October brings a magical mix of fun and adventure for young readers! There’s no better time to dive into stories that inspire, uplift, and educate. From heartfelt tales of body positivity to exciting journeys through Indian festivals and timeless myths, these new books offer something for every curious mind.
Find your next favorite read.
Hug Yourself || Vinitha et al.
Too dark, too fair, too skinny, too big, too much hair, too little hair— today’s teenagers deal with endless body-image issues. With access to many universes at the tip of their devices, they are constantly bombarded with beauty standards that are portrayed as ‘normal’. But the human body is a thing of beauty and wonder that works hard for us. And regardless of how we look, it’s who we are that matters.
Sixteen wonderful writers come together in this powerful anthology to share narratives that explore multiple themes on body positivity with the hope of helping empower teenagers navigate their modern worlds.
My Little Book of Nava Durga || Nalini Ramachandran
This Navaratri, make way for the guardians divine,
Goddess Durga and her avatars nine!
With charming illustrations and simple language, this short tale about Nava Durga will entertain and delight.
Collect all books in the series! WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK:
AGE APPROPRIATE: Written in simple language to make reading easy for readers 3 and up STURDY AND DURABLE: Perfect for learning and playing for a long time SAFE FOR BABY: Handy format makes this safe for your baby PERFECTLY SIZED BOOKS: Easy and convenient for little readers to hold BRIGHT AND FUN PICTURES: To keep your little one interested and engaged A PERFECT GIFT: For every preschooler for a holistic learning experience
My Little Book of Navratri || Ashwitha Jayakumar
This charming board book explores the customs, traditions and stories behind the spirited festival of Navratri.
Discover the many ways in which people celebrate this festival, feel the beat of the dhak and the rhythm of dandiya, and soak in the nine nights and ten days of festivities, food and community spirit that bring families and friends together.
This series of charmingly illustrated board books introduces kids to customs, traditions and stories behind important festivals like Navratri,Diwali and Holi.
Explore the buzz of activities and rituals and discover how festivals connect us to our roots
Dotted with interesting facts about each festival as well as an interactiveseek-and-find activity.
Suitable for bedtime reading and parent-child association.
Perfect way to familiarize young readers with India’s rich cultural fabric.
These books offer a fun and enjoyableintroduction to timeless myths and festivals for modern kids.
A must have to impart important life lessons
Collect all books in the series!
Rebel with a Cause || Mamta Nainy
‘Aren’t girls and boys equal?’
Right from childhood, Chunni’s favourite word was ‘why’. Why is the sky blue and the grass green? Why can’t I look at the sun for long? Why can’t I have short hair like my brothers?
Chunni’s curious mind was always bubbling with questions. One day, when a coach arrives to teach her brothers how to ride a snowy white horse, Chunni decides she wants to ride, too.
But when she’s told she can’t because she’s a girl, will Chunni have the courage to stand up for herself and ask the most important question of all: why not?
Fishbowl || Varsha Seshan
Dead. My parents are dead.
It’s . . . my fault?
Voices, noises, whispers.
I build a fragile, safe world against it all.
For now, I’m safe.
But will I ever . . . be me?
Where Does It Hurt? || Samina Mishra
If you are hurting
Perhaps all you need
Is someone to ask you
Where does it hurt?
July brings a fantastic collection of new children’s books to spark imaginations and delight young readers. From magical folk tales to stories of curiosity and courage, these June releases are perfect for kids to enjoy during the rainy season. Let the reading fun begin!
The Adventures of Ed-a-Mamma: Ed Finds a Home || Alia Bhatt
Ed is a little dog without a home but a heart full of hope. Alia is a little girl with a heart full of love and a secret superpower. When Ed meets Alia, she becomes his safe place. In turn, he inspires her to be the best version of herself.
Ed Finds a Home celebrates ordinary kindnesses and the hero inside each one of us.
Join Alia and Ed on all their exciting adventures in this new picture-book series, The Adventures of Ed-a-Mamma.
How and Why Tales || Geeta Ramanujam
Why do nightingales sing at night?
How did the Moon get its craters?
Why did the Great Bear become a constellation?
Do you ever wonder about these questions? If you find yourself intrigued by the universe, then this book of folk tales is for you!
Delight in these richly illustrated stories as you explore the magical mysteries of nature and traverse distant lands, such as the Pamir Knot, the Ottoman Empire in Turkey and the icy expanse of Greenland.
Curated by Geeta Ramanujam, these enchanting tales not only draw from diverse traditions but also feature her own unique stories. An imaginative exploration, this collection of eighteen tales invites you to discover folk tales and trivia from around the world.
‘The future depends on what you do today.’ –Mahatma Gandhi
When games periods are cancelled and Petu and his friends unearth a sinister conspiracy, there is only one thing to be done–to seek inspiration from the founders of our nation, and protest.
But the path to freedom and justice is not a straight and narrow one. Many unexpected challenges crop up, including malicious media, the real-estate mafia, credit-stealing politicians and scary security guards.
Will the Awesome Fivesome expose the land-grabbers and save their playground? Will justice prevail?
The Book of Emperors || Ashwitha Jayakumar
A little over five hundred years ago, a boy sat in a garden, waiting for his story to begin. His name was Babur, and he would soon found an empire that astonished the world.
For three hundred years, Babur’s sons and grandsons, alongside their mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, would wage wars, make art and music, eat a delicious fruit or two, and both shape and be shaped by the land they made their home.
History would call them the Mughals. The Book of Emperors tells their stories.
Are you ready to kick-start summer with some fresh reads? Check out this April’s newest releases; promising stories that’ll sweep you off your feet and keep you hooked till the last page. So, grab a chilled, refreshing drink and dive into pure reading bliss.
Just a Mercenary? || D. Subbarao
Nearly forty years later, in 2013, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India in the midst of a fierce exchange rate crisis, Subbarao learnt—once again the hard way—the harsh challenges of emerging economies in an unequal world.
