyrinth? Incognito is a compelling psychological thriller; this hair-raising tale will keep you hooked from start to finish.
2) Prisoners of Secrets
A most unusual story of love. Do relationships built upon the one foundation that relationships must never be built on – secrets – really crumble? Set in South India in the 1950s, this is the story of Meera, Manuel, and Shankar – three conflicted souls each with secrets that can destroy the other. A story told in a way where you, the reader, are privy to the secrets, and made part of the conflict as you watch the story unfurl into consequences that arise when one becomes a prisoner of their secret.
3) Road To Abana
Road to Abana is the story of Paari and her steely determination to return to her home in Sukkur, Pakistan -- a home she was forced to abandon during the Partition of 1947. Almost two decades later, opportunity arrives when she is recruited into an arms trafficking business to deliver consignments to Karachi and Kandahar. From the deplorable refugee camp in Ulhasnagar on the outskirts of Bombay where she lives on the fringe of humanity, to the dark alleys of Karachi and the treacherous terrains of Afghanistan, Paari’s dangerous journey is wrought with hardships that constantly test her spirit and tenacity. Just when fortune begins to favour her, she stumbles upon a bitter truth and the plot to prevent her from attaining her goal. Will Paari succumb to the betrayal or will she succeed in avenging her homelessness?
4) Not Before You
Nikhil is 32 years old and has never sat, never stood, and never spoken.
His mother, Jaya, has dedicated her life to his care. As Jaya reaches the milestone of 60 years, she is overwhelmed with concern for Nikhil's future in the face of her own ageing.
Fearing the day she might pass away, leaving Nikhil alone and vulnerable, Jaya embarks on a courageous and desperate journey to find support and understanding from care centres and society at large. Is society truly empathetic to the needs of individuals like Nikhil? Is Jaya's unwavering commitment to her son an act of selflessness or selfishness? Amidst this emotional rollercoaster, Nikhil's estranged father and sister are forced to confront their own feelings of guilt, responsibility, and love.
Not Before You is a poignant exploration of the extraordinary love and sacrifice that parents of special-needs children demonstrate every day. It's a story of resilience, compassion, and the enduring bonds of family.
5) A Tale of Two Kitchens
Every recipe here is more than a meal—it is a memory, a bond, a celebration of the love that lingers long after the last bite. Two reigning queens of their kitchens, a Tamilian mother and a Sindhi mother-in-law, turned an exchange of recipes into a lifelong bond. What began with a handful of spices grew into a friendship that transcended language, culture, and geography. A Tale of Two Kitchens is not just a book of recipes—it’s a memoir of love, resilience, and the magic of food. From tangy tamarind rasam to comforting Sindhi kadhi, every dish carries a story, a memory, a moment of laughter shared between two remarkable women. As their daughter and daughter-in-law, Lata Gwalani had the privilege of inheriting both their kitchens—and blending them into her own. These pages are her tribute: a collection of flavours and stories that show how food can unite, heal, and celebrate.
