Lucknow Boy: A Memoir

• The book traces Mehta's evolution from an outsider struggling to find his footing to a pioneering editor who launched some of India's most influential publications. It blends self-deprecating humor with sharp socio-political analysis, reflecting on the changing ethics and power dynamics of Indian journalism.

Vinod Mehta (1942–2015) was a veteran Indian journalist and author. He founded and edited several pioneering publications, including The Sunday Observer, The Independent, The Pioneer (Delhi edition), and served as the long-time editor-in-chief of Outlook magazine. He was widely respected for his fearless journalism and editorial independence

The memoir navigates Mehta's early life, his formative years in Lucknow, and his eventual entry into the cutthroat world of print media. Rather than following a dry chronological path, he recounts major landmark political events and interactions with prime ministers, tycoons, and Bollywood stars through personal anecdotes. The narrative underscores his professional triumphs and failures, concluding as a testament to staying principled in an increasingly compromised media environment.