Page 68 – Penguin Random House India

The enduring Indian epic: Namita Gokhale on her favourite characters from the Mahabharata

Posted on November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 by vanyajaiswal

Written centuries ago, the epic Mahabharata continues to hold relevance in modern times. Read and savoured across ages and cultures, the legendary tale is a literary treasure of unmatched grandeur. Namita Gokhale retells this timeless tale of mortals and immortals and stories within stories, of valour, deceit, glory, and despair in The Puffin Mahabharata. Today, we are sharing with you some of her favourite characters from the book and the reason they enjoy a special place in her heart.

By Namita Gokhale, the author of The Puffin Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is full of characters and stories for every age and culture. When I wrote The Puffin Mahabharata, I researched many sources and texts, trying to extract the essence of the narrative for young readers. The one character that reached out to me from across time to leap into my heart was Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima by the royal Rakshasi Hidimbi. The courage and strength that Ghatotkacha and his mother Hidimbi displayed at every turn of their lives reached out to me at a primal level. I was upset and angry that this heroic figure never received his due in the epic. The Battle of Kurukshetra was won only by the valour and sacrifice of Ghatotkacha, the first-born son of the five Pandava brothers. I resolved then, while working on the first draft of the Puffin Mahabharata, that I would dedicate another future book entirely to the story of Ghatotkacha and his valiant mother. I kept my promise to myself, and wrote Lost In Time: Ghatotkacha and the Game of Illusions as my tribute to a great and wonderful being.

Ghatotkacha was a Rakshasa of demon lineage from his mother’s side. This gave him many extraordinary magical skills, including the ability to conjure up illusions through the miraculous use of Maya. On the fourteenth night of the great battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Ghatotkacha summoned all his reserves of mystical power to confuse and intimidate the enemy forces. His war cries sent shivers of fear through the Kaurava camp, and his savage team of rakshasas were almost invincible. He was in battle with Karna, whose arrows could never find their target because Ghatotkacha could change his form at will. Karna used his ultimate weapon, the Shakti, to pierce the magical cloak with which Ghatotkacha had defended himself. Even as he fell to earth, he willed his body to swell and grow so that it landed on the Kaurava camp, destroying their warriors with this last sacrifice. It was him who changed the course of the battle and led to the Pandavas’ ultimate victory.

Hidimba remained ever loyal to her husband Bhima, even though he returned to his wandering after marrying her. Ghatotkacha grew up raised only by his mother, but his love and loyalty to his father was as strong as it was pure. Yet they are often forgotten amidst the many other heroic figures in the Mahabharata, though they will always have a special place in my heart.

front cover of The Puffin Mahabharata — The Puffin Mahabharata || Namita Gokhale

And then there are the figures of Karna and Krishna. Both mighty and invincible heroes, one the son of Surya, the mighty Sun god, and the other a god himself. Krishna is perhaps the most beloved of all the Hindu gods, worshipped across India for his mischief, love and compassion. He guided the Pandavas to victory through all the suffering and injustice they encountered. Krishna was a master of strategy, and his advice was always tinged with genius. Yet, towards the end of the epic, he too met a tragic fate. The hunter Jara, mistaking Krishna for a deer, aimed his arrow at him through the forest foliage. The sage Durvasa had granted Lord Krishna the boon of invulnerability all over his body, except in the soles of his feet. That was where Jara’s arrow pierced him, and went through his body, all the way to his head. He cried out in pain and Jara discovered to his horror and dismay that he had taken aim at none other than Lord Krishna himself. Fate and destiny work in mysterious ways and Krishna’s soul ascended to the heavens, his time on earth over.

Karna was the eldest child of mother Kunti and in reality the oldest of the Pandavas. Yet he was abandoned by his mother at birth and adopted by the charioteer Adiratha and his loving wife. What strikes me most about Karna is his endless generosity, his capacity to give and to forgive. Sometimes life places us in difficult situations and it is our ability to remain true to ourselves that carries us through.

The life lessons of the Mahabharata are important for all ages. They are about defeat as well as victory, humility as well as courage. The Mahabharata, the greatest story ever told, remains true to life and full of learnings even as it is told and retold through generations and across millennia.

A tiny glimpse into Sudha Murty’s brand-new bag of stories!

Posted on November 13, 2020 by ashmita

Have you ever wondered why the dogs start barking in the middle of the night? Ajja and Ajji have a story for us that might just explain why this happens. Here is an excerpt:

The Language of the Dogs

It was a quiet and hot night. The children were sitting in the veranda under thefan, talking to each other.

A short distance away, Ajja and Kamlu Ajji were sitting on the stairs in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They could hear the street dogs barking near the main gate of the house.

‘Why do the dogs bark at night?’ asked Kamlu Ajji. ‘It’s the same story in Bangalore too—they start barking in the middle of the night and go on for a really long time.’

‘They also have their own problems,’ said Ajja. ‘Usually, the dogs are fed leftover food from restaurants. But these days, no hotels are open during the lockdown and many are going hungry.’

Ajja turned and called out to Ajji who was still inside the house. ‘Do you have any food for the dogs?’ he yelled.

‘A few chapatis and some rice,’ she yelled back. ‘Bring them here!’
Ajji brought the food and biscuits and went with

Ajja and Kamlu Ajji to the main gate. The children watched from a distance. They looked on as two dogs appeared.

