The youngest son of industrialist, Ketan Samartha, Gautam, having completed his studies at M.I.T. is working in San Francisco. He has had this happy relationship with his American girl friend, Annette Gilmore. He has told her the that his father is a businessman, omitting the details about the Samartha empire. On a visit to India at his mother's invitation, Annette learns the truth, and is furious. The harmonious relationship between them is destroyed. Annette will not contemplate living in India. When it is decided that headquarters for the Samartha Group will be set up in New York, Gautam's brother, Cyrus, is chosen to take charge. He has done remarkably fine work for the Samartha Group, and knows the U.S. will. It is a blow to Gautam who must now return to India to take over Cyrus's responsibilities, for it means leaving the job he has liked so well, his circle of fine friends, and most of all, Annette, who cannot understand why he accepts the decision so meekly, and does not refuse to follow it. All their dreams for a future together dissolve into thin air, Bitter over the whole situation, Gautam returns to India. Quite unfairly, he blames the family, even his mother, for the breakup, although she had been extremely kind to Annette. He does not even phone her after his arrival. In business hours, of course he is in constant touch with his father and elder brother, Jai. As a Samartha, some inborn ability leads Gautam to do excellently in his work. Wanting to be alone, he buys an apartment for himself. After dinner, he usually goes for a walk along Marine Drive. One night, strolling along the sea front, he notices a girl standing in the water, quite drenched. Alarmed that she may be intent on suicide, he holds out a hand, telling her to come out, for she is in danger. She allows him to rescue her. He put her in the hands of an organization for women in trouble—and promptly forgets the incident until much later, they, meet again. He does not recognize the girl he saved in this beautiful person. Chatura is an expert in her field. They become very close. Prone to losing his temper, Gautam is furious over the fact Chatura is going away for some months. He utters unforgivable words that destroy their relationship completely. She will have nothing more to do with him although he makes desperate attempts to meet her. To complicate matters, Annette makes an unexpected visit to India in an attempt at reconciliation. Faced with a dilemma, Gautam must fin a solution. In A BRIEF MADNESS one meets again the personae from the earlier two novels in the Samartha Trilogy, as well as other equally unforgettable. The story is as gripping as the other two.