Bookended by these assignments is the remarkable journey of a small-town boy from a modest background to the top echelons of India’s civil service and then on to the helm of the country’s central bank. Subbarao recounts that journey—his hopes and despair, his successes and setbacks, his mistakes and misdeeds, and the lessons he learnt along the way—with rare candour and honesty. The subtext of that story though is his constant soul searching about whether he has given back to society more than he received.
Just a Mercenary? is a warm, engaging and earnest account of an extraordinary career that is bound to inform and inspire young professionals trying to find their way up their career ladders and discover meaning in their journeys.
Gobind || Harinder Sikka
Born in an impoverished Sikh family in Bihar, Gobind is content to live under the long shadow of poverty. Then, one day, moved by his father’s words, Gobind vows to uplift his life and change his and his family’s fortunes forever.
A soldier at heart, he joins the Indian Navy and becomes a shining star, all set to achieve great success. No one though knows the pain he’s carrying in his heart—that of an unfulfilled promise, an unrequited love.
Soon fate throws him one more challenge—on an assignment to Russia he meets someone who’s not only extraordinarily beautiful, but also reminds him of his lost love. The only catch is, being with her will jeopardize the pledge he made to the navy notwithstanding his heroic rescue of his course mates.
What decision will he make? Who will he choose? Which promise will he break?
A thriller, a love story, a saga of passion and human endurance, Gobind is a page-turner that will keep you spell bound long after you’ve finished reading it.
Conversations with the Career Doctor || Saundarya Rajesh
Conversations with the Career Doctor is a ready-reckoner that women can refer to whenever they are confronted with a challenge. It provides a powerful toolkit for every Indian woman professional to lead a strong, secure and successful career.
Saundarya Rajesh, through twenty-six stories, helps women navigate the loaded inequities in the ecosystem that is charged with social, familial and economic biases, and provides solutions to help them stay employed, make money, achieve financial security and keep bounding forward. Accessibly written, well-researched and keenly solution-oriented, this book is the perfect guide for every working woman.
Choice || Neel Mukherjee
A publisher, who is at war with his industry and himself, embarks on a radical experiment in his own life and the lives of those connected to him; an academic exchanges one story for another after an accident brings a stranger into her life; and a family in rural India have their lives destroyed by a gift. These three ingeniously linked but distinct narratives, each of which has devastating unintended consequences, form a breathtaking exploration of freedom, responsibility, and ethics. What happens when market values replace other notions of value and meaning? How do the choices we make affect our work, our relationships, and our place in the world? Neel Mukherjee’s new novel exposes the myths of individual choice, and confronts our fundamental assumptions about economics, race, appropriation, and the tangled ethics of contemporary life. Choice is a scathing, compassionate quarrel with the world, a masterful inquiry into how we should live our lives, and how we should tell them.
Before I Forget || M.K. Raina
In his sparkling memoir, M.K. Raina documents the many lives he has lived. From sharing the stage with some of the most celebrated actors in India to his journey as a young man witnessing the violence and horrors rampant through the streets of Kashmir, an entire history of northern India is painted with subtle elegance.
Brimming with delightful anecdotes as well as poignant, painful memories of a region that once was, this book is a tour de force.
Kathmandu Chronicle || K.V. Rajan, Atul K. Thakur
In recent decades, Nepal’s history has been marked by tumultuous events and transformations, and its relations with India by sharp fluctuations. From the Maoist insurgency to the hijacking of IC 814, from the Palace Massacre that wiped out King Birendra and his entire family to the coup by King Gyanendra against democracy, among others, the much-vaunted India–Nepal ‘special relationship’ has repeatedly experienced setbacks, some of them with long-term implications.
What are the real causes of regular anti-Indian eruptions in Nepal, and why is there so much mutual distrust and suspicion despite India’s best intentions? Anecdotal, definitive and deeply researched, Kathmandu Chronicle opens a window to many stories of India–Nepal relation that largely remain untold and therefore unknown till date.
Knife || Salman Rushdie
On the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man wearing black clothes and a black mask rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are.
What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide. Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again.
Leech and Other Stories || Ranjan Adiga
Leech dives into the stories and lives of contemporary Nepalis struggling to belong to new worlds. In Kathmandu, they are caught between tradition and progress. In America, it is no different.
A leech caught inside a man’s nostril reveals fissures of class; a middle-aged Nepali man tries to come to terms with his sexuality in a deeply conventional social system; a professor worries about his immigrant status; a young couple try to bridge the silences in their relationship after moving to America.
Each story explores the distance between home and abroad, desire and reality, allegiance and treachery.
Power to the Parent || Ishinna B.Sadana
Through Power to the Parent, Dr Ishinna B. Sadana talks to parents to understand their most vulnerable doubts and fears, provides them with a safe space without judgement or preconceived notions, empowers them to deal with their children in different situations and connects with them in a positive way.
Using Dr Ishinna’s practical ways of dealing with kids, many parents have seen transformational results in their relationship with their children. She writes with clarity and simplicity, using real-life examples and case studies so that parents can start applying the lessons they take from the book immediately and see the changes.
Ultimately, Power to the Parent enables parents everywhere not only to raise happy and resilient children, but also to become happier and more confident parents.
Sanatan || Sharankumar Limbale, Paromita Sengupta
Sanatan is the gut-wrenching story of Bhimnak Mahar and his ilk, who have been subjected to barbaric abuse and inhuman discrimination by the upper castes over centuries. The story begins with the young Bhimnak in pre-Independence India. It then traverses time and geographical boundaries to end with Bhimnak’s grandson. The circular narrative pattern is reflective of the endless cycle of pain that the Mahars are unable to break free from, no matter how hard they try, no matter where they go, no matter if they change their identity and religion. Using myths, the Puranas and historical texts as resources, Sharankumar Limbale rewrites Dalit history in this novel as he attempts to tell the truth, with an intention to build what he calls ‘a new and progressive social order’. Limbale not just brings his reader face to face with uncomfortable realities, he also suggests what could be an alternative social order in the future.
The Foresighted Ambedkar || Anurag Bhaskar
In The Foresighted Ambedkar, Anurag Bhaskar argues that India’s Constitution was drafted not just between 1946 and 1950 but over the course of four decades. Dr Ambedkar was the only person to have been involved at all the stages related to the drafting of the Indian constitutional document since 1919. These stages bear the imprint of his contribution and role.
