The session "Making a Life" featured author and public intellectual Gurcharan Das in conversation with Dr Mrunal Naik. The discussion invited the audience to look beyond careers and consider what it truly means to build a meaningful and purpose-driven life.Gurcharan Das reflected on his own journey, from his childhood memories during the partition to the influence of his parents and the experiences that shaped his identity. He explained how writing a memoir encourages honest self-reflection and how it differs from an autobiography by focusing on themes, meaning and inner clarity. He urged the audience to keep asking what life means to them at every stage and to recognise which memories matter enough to carry forward.The conversation highlighted the importance of choosing values over routine, purpose over pressure and meaning over mere achievement. Audience interactions centred on how personal narratives can guide life choices and bring deeper understanding.#GurcharanDas #MakingALife #MemoirWriting #LifePurpose #ValuesAndMeaning #PublicIntellectual #PenguinIndia #OCLF #OrangeCityLiteratureFestival #NagpurEvents #LitFestIndia