Ajji put biscuits, rice and chapati in a bowl and kept water in another bowl just outside the gate. The two dogs looked at her and attacked the food greedily, gobbling it down in minutes. Then they drank the water, wagged their tails to thank her and ran away.

Slowly, the trio walked back and sat on the steps of the veranda. Ajji said, ‘I wish they could speak. Then I could make them their favourite food. After all, the earth also belongs to them.’

‘Your perspective is so different,’ said Ajja. ‘Humans can speak and that’s why we can do the things we want to and own material things like property and land.’

‘Poor animals. We are occupying their land just because they cannot communicate like us. Even if they had ownership of any piece of land before us, they can’t tell us.’

‘You are right,’ said Kamlu Ajji. ‘Now that humans are all indoors, lots of animals in India are coming out from the forests to the cities nearest to them because it was all their land a long, long time ago.’

Ajja added, ‘This world would have been a different place if we understood the chirping of birds and the language of animals.’

Ajji smiled and said, ‘I am thinking of Dheeraj now.’ ‘Who’s Dheeraj?’ asked Ajja.
‘Do you want to listen to a story?’
Ajja and Kamlu Ajji nodded their heads like children, eager to listen to what Ajji had to say.

***

Amit and his wife Preeti were high-ranking officials in their kingdom. They were young, powerful and rich and lived in a mansion by a river. They frequently hosted official celebrations on their yacht or their beautiful large gardens, but made sure they invited only those people from the kingdom who were also rich or powerful, and not whom they considered less fortunate.

Ramu was a housekeeper who lived with them and served them for years. One day, he brought home a young boy of six years. The boy looked innocent and intelligent.

Ramu asked Preeti, ‘I met this boy in the village fair. He doesn’t have anyone to take care of him. I would like to help him. Can he live with me?’

Preeti glanced at the boy and said, ‘Sure, as long as he works for us and does not spoil the premises.’

And that is how Dheeraj began living in Preeti and Amit’s home.

front cover - Grandparents's Bag of Stories — Grandparents’ Bag of Stories||Sudha Murty

One day, Amit hosted a dinner for an important minister. The evening began with a tour of the river on the yacht. Then the yacht docked on the riverside, and music began playing as the celebrations commenced in the beautiful gardens. There was a wide spread of delicacies being served. Dheeraj was assisting Ramu with his chores.

The dinner was in full swing when the barking of two dogs disturbed Amit and his guests. The dogs were right outside the main gate of the gardens. Amit gave instructions to Ramu to hush them and chase them away, but the dogs refused to move. The non-stop barking upset Amit and he said, ‘I wish someone could understand what they are saying so that we could respond appropriately and ask them to leave.’

Dheeraj was nearby and overheard Amit. Timidly, he approached the master of the house and said, ‘Sir, I can understand them.’

Some of the guests laughed while others passed sarcastic comments.

Preeti asked, ‘Tell me, boy, what are they saying?’

‘Madam, I will tell you if you promise me that you will not get upset when I share their words with you,’ said Dheeraj, looking worried.

‘They must be talking about food, boy! Anyway, hurry up and tell us,’ said Preeti firmly.

‘Madam, they are not talking about food.’

‘Get to the point, boy! I am losing patience with you,’ snapped Amit.

Nervously, Dheeraj continued, ‘Sir, there is a male dog and a female dog at the gate. The male dog said, “Look at life’s irony.”

“What do you mean?” said the female dog.

“This couple is used to being served by someone all the time. But a day will come when the master of this house will give an important person water to wash their hands and the lady will voluntarily run and bring a towel for him to wipe his hands.”

“Who are you talking about? Whom will this couple serve?”

“The male dog grinned and said, “This little boy.”

Both the dogs then had a hearty laugh,’ said Dheeraj, and fell silent.

The silence spread through the guests and it ruined their mood.

Did you lose yourself in Ajja and Ajji’s world of stories? We did too! There is so much more in Grandparents’ Bag of Stories.

Jawaharlal Nehru: A life in words

Posted on November 12, 2020November 18, 2020 by ashmita

There is no dearth of writing on Jawaharlal Nehru. More will always be less when accounting for his contribution to the country, which starts from before the inception of India, the idea of India. A man who fought imperialism, colonialism, and strove for the idea of a nation propped by secularism, diversity and communal camaraderie is not a figure easily summarised in words. But this 14^th of November, we are celebrating Nehru’s birthday with a list of works that come close to portraying the brilliance of his persona, a figure larger than life, vital to our history.

An Autobiography

by Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, was a great personality who also wrote a number ofinspiring and knowledgeable books. ‘Jawaharlal Nehru: An Autobiography’ is his autobiographical work which he penned down between the years of 1934 and 1935 while he was in prison. In this book, Nehru explores his ideologies and the events in his life that led him to the situation he was positioned in when he wrote this book.

The practice of civil disobedience that Nehru had taken up, is discussed by him terms of his belief in the movement. The author starts off the book with an introduction to his ancestral history, where he mentions that his predecessors had to run away from Kashmir to settle elsewhere.