The Politician Redux || Devesh Verma
Ram Mohan, an ambitious man in newly independent India, refuses to let his humble origins define him. On a mission to build a political career, he realizes that the only way to live a respectable life is to hold some kind of power.
When the Congress high command vetoes Ram Mohan’s inclusion in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet, Saansad-ji, the state’s chief minister, appoints him as member, UP Public Service Commission, Allahabad. Though non-political, the position has a high social status, and Ram Mohan quickly takes a shine to it. Meanwhile, the JP movement continues to challenge the Congress regime, surging through large parts of India and setting the stage for Indira Gandhi’s downfall.
A sequel to the critically acclaimed The Politician, this new novel, set in the 1970s to 1980s north India, provides a captivating, vivid view of the political battles of that era, and captures the spirit, manners and social conditions of a transformational phase in Indian history.
The Scent of Fallen Stars || Aishwarya Jha
In 1995, thirty-six-year-old Will arrives in newly liberalized India. Smarting from the collapse of his academic dreams, he finds little fulfilment in his well-paying telecommunications job or the social confines of New Delhi’s expat community.
One monsoon night, he encounters young, enigmatic Leela, who blazes into his world and unleashes a storm of passion and devastation that will alter it forever.
Twenty-three years later, Aria lands in the city on a quest to find the mother whom she believed to be dead. Estranged from her convalescing father, her journey leads her to unravel the mysteries of her parents’ story and her mother’s life—from her childhood in an orphanage to a doomed love affair and finally, the remote shores of asceticism.
As she searches for answers and a sense of belonging, Aria stumbles upon lost worlds, haunting memories, and the explosive secret that torpedoed her father’s life, the reverberations of which will be cataclysmic for her own.
The Spoiled Heart || Sunjeev Sahota
A magnificent and multi-layered account of one man’s inexorable fall, The Spoiled Heart is an explosively contemporary story of secrets and assumptions whose consequences could never have been imagined. It is a stunning achievement from one of our very finest novelists.
This Land We Call Home || Nusrat F. Jafri
In 1871, the British enacted the Criminal Tribes Act in India, branding numerous tribes and caste groups as criminals. In This Land We Call Home, Nusrat F. Jafri traces the roots of her nomadic forebears, who belonged to one such ‘criminal’ tribe, the Bhantus from Rajasthan, through the lens of caste and religious conversions over the last century. This Land We Call Home affecting memoir explores religious and multicultural identities and delves into the profound concepts of nation-building and belonging. Nusrat’s family’s conversion to Christianity as a response to Brahmanical gatekeeping highlights their struggle for acceptance.
Step into a world of wonder and imagination with our latest April books for children. From understanding the importance of mental health to discovering secret gardens and thrilling adventures, there’s something for every young reader. Dive in!
Sad-Glad || Sidhartha Mallya
One morning, Sid wakes up feeling different. He can’t quite put his finger on why. The day seems gloomy, and Sid doesn’t feel like getting out of bed.
Luckily, Duke, Sid’s best buddy, senses that Sid needs comforting. He gently encourages Sid to accept all the different emotions he is feeling.
A helpful companion for a dull day, this assuring picture book is filled with many feelings and thoughts that offer a lot of hope!
The Boy Who Built a Secret Garden || Lavanya Karthik
Before Nek Chand built his iconic garden, he was a boy with a dream—of home.
Mum in a Mess || Sanjana Kapur
When Mum breaks a coffee jar, it does not seem like a big deal. But then, Mum starts acting very strangely. What is Vishi to do?
The Egghead Detective Agency 2 || Pika Nani
• Why is there a dinosaur bone in the garden?
• Who is sneaking comics out of the bookstore?
• Could there really be another ghost in the neighbourhood?
Ever since Egghead, the friendly ghost detective, showed up at Tam and Ant’s home, life has been one big adventure. With their little buddhis and a dose of Egghead’s ghostly powers, Tam and Ant have cracked case after case in their beloved apartment complex, Emerald Gardens.
But now, Egghead and his magical armchair have gone missing! Can Tam and Ant find their friend before it’s too late? Join the sisters in their ‘egg-ceptional’ quest that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
What’s more, YOU can help the detectives crack the cases with Solve It Yourself (SIY) clues, picture puzzles, brain-teasers and more in this 5-in-1 chapter book!
The Padmas || Neha J Hiranandani
Step into the world of the Padma Awards—one of India’s highest civilian honours. Announced on the eve of Republic Day every year, the awards recognize the achievements of people who have fought to make a difference in the world.
This book features fifty incredible people—artists, scientists, freedom fighters, social workers, sports stars and many others from different walks of life—who have proven that determination, perseverance and courage are the only ingredients needed to accomplish remarkable things.
Celebrating seventy years of the Padma Awards, this beautifully illustrated book will inspire young readers to dream big and persevere against all odds.
February is here, and so is your ticket to a journey filled with love, life, and a bit of everything in between! From not-your-topical romance tropes to tackling parenting in the digital age, or even unraveling the mystery of sports governance (yes, It’s a thing!), these newly released books are here to be your delightful companions, sprinkling a bit of magic to this month of love.
Get ready to feel the love on every page!
Under the Night Jasmine || Manav Kaul
When the pandemic strikes and the lockdown happens, the usually, always travelling Rohit is forced travel within himself and explore his relationships thus far: with his mother, his teacher, his lovers—relationships that affect his current thought process, his relationships now. With the first stirrings of sexual attraction for his teacher and her lover came the shame of desire. His relationship with his lost girlfriend, with Dushyant, brings in guilt and remorse. What could he have done differently? What kind of a shameless person was he, using people to fulfil himself?
Fluctuating between poetry and prose, questioning even the method of writing Under the Night Jasmine is a world that is layered and many-splendored. It’s a coming-of-age novel — A micro look at a man’s world that both pushes back and fascinates.
