Three leading medical experts come together to tell you everything you need to know about the global pandemic
New Delhi, 11 March 2020 – Penguin Random House India announces the publication of one of the first books on the infamous Coronavirus. Pegged as a must read, The Coronavirus: What You Need to Know about the Global Pandemic has been written by practising physician and infectious disease specialist Dr. Swapneil Parikh, medical researcher and clinical psychologist Maherra Desai, and Director Medical Research, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre and Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Rajesh M. Parikh. This book will be published under the Ebury Press imprint of Penguin Random House. Ebury Press is one of the country’s most successful imprints dedicated to discovering, publishing and building the best voices in popular fiction and non-fiction. It is now available for pre-order on e-commerce websites.
Co-author Dr. Swapneil Parikh says, ‘Either humanity changes its approach to pandemics or pandemics will devastatingly change humanity’. The Coronavirus: What You Need to Know about the Global Pandemic is the first book that addresses the history, evolution, facts and myths around the Covid-19 pandemic. With the world trying to cope with the impact of this new coronavirus, here is a book that will demystify the outbreak and debunk myths that are causing quite a frenzy everywhere. It will tackle conspiracy theories and talk about the economic, political and social fallout of the pandemic. The elusive symptoms of the virus are making it harder to identify and assess the potential threat. Amidst this, correct and expertly led information will be the key to mitigate the problem, and perhaps even clear the air. Commenting on the need for immediate action, co-author Maherra Desai says, ‘The situation we are in was inevitable. We have had multiple unheeded warnings. Are we willing to learn this time around? We are invincible only to the extent of our preparedness.’
Milee Ashwarya, Publisher, Ebury Publishing & Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘We are currently in the grip of a global pandemic caused by Covid-19, and there is a lot of scattered information floating around leading to fear and panic. What we need most right now is credible information from professionals that can help us understand what Coronavirus is, and how we can prepare and protect ourselves against it. In this timely and useful book, Dr Swapneil Parikh, Maherra Desai, and Dr Rajesh Parikh explain the dos, don’ts, bust the myths, explain the history and evolution of the virus and share insights into what lies ahead for us. This is a must read for everybody.’
Commenting on the upcoming book, co-author of the book Dr. Rajesh M. Parikh says, ‘It has been an incredible experience to work on this book. Getting to know the phenomenal courage and dedication of healthcare workers across the world has made us look with renewed respect at our nursing and paramedical staff. Milee Ashwarya has catalysed this book from conception to completion. Despite being in close proximity to my colleague Maherra Desai and son Swapneil or perhaps because of it, I had not truly appreciated their knowledge and capacity for tireless research and writing until we worked as a team. I like to believe that appreciating health care workers, my co-authors, publisher and the terribly awesome virus, all in less than 3 weeks, is a transformative experience.’
About the authors-
Dr. Swapneil Parikh is a practicing physician in Mumbai and the cofounder of a healthcare start up. His practice focuses on reversing lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity. He is passionate about infectious diseases, medical literature and the future of technology in medicine.
Maherra Desai is a clinical psychologist and medical researcher. She has excelled in academics and psychometrics and is the site manager of clinical research at the Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai. She is passionate about fitness, travel and voluntary social work.
Dr. Rajesh M. Parikh is the Director of Medical Research and Honorary Neuropsychiatrist at the Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai. He trained and taught at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in the U.S. and at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. He has published research in leading international journals and is passionate about poetry, painting, photography, philosophy, linguistics, and aviation. He has cumulatively won over 200 awards in academics and in his diverse activities.
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About Penguin Random House India
Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.
Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.
Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.
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MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in