The book also paints a vivid picture of the pre-independence era in India, where the air of dissension was at an all-time high. The book depicts the political realisation of an upcoming giant of a nation and the battle for its freedom.

front cover Discovery of India — The Discovery of India||Jawaharlal Nehru

The Discovery of India

by Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru wrote the book ‘The Discovery of India’, during his imprisonment at Ahmednagar fort for participating in the Quit India Movement (1942 – 1946). The book was written during Nehru’s four years of confinement to solitude in prison and is his way of paying an homage to his beloved country and its rich culture.

The book started from ancient history, Nehru wrote at length of Vedas, Upanishads and textbooks on ancient time and ends during the British raj. The book is a broad view of Indian history, culture and philosophy, the same can also be seen in the television series. The book is considered as one of the finest writing om Indian History. The television series Bharat Ek Khoj which was released in 1988 was based on this book.

Glimpses of World History

by Jawaharlal Nehru

‘Glimpses of the World History’ is an account of the progress of the world through centuries and ages. This book is a collection of letters that Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to his daughter Indira when he was in various Indian prisons for three years. The letters were meant to introduce her to the world and its history. In the first few letters, Nehru expresses his sadness for not being able to be around his daughter and give her the materialistic gifts that other parents could but he promises to give her a gift that he could afford; in the form of knowledge and wisdom through words that come from the very core of his heart. Nehru wrote 196 letters and covered the history of mankind from 6000 BC to the time he was writing the letters.

Letters from a Father to His Daughter

by Jawaharlal Nehru

When Indira Gandhi was a little girl of ten, she spent the summer in Mussoorie, while her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was in Allahabad. Over the summer, Nehru wrote her a series of letters in which he told her the story of how and when the earth was made, how human and animal life began, and how civilizations and societies
evolved all over the world.

Written in 1928, these letters remain fresh and vibrant, and capture Nehru’s love for people and for nature, whose story was for him ‘more interesting than any other story or novel that you may have read’. This is a priceless collection of letters from one legendary leader to another.

Get a small glimpse into the life of Pandit Nehru in his own words.

Fun new reads for your shelves, this Children’s Day

Posted on November 12, 2020 by ashmita

Not that we need an occasion to buy books, but Children’s Day is the perfect time to add some fascinating and wonderful reads to your young readers’ shelves! From magical adventures in forests, to exciting stories about monarchs, and a glimpse into the constitution of India, we have you covered on all fronts.

front cover of A Box of Stories — A Box of Stories||Ruskin Bond

A Box of Stories: A Collector’s Edition

by Ruskin Bond

A collector’s edition featuring the best of Ruskin Bond’s works

Featuring some of Ruskin Bond’s finest stories, poetry and selected non-fiction pieces, this special collector’s edition brings together the best works of India’s best-loved author for all his fans. Included in the collection are the two treasuries The Room of Many Colours and Uncles, Aunts and Elephants. Featuring illustrations and a rich cast of characters, this box set is a perfect collection for fans of the master storyteller.

The Magic Of The Lost Temple

by Sudha Murty

City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents’ village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends.

Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.

Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable.

Moin and the monster

by Anushka Ravishankar

Illustrated by Anitha Balachandran

One night, in the dim darkness of his room, Moin heard something shuffling and sniffling under his bed …’

It is a monster. Moin has to learn to live with the monster, which does nothing but eat bananas, sing silly songs and try out new hairstyles.

However, keeping the monster a secret from his parents and teachers is a tough task and finally Moin decides that the only thing to do is send the monster back where it came from…

front cover Book of Beasts — Book of Beasts||M Krishnan

Book of Beasts: An A to Z Rhyming Bestiary

by M Krishnan

The hispid hare is rather rare in fact, outside north-eastern east it lives nowhere and even there it is a most uncommon beast.
With scientific facts, quirky verse and gorgeous illustrations, this is a most unusual alphabet book!
A writer and an artist, M Krishnan was one of India’s best-known naturalists.

front cover 10 Indian Monarchs — 10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know||Devika Rangachari

10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know

by Devika Rangachari

This book tells the stories of ten Indian monarchs who find, at best, passing mention in the history textbooks we read, though their lives were exciting and their achievements considerable:
Ajatashatru
Bindusara
Rudradaman
Pulakeshin II
Jayapida
Didda
Ramapala
Abbakka
Chand Bibi
Ahilyabai Holkar

Historian and award-winning novelist, Devika Rangachari writes absorbing tales of the men and women who shaped lives and kingdoms in their times.

The Curious Case of The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop

by Nandini Nayar

Making and selling sweets day after day is the life of Vishnudas Mithaiwala, the owner of The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop. However, when Laddoo appears at his doorstep one night, claiming to be his estranged sister Revati’s son, Vishnu’s life is thrown into confusion. More craziness ensues when Anu turns up, also insisting that she’s Revati’s child! With no idea how to discern the real Mithaiwala, life is full of chaos for Vishnu, as the two children compete to prove their identity.

And Laddoo, worried about his parents, who have suddenly disappeared, is thrown another curveball-he senses a ghostly presence in the house! When a plot to steal the Mithaiwala family’s valuable recipe book is hatched, Laddoo tries to use this new psychic ability to save the day.

Akbar and the Tricky Traitor

by Natasha Sharma

The mighty Mughal emperor Akbar is angry. Someone is leaking secrets of his court to his enemies. What’s worse, his enemies are now laughing at Akbar. Who can help the emperor solve this mystery?