Ma is Scared || Anjali Kajal
The stories in Anjali Kajal’s debut collection draw us into the lives of ordinary women in Northern India, making us realise quite how rarely we witness these experiences from Dalit points of view.
Whether combating the caste-based disdain of colleagues at work or in the classroom or enduring the new blows that the pandemic landed on Dalit communities, Anjali’s characters find a resilience and a dignity that we can all learn from.
Lilliput Land || Rama Bijapurkar
One of the largest consumer markets of the world, India is made up of lots and lots of small consumers—each earning and spending just a little bit that adds up to a lot. It is served by millions of small suppliers oozing innovation and customer intimacy, and is powered by digital infrastructure that does billions of unique and small transactions every day.
In her new book, Rama Bijapurkar dismisses the easy and simplistic view of the Indian demographic and embraces all the complexities and opportunities that new India has to offer.
iParent || Neha J Hiranandani
Neha J Hiranandani’s iParent comes to the rescue! This book decodes India’s app generation and elevates the discussion beyond ‘these kids and their phones!’ Based on research, candid conversations and personal reflection, this timely book is a witty meditation on parenting in a digital world. Hilarious and informative in equal measure, iParent empowers you to connect with the new generation and guide them to cyber-safety without being a helicopter parent. No judgement, no preaching.
From Waris to Heer || Haroon Khalid
Heer. The perfect beauty. Ranjha. The perfect lover.
Heer-Ranjha. The perfect love legend.
Waris Shah. Its creator.
From Waris to Heer narrates the story of Heer, Ranjha and Waris, and reimagines the story of the creation of the immortal love legend.
Written in the style of a qissa, the novel, much of which is set in a tumultuous period in eighteenth-century Punjab, evokes both the spirit and the style of the original text even as it makes the story relatable to a modern audience. Lyrically narrated, it is among the most moving novels of our time about the power of love and commitment in a society that seeks to shackle its youth and censor its writers.
Fool Me Twice || Nona Uppal
Set in New Delhi, Fool Me Twice is an unconventional story that will stump readers expecting a good, old romance trope. We meet and fall in love with a young couple planning their futures together when life rudely hijacks the steering wheel. Exploring the ways a twenty-year-old navigates grief and life after a loss that shatters most fifty-year-olds, Fool Me Twice looks at the complexity of falling in love ‘again’ at an age where most are falling for the first time, and what it feels like to move on from mourning one great love to make room for another.
Boundary Lab || Nandan Kamath
Sport is a petri dish. In it, society tests not only human limits but also individual and collective attitudes and norms, often before they impact the wider world beyond the boundary.
In its quest for universal rules, organized sport must regularly balance multiple interests and answer difficult questions. This helps sport—and through sport, society—to tweak laws, markets, morals and technological advances. The outcomes of the resulting debates influence the way we live, view each other, and organize our world.
Why should we care about sport and its governance? Within the covers of Boundary Lab lie the answers.
Being Hindu, Being India || Vanya Vaidehi Bhargav
Meticulously researched and eloquently written, Being Hindu, Being Indian offers the first comprehensive examination of Lajpat Rai’s nationalist thought. By revealing the complexities of Rai’s thinking, it provokes us to think more deeply about broader questions relevant to present-day politics: Are all expressions of ‘Hindu nationalism’ the same as Hindutva? What are the similarities and differences between ‘Hindu’ and ‘Indian’ nationalism? Can communalism and secularism be expressed together? How should we understand fluidity in politics? This book invites readers to treat Lajpat Rai’s ideas as a gateway to think more deeply about history, politics, religious identity and nationhood.
Babur || Aabhas Maldahiyar
Gripping, anecdotal and deeply researched Babur: The Chessboard King delves into Hindustan’s economic landscape during Timurid rule and portrays Babur as a multifaceted ruler, challenging the typical depiction of an infallible conqueror and a good human being. Meticulously sourced from the Persian manuscript of the Baburnama and other primary sources, this book represents a milestone in Babur’s biographical genre, essential for comprehending the ambitions of this enigmatic king.
Take Your Time & Hurry Up || Joey Kidney
Have you ever felt lost or alone in your thoughts, feelings and experiences?
Take Your Time and Hurry Up continues Joey’s experiences as he leaves his early twenties and heads toward adulthood. This book appeals to anyone who is navigating ‘adulting’ without a compass or a map, and who is searching for a sense of belonging.
Joey gently encourages his audience to find comfort, mindfulness, guidance and connection. A clear theme is woven through each passage: a reminder to slow down. After all, what’s the rush.
The Elephant Moves || Amitabh Kant, Amit Kapoor
The Elephant Moves unfolds a captivating saga, tracing India’s economic journey through the lens of competitiveness. From unraveling economic history (‘origins unveiled”) to navigating global dynamics (“sailing the tides”), the book explores the forces shaping nations. It delves into the facets of many Indias, unveiling opportunities in heterogeneity.
The Great Flap of 1942 || Mukund Padmanabhan
The Great Flap of 1942 is a narrative history of a neglected and scarcely known period—between December 1941 and mid-1942—when all of India was caught in a state of panic. This was largely a result of the British administration’s mistaken belief that Japan was on the verge of launching a full-fledged invasion. It was a time when the Raj became unduly alarmed, when the tongue of rumour wagged wildly about Japanese prowess and British weakness and when there was a huge and largely unmapped exodus (of Indians and Europeans) from both sides of the coastline to ‘safer’ inland regions. This book demonstrates, quite astonishingly, that the Raj cynically encouraged the exodus and contributed to the repeated cycles of rumour, panic and flight. It also reveals how the shadow of the Japanese threat influenced the course of nationalist politics, altered British attitudes towards India and charted the course towards Independence.
We, The Citizens || Pranay Kotasthane, Khyati Pathak, Anupam Manur
What is a republic? How do markets work? What is the role of society in bringing about change? These may be abstract questions, but they have a concrete impact on all of us.
We, the citizens, live at the intersection of the Indian state, market and society. Yet, many of us are unaware of what these entities stand for, how they interact with each other, and how they touch our lives.