Mysteries you’ll never find in history books

Timmi in Tangles

by Shals Mahajan

Timmi’s life is full of tangles. Her mother expects her to go to school even though she’s a raja; Idliamma eats up all her idlis and everyone thinks Timmi ate them … and why can’t people understand that if you have a giant for a friend you can lift the roof to let the rain in?

Simply Nanju

by Zainab Sulaiman

Nothing worries Nanju too much; not the fact that he walks funny or that he’s known as the class copy cat or that the cleverest (and prettiest) girl in class barely knows he’s alive.

But when books start disappearing from the classroom, the needle of suspicion begins to point at Nanju. Aided by his beloved best friend, the fragile but brainy Mahesh, Nanju has to find out who the real thief is. Otherwise, his father might pack him off to Unni Mama’s all-boys Hostel from Hell, and Nanju might lose all that’s dear to him.

Set in a school for children who are differently abled, this funny, fast-paced whodunit will keep you guessing till the very end.

front cover Discover India — Discover India: The Complete Collection||Sonia Mehta

Discover India: The Complete Collection

by Sonia Mehta

The Discover India series will take you on a grand tour of every single one of our country’s states. Join the adorable Pushka and Mishki and the wise and witty Daadu Dolma as they traverse the length and breadth of India. Meet nawabs in Andhra Pradesh, roam the highways of Haryana, learn the history of Odisha, study the culture of Bihar, explore the snow-laden valleys of Uttarakhand and pick up a new dance in Sikkim.

The Jungle Radio

by Devangana Dash

Come, listen to the sweet jungle orchestra, featuring the Woodpecker’s drums, the Hornbill’s trumpet and the Kingfisher’s blues

When curious little Gul hears some strange sounds coming from her radio, she follows the musical clues into . . . an Indian jungle! On her walk, she finds feathered friends who TWEET, TAPP and TALK. There are some who howl and hoot, and others who play the flute. With a KEE here and a KAW there, Gul discovers songs everywhere!

Brought to life by painterly illustrations, The Jungle Radio is a little story about the language of birds-their songs and sounds-with a loud and clear call to listen to the world around us.

We, The Children Of India

by Leila Seth

Illustrated by Bindia Thapar

Former Chief Justice Leila Seth makes the words of the Preamble to the Constitution understandable to even the youngest reader. What is a democratic republic, why are we secular, what is sovereignty? Believing that it is never too early for young people to learn about the Constitution, she tackles these concepts and explains them in a manner everyone can grasp and enjoy. Accompanied by numerous photographs, captivating and inspiring illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Bindia Thapar, and delightful bits of trivia, We, the Children of India is essential reading for every young citizen.

The Incredible History of India’s Geography

by Sanjeev Sanyal

Could you be related to a blonde Lithuanian?

Did you know that India is the only country that has both lions and tigers?

Who found out how tall Mt Everest is?

If you’ve ever wanted to know the answers to questions like these, this is the book for you. In here you will find various things you never expected, such as the fact that we still greet each other like the Harappans did and that people used to think India was full of one-eyed giants. And, sneakily, you’ll also know more about India’s history and geography by the end of it. Full of quirky pictures and crazy trivia, this book takes you on a fantastic journey through the incredible history of India’s geography.

Pack your young reader’s day with this varied collection!

Ashta Siddhis and the extraordinary powers of Goddess Durga

Posted on November 11, 2020 by ashmita

Do you know what the Ashta Siddhis, or the eight kinds of supernatural powers are? Read an excerpt to find out more about Nalini Ramachandran’s Nava Durga and the extraordinary powers that Goddess Durga can bestow on other gods!

The goddess, in each of her forms, grants different kinds of blessings to her devotees. But Siddhidatri, the goddess worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri, is special. In Sanskrit, ‘siddhi’ means ‘supernatural power’ and datri means ‘giver’. So, Siddhidatri is ‘the giver of supernatural powers’.

After Adi Shakti, in the form of Kushmanda, had created the universe and the new gods and goddesses, Shiva prayed to her, ‘O Supreme Goddess, grant me all the siddhis to make me a perfect god.’

He meditated for thousands of years so that Adi Shakti would listen to him. Impressed by Shiva’s devotion, the goddess appeared in the avatar of Siddhidatri from Kushmanda’s japa mala, which the smiling goddess used to bless people with the ashta siddhis and the nava niddhis. Almost immediately, Siddhidatri also emerged from the left side of Shiva’s body. So the right half of Shiva’s body was his own, and the left half was in the form of Siddhidatri. This half-man, half-woman form of Shiva is known as Ardhanarishwara, ‘the lord who is half woman’.

Just as she lives within humans, she began living within Shiva too as his shakti. And in this unique way, she bestowed supernatural powers on him and made him a perfect god.

…Those who truly worship Siddhidatri can get some or all of these abilities (but it’s easier said than done!):

Mahima

To make your body huge in size
(It can help when you suddenly come face to face with a mighty asura.)

Anima

Front cover Nava Durga — Nava Durga||Nalini Ramachandran

To make your body as tiny as an atom
(It can help when you play hide-and-seek with friends.)

Garima

To become very, very heavy
(You can face a storm like a mountain.)

Laghima

To be nearly weightless
(You can levitate or even float in the air.)

Prapti

To travel to or be present in any place you wish
(You can time-travel, whenever and wherever you want.)

Prakamya

To get or be able to give whatever one desires
(You can gift your mother the very thing she has been secretly wishing for!)

Ishitva

To be in control of nature, like a god
(You can make the sun listen to you in summer and make the rain obey you in monsoon.)

Vashitva

To be able to control other beings.
(You can turn bullies into friends.)

Nalini Ramachandran’s Nava Durga tells us about the rich mythology of Durga Puja and what makes each day special!

Books to read if you mean business

Posted on November 11, 2020October 17, 2022 by ashmita

The landscape of business has changed dramatically over the years, more so in the past one year. Here is a curation of some quintessential reads that give important insights into the world of artificial intelligence, the economy of Instagram influencers, and low-risk investments with great returns, among several others.

The Learning Factory

by Arun Maira

In The Learning Factory, Arun Maira narrates people-centric episodes that bring alive the values of the Tata Group, standards that combine the high-velocity practices as well as the old-fashioned principles that make the Tata Group the giant it is today. Founded in 1868 by Jamshetji Tata, the Tata Group symbolizes the great Indian story of hope, growth and phenomenal success. The group played the role of a nation builder in post- independent India. Its companies were headed by legendary chairpersons, all of whom firmly believed in the importance of continuously learning and growing. Like all great successes, this isn’t one story – it is many accounts that are so powerful that the whole is so much greater than the sum of all its parts.

With insightful stories of conduct that are as practically implementable as they are inspiring, this is a blueprint for the individual as well as the business that seeks success through its community of leaders, workers and thinkers.

Crash

by R Gopalakrishnan

While many people talk about the path to the top of organizations, very few are honest about how difficult it is to stay at that position. R. Gopalakrishnan analyses the ‘software’ challenges, which leaders confront every day, and shares the insights he has gained developing, managing, investing in and supervising a variety of companies. The author shows that great leaders continue to excel not just because of their skills and intelligence but also by connecting with others using emotional competencies like empathy and self-awareness. Filled with anecdotes, analysis of various situations CEOs may find themselves in and unconventional advice to help them, Crash: Lessons from the Entry and Exit of CEOs is for veteran leaders as well as for those who aspire to start their own ventures.

Get Better at Getting Better

by Chandramouli Venkatesan

What makes people succeed? Why do some people succeed, while others struggle despite working hard?

This book is based on the insight that success is not about how good you are but how powerful a model you have toimprove how good you are. Chandramouli Venkatesan calls it the ‘Get-Better Model’, or GBM. Successful people are those who are able to build a powerful GBM to continuously improve themselves, and this life-changing book shows how you can unlock your potential at work and in life.

front cover Tatalog — Tatalog||Harish Bhat

Tatalog : Eight Modern Stories from a Timeless Institution

by Harish Bhat

From steel to beverages, supercomputers to automobiles, TATA companies have broken new ground and set new standards of excellence over the past two decades. Tatalog presents eight riveting stories about the strategic and operational challenges that TATA companies have faced, and the progressive outlook and determination that have raised the brand to new heights. Among the engaging and inspiring stories told here are those of Tata Indica, the first completely Indian car that succeeded in the face of widespread cynicism; the jewellery brand Tanishq that has transformed one of India’s largest industries; and Tata Finance, which underwent several tribulations yet demonstrated the principles that TATA stands for.

Bridgital Nation

by N. Chandrasekaran and Roopa Purushothaman

It is 2030. India is among the world’s top three economies. All Indians use advanced technology to either do their job or get their job done. All Indians have access to quality jobs, better healthcare and skill-based education. Technology and human beings coexist in a mutually beneficial ecosystem.

This reality is possible. It is within reach. With Bridgital.

In this ground-breaking book, N. Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, presents a powerful vision for the future. To the coming disruption of artificial intelligence, he proposes an ingenious solution, where India is perfectly positioned to pave a unique path from the rest of the world. Instead of accepting technology as an inevitable replacement for human labour, India can use it as an aid; instead of taking them away, AI can generate jobs.

Let’s Build A Company

by Harpreet Grover and Vibhore Goyal

It started with a phone call from Harpreet’s mother introducing him to an uncle who wanted some help. Or maybe it started when Vibhore and Harpreet met as roommates in Room 143 at IIT Bombay. What remains true is that soon both had quit their jobs and launched CoCubes. From no money in their bank accounts for eight years after graduating to becoming dollar millionaires two years later in 2016, this is a tale of grit-of a company built in India by two Indian-middle-class-twenty-somethings-turned-entrepreneurs-written in the hope that you can avoid the mistakes they made and learn from what they did right.

This is that story-the story that you don’t always hear. But if you want to be an entrepreneur, and you prefer straight talk to sugar-coating, it’s one you should read.

Coffee Can Investing

by Saurabh Mukherjea, Rakshit Ranjan, Pranab Uniyal

Most people invest in the usual assets: real estate, gold, mutual funds, fixed deposits and stock markets. All they end up making is a measly 8 to 12 per cent per annum. Those who are exceptionally unfortunate get stuck in the middle of a crash and end up losing a lot of money. But what if there was another way? What if you could grow your money four to five times whilst taking half the risk compared to the overall market?

Bestselling author of Gurus of Chaos and The Unusual Billionaires, Saurabh Mukherjea puts his money where his mouth is. In Coffee Can Investing, Saurabh will show you how to go about low-risk investments that generate great returns.

front cover No Rules Rules — No Rules Rules||Reed Hastings, Erin Meyer

No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention

by Reed Hastings, Erin Meyer

Trust your team. Be radically honest. And never, ever try to please your boss.