We, The Citizens, by Khyati Pathak, Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane, decodes public policy in the Indian context in a graphical narrative format relatable to readers of all ages. If you want to be an engaged citizen, aspire to be a positive change-maker, or wish to understand our sociopolitical environment, this book is for you.
The idea of India was an audacious dream. The fulfilment of this dream lies upon We, the citizens.
Accelerating India’s Development || Karthik Muralidharan
Seventy-five years after Independence, India has much to be proud of. We are both the world’s biggest democracy and fastest-growing large economy. Yet, we face profound challenges that hinder both individual well-being and aggregate growth, including education and skills, health and nutrition, public safety, justice, social protection, and jobs.
Accelerating India’s Development is addressed to all Indians—leaders, officials, entrepreneurs, teachers, students, citizens, and civil society—and provides an urgent call to action. It argues that building an effective state is the great unfinished task of Indian democracy, because quality public services are key to translating the political equality of ‘One Person, One Vote’ into greater equality of opportunity for all Indians.
Action || Vivek Mashrani, Anand Venkitachalam
Personal finance is a subject that touches every aspect of our lives, yet it is one that many of us struggle to understand and manage effectively. It is a complex and ever-evolving field that requires constant attention and adaptation. The principles of personal finance are not just about managing money but about creating a better future for yourself and your loved ones. Exploring 100 personal finance principles that will help you make the most of your money, this book brings to light the key principles of personal finance using, what the authors call, the ACTION framework: Assess, Create a plan, Track progress, Invest, Optimize and Navigate.
Mastering the Data Paradox || Nithin Seth
There are two remarkable phenomena that are unfolding almost simultaneously. The first is the emergence of a data-first world, where data has become a central driving force, shaping industries and fueling innovation. The second is the dawn of the AI age, propelled by the advent of Generative AI, that has created the possibility to leverage the data of the world for the first time. The convergence of these two, with data as the common denominator, holds immense promise and the opportunities are boundless.
This book provides us with opportunities to push our thinking, to innovate, to transform and to create a better future at all levels—individual, enterprise and the world.
Ready to kick off 2024 with a bang? Wondering what to read next? From epic adventures to delicious culinary tales, we’ve got the scoop on the hottest releases. Get ready to dive into stories that will make 2024 your best reading year yet! Let the page-turning begin!
Angria || Sohail Rekhy
An astounding debut, Angria is the tale of one of history’s most feared naval commanders. Amid the smell of gunpowder and salt, Sohail Rekhy brings to life a momentous era when the war for swaraj was fought on the seas of India and when only one man stood between the firangis and the Desha. This is the chronicle of a hero whose story has been lost to the waves of time.
Loot || Tania James
Working alongside the legendary French clockmaker Lucien du Leze, Abbas hones his craft, learns French, and meets Jehanne, the daughter of a French expatriate. When Du Leze is finally permitted to return home to Rouen, he invites Abbas to come along as his apprentice. But by the time Abbas travels to Europe, Tipu’s palace has been looted by British forces, and the tiger automaton has disappeared. To prove himself, Abbas must retrieve the tiger from an estate in the English countryside, where it is displayed as a part of a collection of plundered art.
A spellbinding historical novel set in the eighteenth century: a hero’s quest, a love story, the story of a young artist coming of age, and an exuberant heist adventure that traces the bloody legacy of colonialism across two continents and fifty years.
The Nepal Cookbook || Rohini Ranan
Rohini Rana, food connoisseur and the author of The Rana Cookbook, has travelled the length and breadth of Nepal interacting with different ethnic communities and recording in painstaking detail their recipes and knowledge of food and nutrition. The result is this remarkable book featuring a carefully curated selection of 108 recipes, each accompanied by stunning photographs. Its purpose is to offer readers a glimpse into the kaleidoscope that is Nepali cuisine. From the delicious rikikur (potato pancake) and the NewariHaans Ko Choela (barbecued tempered duck) to the lip-smacking momos, this book takes you on a captivating journey across Nepal—a journey that nourishes both your belly and your soul.
Roadwalker || Dilip D’Souza
Dilip D’Souza joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra four times. This is the story of that experience. But even more, this is the story of how he found energy, empathy and enthusiasm in the Yatra. How it spoke to him of renewal. How it filled him, and many others, with hope. ‘This was my chance to make my own slice of personal history,’ he writes. ‘That was enough for me.’
Make Epic Money | Ankur Warikoo
In his groundbreaking book Do Epic Shit, Warikoo dropped this truth bomb: ‘Three relationships determine our life’s course – time, money, and ourselves.’
Now, in his third book, Make Epic Money, he dives deep into the complex world of money to provide you with the ultimate personal-finance blueprint. Drawing on a lifetime of experience of financial highs and lows, he shares everything he has learnt about money that he wishes someone had taught him when he was young.
Prepare to unlock the secrets to financial well-being with this no-nonsense guide. Say goodbye to confusing jargon and hello to practical advice. Discover how to earn, spend and make your money work just as hard for you as you do for it.
A General Reminisces || Satish Dua
The son of a modest famer, Nazir tried his hand at carpet weaving, a traditional Kashmiri craft, as a young boy. Teenagers those days heard strident voices, fiery speeches, and more than occasional gunfire. Some were scared, some swayed. Nazir strayed on the wrong side as a teenager, starting with running errands for terrorist groups to more. Fortunately for him, Ikhwan, a rehabilitation programme that allowed young Kashmiri men to convert from militancy and work with the Indian Army, was started just then.
Treasures of Lakshmi is the culmination of the much-loved goddess series, brilliantly curated and edited by Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal. This trilogy, which began with In Search of Sita and continued with Finding Radha, examines the mystical realms of Hindu thought and practice, celebrating the essence of the sacred feminine. Whether it is Lakshmi’s 108 names or a sahasranama of a thousand appellations, her blessings are multidimensional and eternal. as the third and final instalment of this remarkable trilogy, Treasures of Lakshmi takes readers on a unique journey of exploration, unravelling the compelling narrative of ‘the goddess who gives’.