These are some of the ground rules if you work at Netflix. They are part of a unique cultural experiment that explains how the company has transformed itself at lightning speed from a DVD mail order service into a streaming superpower – with 190 million fervent subscribers and a market capitalisation that rivals the likes of Disney.

Finally Reed Hastings, Netflix Chairman and CEO, is sharing the secrets that have revolutionised the entertainment and tech industries. With INSEAD business school professor Erin Meyer, he will explore his leadership philosophy – which begins by rejecting the accepted beliefs under which most companies operate – and how it plays out in practice at Netflix.

No Filter: How Instagram transformed business, celebrity and culture

front cover no filter — No Filter||Sarah Frier

by Sarah Frier

In just ten years, Instagram has gone from being a simple photo app to a $100-billion company. The journey has involved ground-breaking innovations, a billion-dollar takeover, and clashes between some of the biggest names in tech. But it’s a story that has never been told – until now.

In No Filter, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier reveals how Instagram became the hottest app in a generation, reshaping our culture in the process. But this is not just a Silicon Valley story. No Filter explores how Instagram created a new economy of ‘influencers’ and pioneering a business model that sells an aspirational lifestyle to all of us. It delves into Instagram’s effects on popular culture, rewiring our understanding of celebrity and placing mounting pressure on all of us to perform online – to the point of warping our perception of reality. No Filter connects one company’s rise to a global revolution in technology, culture and business. But we’re still learning about what it has cost the rest of us.

The Lean Startup

by Eric Ries

Most new businesses fail. But most of those failures are preventable.

The Lean Startup is the approach to business that’s being adopted around the world. It is changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. The book explores what customers really want. It’s about testing your vision continuously, adapting and adjusting before it’s too late.

Now is the time to think Lean.

A queen in an unfamiliar kingdom

Posted on November 10, 2020 by ashmita

Prithvimahadevi’s journey is uphill. Having been married off to her father’s enemy in a peace-making gesture, she finds herself betrayed by those closest to her, and ends up alone in an unknown kingdom, alienated among people who are disdainful towards her. Yet her resolve only strengthens. Read an excerpt for a glimpse into Devika Rangachari’s powerful protagonist:

A carriage sent by the Bhaumakara king waits for me in the palace courtyard. It is plain and square with none of the embellishments that my father’s royal carriages routinely bear. Its horses, too, have clearly been selected more for their hardiness than their beauty.

It is hot and bright, and the entire court has assembled to see me off. The silence all around deafens me—this is a parting that signifies defeat and submission. And this is the silence of anger and grief.

The Bhaumakara attendants wait by the carriage, impassive.

I have already bid farewell in private to my father and brother. Yayati does not say much but clings to me as if he is remembering a time when we meant so much more to each other. The ties of blood are the strongest of all bonds, after all, and who are we to gainsay it?

‘Will you come to see me soon?’ I ask, my voice rough with unspilled tears.

front cover of Queen of Earth — Queen of Earth||Devika Rangachari

He nods but glances towards our father as if seeking permission from him. He is increasingly afraid to hold a single original thought or opinion in his head—and this is what has driven a wedge between us.

My father holds me close. ‘Be well. And do not lose hope. I will make it worth your while.’

I am puzzled. What can he possibly mean? I search his face for an answer and open my mouth to frame a question. He silences me with a look.

I am drawn away into a round of weeping goodbyes with my attendants.

His words will eventually make sense to me but for now, I let them slip and walk towards the carriage, resolute. Whatever happens, I will face the future with courage and fortitude. I will be true to my name.

The journey is a nightmare. The carriage has been built more for service than comfort. The wood is hard and digs into my body and the entire frame jolts unbearably. I am repeatedly sick and seem incapable of holding down the smallest morsel of food or even a sip of water.

Both sets of attendants are distressed, mine and the ones that the Bhaumakaras have sent. They can do little to alleviate my discomfort.

I see nothing of the landscape we pass; my eyes are shut tight. I finally huddle down on the hard bench, insensible to the hours that pass, floating in and out of a state of consciousness.

I am dimly aware of someone—my aunt, by
the sound of her voice—coaxing me to suck a slice
of lemon that makes me retch all the more and of someone—her again—stroking my forehead and murmuring soothing words that ultimately lull me into a spell of blessed sleep.

When I eventually wake, it is with the knowledge that the worst has passed. I am weak but whole, and it is a relief to know this. My aunt is by my side, her face full of travel weariness and deep concern in the dim light of approaching darkness.

‘Two days,’ she says in response to my unspoken query. She shakes her head. ‘You have never been this ill before. Perhaps you are not used to the rigours of travel. Or perhaps you have worried yourself into this state.’

A Bhaumakara soldier hastens by to tell us that we are nearing journey’s end.

I look out at the unfamiliar landscape. I have seen nothing of the forests that we have travelled through to reach the coast, but we seem to have emerged from them into an area of tall trees brushing against the sky, palm and coconut by the look of them. A cool breeze blows in, reminding me that we are near the water. A river shimmers by and I can see the dim outlines of boats
on it. This must be the Vaitarani, I think. I know that Viraja nestles between the Mahanadi and the Vaitarani, and that the latter runs closer to the city. My spirits lift slightly and the wind eases the ache in my head.

I see the pallor on my face in the small jewelled mirror that my aunt hands me. There are lines of exhaustion around my eyes and I can taste the sour tang of sickness in my mouth. This is not a propitious time for my new family to view me, but it is not in my hands. Let them know how arduous the journey has been and how much I have endured just to meet their peremptory demands.

When the carriage eventually stops, my head swims. I close my eyes to steady myself.

***

Queen of Earth is a complex and beautiful story of a young woman who holds her own in the most hostile of circumstances.

Poems to keep us going

Posted on November 9, 2020 by ashmita

‘Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.’

― Leonard Cohen

Time and again, in many known and unknown ways, poetry has saved the world. Singing in the Dark does the same. We want to share with you some poems that keep us going through the worst of days:

Dawn of Darkness – Ngugi wa Thiong’o

I know, I know,
It threatens the common gestures of human bonding
The handshake,
The hug
The shoulders we give each other to cry on
The neighborliness we take for granted
So much that we often beat our breasts
Crowing about rugged individualism,
Disdaining nature, pissing poison on it even, while
Claiming that property has all the legal rights of personhood

Murmuring gratitude for our shares in the gods of capital.
Oh how now I wish I could write poetry in English,
Or in any and every language you speak
So I can share with you, words that
Wanjikũ, my Gĩkũyũ mother, used to tell me:
Gũtirĩ ũtukũ ũtakĩa:
No night is so Dark that,
It will not end in Dawn,
Or simply put,
Every night ends with dawn.
Gũtirĩ ũtukũ ũtakĩa.
This darkness too will pass away
We shall meet again and again
And talk about Darkness and Dawn
Sing and laugh maybe even hug
Nature and nurture locked in a green embrace
Celebrating every pulsation of a common being
Rediscovered and cherished for real
In the light of the Darkness and the new Dawn.

Front cover singing in the dark — Singing in the Dark||Nishi Chawla, K. Satchidanandan

Apocalypse – Annie Zaidi

Waves do not come dashing against the noontide
They tiptoe in
and out with the smallest dose of pain
taken from the cabinet you left dusty
on purpose
so nobody guesses how much you hoard
The wretched manage to show up
across the shatterproof glass of time
to class office factory godown
boat ocean horizon end time
with a slouch and a glower of expectation
Your eyes are fleet
testing
weighing
catlike
on nights when the tide rises
and rises and the rain quietly falls,
as promised, it comes
It sits
gleaming on the roof
with creature eyes
offering no sign
no pause for breath
no cause or rules
about arks: no ones or twos
it offers no map
A thing
squealing its lack of defence
mouse like, it comes to nibble
the cheese of your world

It arches
head and back
now signals: here
I am
Take me at this flood
or there I go

Bumblebees – Amanda Bell

There was no need to fret about the bees—
their fragile nest, unlidded
as I pulled weeds beneath the apple tree,
their squirming larvae naked
to my gaze and to the sun.
They watched me from the border
while I hastily replaced the roof,
before returning to rethread
the fibres of their grassy home.
In the cleared weeds I see
their entrance and their exit,
how their flightpaths sweep
the garden in an arc, stitching up
the canvas of this space, as if
they could remake the world
which lies in shreds around us.
The dome moves, as I watch it,
the stretching of an inchoate form—
when morning comes
it glistens with white dew.

Singing in the dark is a beautiful anthology of poetry that comes at a time when we need poetry more than ever.

Exciting November reads to kindle young minds and spirits

Posted on November 9, 2020 by ashmita

It’s a new month, and we all know what that means. A whole new reading list with brand new books!! These fun new reads are a ride through friendship, inclusivity and even entrepreneurship. Fasten your seatbelts!

When Adil Speaks, Words Dance

Front cover of When adil speaks — When Adil Speaks, Words Dance||Lavanya Karthik

by Lavanya Karthik

Everyone wants to be friends with Adil. But how do you make friends with someone when you can’t hear the music their words dance to?

‘When Adil Speaks’ is a heart-warming tale of friendship and inclusivity, and of how sometimes, it takes more than words to start a conversation. Written and illustrated by award-winning author Lavanya Karthik, this is a sweet yet an evocative story of two friends, and their willingness to understand each other better.

Bim And The Town Of Falling Fruit

by Arjun Talwar

In Poondy, fruits are always falling on people’s heads-from the jackfruit, coconut and toddy trees-causing many injuries. So all the Poondizens wear fruit-helmets invented by the legendary Falwala. Bim loves Poondy, but one day, Miss Chitty, Bim’s mother, who drives a coffee-coloured taxi, decides to move away from Poondy. Bim’s last two weeks in his home town are full of strange and exciting adventures-from a bat attack to a bike theft- that can only happen here!

Become A Junior Entrepreneur

Vrunda Bansode

What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor, an engineer, a chef, a musician, an IAS officer?

That’s a question adults never tire of asking kids.

It’s time to recognize a profession where people invent, innovate, sell, barter and build: entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are bringing education online, connecting families at the touch of a button and changing the way we live. ‘Become a Junior Entrepreneur’ accompanies the reader through every stage of turning a nascent dream into a commercially viable start-up.