A Long Season of Ashes || Siddhartha Gigoo
In March 1990, sixteen-year-old Siddhartha Gigoo is forced to flee his home in Safa Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir. The preceding days have been full of fear and horror for the Gigoos—having seen friends and neighbours killed outside their homes. They could be next if they don’t leave. But they want to stay, even when faced with a looming threat to their lives. Siddhartha thinks his leaving is temporary and that he will be back home soon. Little does he know that his fate is sealed.
What follows is a long, dark time—a camp existence and a struggle for survival.
Thirty-four years on, Siddhartha chronicles the story of his flight from Kashmir and an entire youth spent in exile.
A meditation on the nature of memory, A Long Season of Ashes is a book about a boy’s journey of self-discovery.
Crosswinds || Vijay Gokhale
Crosswinds is based on archival material, outlines India’s efforts to craft a foreign policy in the context of the Anglo–American competition in the Far East. The roles played by the towering personalities of that era—Jawaharlal Nehru, Zhou Enlai, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John Foster Dulles, Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden and Krishna Menon—and the personal chemistry between them are woven into the narrative to paint a picture of the nuts and bolts of Indian diplomacy during the early years of the nation.
The Descendants || Laksh Maheshwari, Ashish Kavi
When a fiery meteor lands on the Somavanshi estate, Jay and his mentor Kaka are the first to find it, and Jay is mesmerized by the element he finds in the orb. Using his family-owned Vantra Labs, of which he is the CEO, Jay carries out extensive research into the material, along with his team of brilliant scientists. He names the material, the black element.
Little does he know the chain of events that he is about to set off. Directed by the strings of fate, Jay is heading towards the truth concealed in family legend and a prophecy that can be traced back to the times of the Mahabharata war.
Crime, Grime and Gumption || O.P. Singh
From the dusty plains of Gaya, Bihar, to the swampy and terror-infested wetlands of Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, Crime, Grime and Gumption is an honest and hard-hitting account of law enforcement and governance in the Hindi belt of India. As the ‘policewallah’ gives you a peek into the world of the khaki in this memoir, you will be left thirsting for more.
Zin || Haritha Savithri, Nandakumar K.
Set against the 2015–16 Turkish repression of the Kurdistan movement, Zîn is a novel in which an ordinary love story between people of two different nationalities and cultures is flung into an unexpected, extraordinary political and historical setting. The pacey and emotionally stirring novel throws light on how governments reduce minority communities to a lower status and use them as a tool to seize power—a situation that’s become all too familiar across the world.
Don’t Shut Up || Prakhar Gupta, Mudit Yadav
Your success in this world is directly proportional to your ability to manage the world and get what you need while also building sustainable relationships—communication in its various forms is the technology that allows you to do so. Don’t Shut Up is a simple and directly applicable toolkit for any communication-related situation you might have —be it a Tuesday morning presentation or a Friday evening date. What do you need from your friends, dates, college, work and life? In this book, Prakhar Gupta and Mudit Yadav have magnified your life one conversation at a time, discovered twenty-three situations that have the potential to impact your life and happiness, and offered their advice on how to navigate each one.
Ghalib Flowers in a Mirror || Mehr Afshan Farooqui
In Flowers in a Mirror, Mehr Afshan Farooqi continues her research in the strain of her first book, A Wilderness at My Doorstep. She examines Ghalib’s approach to his work, the world in which he lived and composed, and ultimately, his genius. She selects 30 ghazals from the rejected corpus, translates them into English and provides an erudite, sparkling critical commentary. Through this book, she highlights the significance of marginalized poetry and the need to reinstate the forgotten verses in our lives and hearts.
Why brave the winter chill when you can craft your own perfect December day?
Imagine a sunny balcony, a comfy blanket, and, of course, a good book. These new releases are like warm hugs for the cold days ahead, making your December delightful. So, forget the plans, grab a book, and make your own perfect December day with these fantastic reads!
Breaking the Mould || Raghuram Rajan, Rohit Lamba
In Breaking the Mould, the authors explain how we can accelerate economic development by investing in our people’s human capital, expanding opportunities in high-skilled services and manufacturing centred on innovative new products, and making India a ferment of ideas and creativity. India’s democratic traditions will support this path, helped further by governance reforms, including strengthening our democratic institutions and greater decentralization.
Getting Dressed and Parking Cars || Alok Kejriwal
Getting Dressed and Parking Cars captures the minute-to-minute, event-by-event, nail-biting business adventure of Alok Kejriwal’s fourth entrepreneurial venture—Games2win. The Walt Disney Company acquired
Alok’s previous company.
Games2win has been creating car parking and dress-up games online with the aim of becoming India’s most successful casual gaming start-up in the global market.
The Velvet Hotline || Arsh Verma
Ayingbi Mayengbam, a well-meaning primary school teacher, wants to take on some part-time work over the summer, ideally a job through which she can help people. When her first day as a volunteer at a suicide hotline ends in her finding a dead body, she is done with this line of work. But soon, she is approached by the winsome Dr Rastogi, a man who runs another suicide hotline with a more altruistic approach, and she is unable to say no.
Becoming Goan || Michelle Mendonça Bambawale
Goa’s magnetism and its promise of a relaxed, almost bohemian lifestyle, have always attracted admirers and colonizers. Before the locals could make up their minds about such interlopers, Covid-19 brought hordes of them to town—Michelle Mendonça Bambawale was one of them. In June 2020, Michelle found herself moving to the 160-year-old house she had inherited in Siolim, a village in North Goa, with her human and canine family.
Becoming Goan is a heartfelt and charming story of Michelle’s love for this land that her grandparents left her. She cares deeply about Goa’s biodiversity and is distraught about the environmental impact of tourism, construction and mining. Her devotion to Mother Earth deepens as she learns more about her roots, steeped as they are in syncretic traditions.
Fabulous Feasts, Fables and Family || Tabinda Jalil-Burney
Deeply personal and intimate, this absolutely magical culinary memoir by Tabinda Jalil-Burney combines recipes and memories from the idyllic summers of her childhood which she spent with her grandparents in Aligarh. There, presided over by Amma—her formidable grandmother—the extended clan gathered and as the women concocted delicious dishes, they exchanged family stories and lore, embroidered, knitted and crocheted, while the children played games free of distractions.
Teachings from the Ramayana on Family & Life || Shantanu Gupta
With the help of twenty-five stories from the Ramayana, this book offers essential life lessons for a happy family life. Throwing light on challenging real-life scenarios that often perplex us, Teachings from the Ramayana offers simple ways to negotiate those challenges. From how to effectively deal with negative company to the value of meaningful friendship and the importance of a good guide—this book is packed with ideas, drawn from the great epic, that you can put to use in your day-to-day life. Through this personal engagement with the Ramayana you can find solutions to life’s many problems.
The Man Who Avenged Bhagat Singh || Abhijeet Bhalerao
In 1929, Bhagat Singh surrenders after a daring bomb attack in the heart of Delhi’s assembly. Behind bars, he prepares for an ideological battle against the empire. However, a shocking betrayal shatters his world.
Phanindra Nath Ghosh, a trusted comrade, becomes a British approver, revealing every secret of the HSRA. His damning testimony leads to multiple arrests, and then the British hang Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdeo. Popularly known as the ‘king’s witness’, he had singlehandedly brought on an armed revolution.
But with their leaders gone and British oppression at its peak, surviving HSRA members rally around one burning desire: revenge. Their target is the man who dismantled their life’s work. But with limited resources, their hopes rest on a lone figure.
India’s journey to Independence was filled with deeds of forgotten heroes. This is one such story of sacrifice and revenge—of a patriot against a traitor, a common man against the empire.
The Grammar of My Body || Abhishek Anicca
Subverting an ableist India’s expectations from a disabled person to be ‘inspirational’ and an ‘underdog who made it’ despite their illness, Abhishek Anicca writes about everyday stories of living with disability and chronic illness in this memoir-in-essays.
Conversational and informal, truthful and unflinching, Anicca’s wry and urgent essays in The Grammar of My Body compel the reader to become at once distant from and proximate to their inner experiences.
Varanasi || Vertul Singh
A kaleidoscopic view of Banaras, Varanasi charts a narrative that spans from the city’s present day, to its origins as Kashi, and the fin de siècle of the eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, which witnessed Varanasi’s inclusionary development as a cultural and pilgrimage centre, an opulent trading hub, and a basilica of political power.
Weaving facts, interesting anecdotes and untold stories to make a rich tapestry, this book is an insider’s account and an unparalleled portrait of the city.
All He Left Me Was a Recipe || Shenaz Treasury
All He Left Me Was a Recipe is a book of part-fact, part-fiction essays by actor and travel vlogger Shenaz Treasury about all the men who have been a part of, or influenced, her life in some way. The men whose roles have morphed between her best friends, lovers, teachers, fathers, sons and boyfriends. From when she was 3 to this very moment. The men she’s laughed with, cried with, shared food with, had adventures with, travelled the world with. The men who made her laugh, the men who made her lunch, the men who took her to dinner, the men who later unfriended her on Facebook. Ranging from funny to heartbreaking to profound, the book is a candid and funny collection of pages out of her (very personal) diary, from her first kiss to her first breakup and all the awkward moments in-between.
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit || Manu Bhagavan
Madame Pandit, as she was widely known, moved easily in global aristocratic circles, even as she worked tirelessly to improve the lives of suffering millions. She traded barbs and quips with Winston Churchill, out-debated Jan Smuts and garnered more attention than James Cagney. She was arrested for the attempted assassination of Benito Mussolini and later told John F. Kennedy not to go to Dallas. At the end of her career, she came out of retirement to battle her own niece, Indira Gandhi, in an epic clash of democracy vs. authoritarianism.
Based on eight years of research and using material in five languages from seven countries and over forty archives, Manu Bhagavan has written the definitive biography of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit.
Move Better || Shikha Puri Arora
Have you woken up one day and noticed that your knee is suddenly hurting? Do you go through days managing spasms and sprains that you can’t really explain? All of this, even though you exercise regularly and have a fitness schedule?
The problem might be in how you move or how you sit, says popular rehab and movement coach, Shikha Puri Arora. In this practical and timely book, the Mumbai-based expert argues that the way we move, sit, stand, walk and carry ourselves reveals a lot about the quality of our health.
All That Sizzles || Sakshama Puri Dhariwal
A spicy meet-cute that will delight your rom-com palate!
Wedding planner Tanvi Bedi is all fired up about her latest project, the $100 million wedding of a media heiress. The only hitch is her high-profile client’s wishlist chef, Nik Shankar. Weddings are a complete no-no for Nik, but there must be something—or someone—he can’t resist.
Nik Shankar’s lifelong dream of inheriting his ancestral home is in jeopardy due to his estranged grandfather’s absurd caveat—Nik must get married to claim the property. When Tanvi storms into his office, an inconceivable solution presents itself: Nik will craft the wedding if Tanvi pretends to be his fiancée.
What starts as a recipe for disaster whips up into a delectable feast of simmering chemistry and fiery passion. But as the line between fake and real blurs, Tanvi and Nik must confront their inner demons before their charade goes up in smoke.
November is here, and it’s time to unwrap the gift of enchanting stories for kids! Dive into a world of whimsy, wonder, and daring quests with these new children’s releases. #GiftAPenguin book to your little one and let the storytelling magic begin!
The Misadventures of a Diamond Thief || Lubaina Bandukwala
Sahabzada Hawa Singh Rafu Chakkar (Rafu), a descendant of the legendary Time-Travelling, Thieving Djinns, wants to abandon the family tradition of stealing jewels to pursue his true passion—cooking. However, when the king of djinns tasks him with a mission to steal the Shah-i-Noor diamond in the newly built city of Haiderabad, Rafu reluctantly accepts. His secret agenda? The diamond is his ticket to his dream.
With only two weeks to get the coveted gem, Rafu finds himself entangled in a web of cunning courtiers, mysterious thieves and a most annoying horse, all while the tantalizing aroma of pulavs and kebabs constantly distracts him. Racing against the clock, Rafu’s adventure unfurls as he strives to turn his dream into reality. How far will he go?