Unfair

Rasil Ahuja

Auditions are on for the seventh-grade annual play. Lina sets her heart and

sights on the lead role, but the drama teacher seems to think Lina isn’t the

right shade for the part. Will Miss Deepa derail Lina’s dream?

Meher finds math far more interesting than Macbeth. When her BFF Lina suddenly becomes distraught and withdrawn, Meher wonders why Lina would shut her out.

Something’s just not adding up. Will this friendship fade or will Meher find a solution to this problem and score #friendshipgoals?

Grandparents’ Bag Of Stories

Sudha Murty

From stitching masks, sharing household chores, preparing food for workers to losing themselves in timeless tales, the lockdown turns into a memorable time for the children as they enter the enchanting world of goddesses, kings, princesses, serpents, magical beanstalks, thieves, kingdoms and palaces, among others. Following the trail of the best-selling ‘Grandma’s Bag of Stories’, Sudha Murty brings to you this collection of immortal tales that she fondly created during the lockdown period for readers to seek comfort and find the magic in sharing and caring for others. Wonderfully woven in her inimitable style, this book is unputdownable and perfect for every child’s bookshelf!

It’s time to add these wonderful reads to your young readers’ bookshelves!

The nuclear genesis of the Kingdom of Ogd

Posted on November 6, 2020 by vanyajaiswal

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Ogd, a Messiah was born … with her foot in her mouth.

This might be her story.

Her position of foetal gaffe allows her to eat her toenails, which nourish her and make her toenails grow so that she can eat them. Apart from the practicality of the situation, this also is the basis of her profound teachings. As the Messiah travels through many dimensions, her followers learn the importance of bells, nirvana, clean feet, Klein bottles and phonetics, among diverse other things.

Following in the tradition of Lewis Carroll, Anushka Ravishankar writes nonsense, which addresses complex issues of the modern-day world with a deep and abiding meaninglessness.

Here’s an excerpt from this profoundly nonsensical enquiry into various aspects of the world that details the genesis of the Kingdom of Ogd.

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Ogd there was a nuclear holocaust.

The explosion blasted the Kingdom out of shape and it became a strange looking thing that had no inside or outside.

This was an evolutionary necessity because the only way not to have a nuclear holocaust inside Ogd was by not having an inside of Ogd.

The geographical transformation of Ogd led to many developments. It was, for instance, the origin of the famous saying:

ALL ROADS LEAD TO OGD

since any road that led outside Ogd also led inside Ogd.

There were of course, dissidents, who by the same logic claimed that:

ALL ROADS LEAD OUT OF OGD.

But Ogdians who listened to both the assertions got extremely confused. If they believed that all roads led to Ogd and that all roads led out of Ogd then they had to conclude that all roads led everywhere and that all roads led nowhere which was not possible unless everywhere was the same as nowhere.

These were the people who inhabited the insane asylums of Ogd.

However, what was of Ogd was also of not-Ogd.

Xenophobia was eradicated because all Ogdians were non-Ogdians. And so forth.

But when the cartographers came to draw maps of the New Post-apocalyptic World, they were shocked. Never in the history of cartography has there been such a thing as an unbounded kingdom, they declared, delicately drawing a line between infiniteness and unboundedness.

So they drew an imaginary line and said this side is Ogd and that side is not-Ogd.

Be as infinite as you please, they said, but you have to be bounded.

The Kingdom of Ogd was thus placed on the map and people were let out of the insane asylums, which were renamed CACCs* by the newly formed PaPoCC.**

Once upon a time, the same time as the last time upon which once was, a Messiah was born in the Kingdom of Ogd.

Her feet were in her mouth.

This position of foetal gaffe caused her to resemble a paisa-worm or an infinite loop that ate toenails so that the toenails could grow long and strong so she could eat them.

front cover of Ogd — Ogd || Anushka Ravishankar

What is this, her mother asked the doctor, not being able to distinguish between a paisa-worm and a newborn Messiah.

This is an outcome, the doctor replied.

Ogd is a delightful offering belonging to the genre of literary nonsense that will compel you to ponder the nature of things.

Authors A-Z

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The Language of the Dogs

An Autobiography

The Discovery of India

Glimpses of World History

Letters from a Father to His Daughter

A Box of Stories: A Collector’s Edition

The Magic Of The Lost Temple

Moin and the monster

Book of Beasts: An A to Z Rhyming Bestiary

10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know

The Curious Case of The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop

Akbar and the Tricky Traitor

Timmi in Tangles

Simply Nanju

Discover India: The Complete Collection

The Jungle Radio

We, The Children Of India

The Incredible History of India’s Geography

Mahima

Anima

Garima

Laghima

Prapti

Prakamya

Ishitva

Vashitva

The Learning Factory

Crash

Get Better at Getting Better

Tatalog : Eight Modern Stories from a Timeless Institution

Bridgital Nation

Let’s Build A Company

Coffee Can Investing

No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention

No Filter: How Instagram transformed business, celebrity and culture

The Lean Startup

Dawn of Darkness – Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Apocalypse – Annie Zaidi

Bumblebees – Amanda Bell

When Adil Speaks, Words Dance

by Lavanya Karthik

Bim And The Town Of Falling Fruit

by Arjun Talwar

Become A Junior Entrepreneur

Vrunda Bansode

Unfair

Rasil Ahuja

Grandparents’ Bag Of Stories

Sudha Murty