How the Bamboo Got its Bounty || Sudha Murty
In a lush, green forest, a shy, unassuming tree is presented with a reward by the forest queen. This makes
all the forest inhabitants curious . . .
India’s favourite storyteller brings to us the story of the humble bamboo that endures and selflessly gives.
A charming ode to our bountiful forests and trees, their resilience and the abundant gifts they bestow upon us, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction to the world of Sudha Murty.
Starry Starry Night || Nandita Basu
After Kunal’s mother dies, he is sent off to a boarding school in the hills. Till he has a hostel room, he stays with Tara, his father’s cousin, who teaches a special music programme in the school.
Teaching music helped Tara after her best friend died—that, and perhaps the company of the enigmatic figure known as Death, whom she sees everywhere.
Tara and Kunal must try to live together, their lives entwined by their separate losses—which neither is comfortable talking about.
This is a tale of love and loss, of the healing and illuminating power of friendship, art and music.
A Children’s History of India in 100 Objects || Devika Cariapa
A stone-age hand axe, an enchantingly sculpted yakshi, the Koh-i-Noor diamond, and even an HMT watch—can these things have anything in common?
Yes, they can!
Each of these has been conceived by the human mind and shaped by the human hand. Each object has a voice, not just of rulers and conquerors, but also of the common people. Most significant of all, each carries stories of how communities and identities were built on the Indian subcontinent.
Spanning the entirety of Indian history, from prehistoric to contemporary times, the 100 objects and artefacts chronicled in this book have shaped our present. Learn about the people who created these amazing objects, their way of life and culture, and how these objects influenced our world.
Embellished with vibrant illustrations, this engaging book will fire the imagination of readers and make them look at our incredible material remains in a new light while helping them understand our diverse pasts.
This November, dive into a treasure trove of stories, from leadership sagas to thrilling investigations. Unearth the secrets of self-discovery and delve into exciting adventures. The perfect gift for any bookworm? #GiftAPenguin book from these November releases that are bound to delight!
Fake News || Gaurav Sood
Fake News analyses the impact of fake news both on products and personalities. Foregrounded in rigorous research, it examines how fake news is used by companies, political parties, and leaders to create, amplify, and even tarnish a brand’s image and equity. It emphasizes how the customers’ perception of a brand impacts and influences its reputation, and acts as a decisive force in them gaining or losing competitive advantages. Elucidating how brands can interact both directly and indirectly with fake news, it brings to the readers’ notice how sometimes brands are the victims of fake news and other times, the purveyors.
The Golden Touch || TS Kalnyanaraman
The Golden Touch lays out the extraordinary story of Kalyan Jewellers and the life of its founder, T.S. Kalyanaraman. It is the very personal account of a visionary with humble beginnings from Thrissur who set up one of the largest jewellery stores in the country—a Rs 17,000 crore behemoth employing over 8000 people.
Buddha in Love || Geetanjali Pandit
An abusive marriage, a divorce and the subsequent emotional, mental and social fallout forced Geetanjali Pandit to question all her assumptions about romance and relationships. Buddha in Love distils all she learnt. We are not born relationship-ready; they take work—and contrary to what you might expect, on yourself. What does it take to be in a loving relationship? Do all relationships look the same? Does a relationship equate to happiness? Why and when should you marry?
Pain || Shweta Singh Kirti
No human is unacquainted with the concept of pain. It is an inescapable universal experience. Shweta Kirti’s pain has been, unfortunately, very public because of the death of her thirty-four-year-old brother, the Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
What she learnt, however, is that while pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. It is pain that can teach us how to rise above suffering and the limits we create for ourselves with our attachment to material goals like money, fame, success and relationships. In Pain A Portal to Enlightenment, Shweta shares her learnings so that no one is alone on this hard but necessary odyssey.
M.K.Nambyar A Constitutional Visionary || K.K. Venugopal
M.K Nambyar A Constitutional Visionary is an attempt to preserve in perpetuity the life of one of India’s greatest constitutional lawyers, M.K. Nambiar. Written by his son and a legal luminary himself, K.K. Venugopal, this biography provides a fascinating account of Mr Nambiar’s life. It not only describes the man but also recapitulates Indian legal history dating to before Independence. The book includes some of the landmark cases Mr Nambiar fought in his legal career. Some of these cases have significantly contributed to the development of constitutional law in India. For example, A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras resulted in the basic structure doctrine, which continues to guide and inspire lawyers and judges.
The Parents I Met || Mansi Zaveri
Featuring interviews conducted by Mansi Zaveri, the founder of the award-winning parenting platform Kidsstoppress.com, The Parents I Met is an anthology of her authentic conversations with parents of successful individuals who made it big against all odds. What was it that they did right while raising their kids to create the person their child is today? This is what she set out to find.
The challenges faced by each new generation may be unique, but the fundamental principles to overcome them remain the same. We hope that in these stories, you will find answers, advice or simply validation.
The Girl with Broken Dreams || Devashish Sardana
Simone Singh, a feisty CBI investigator struggling with her own mental health, is charged with solving the crimes. But time is running out as more teens start committing ‘suicide’ all over India. As Simone inches closer to the web of deception woven by the cunning killer, little does she know that the hunter is becoming the hunted. Can Simone take down the crafty puppeteer before her own mental demons bring her crashing down?
The Book of Body Positivity || Rajeev Kurapati
We assume doctors and medical professionals know it all, and that policymakers in public health have the best interests of society in mind—unfortunately, many of these assumptions are incorrect. The Book of Body Positivity explains why the measures to control the so-called obesity epidemic have failed and offers solutions towards a healthier planetary future. With a penetrating critique of the current practice of medicine, this book is an astute guide to contemporary fragmented science centred around weight and health.
Drawing on the timeless stories of the Mahabharat, Strategic Choices, Ethical Dilemmas applies its practical wisdom to questions of our personal lives. It explores winning strategies that are suited to the modern day and work together with ethical choices.
Written for a broader audience of scholars, practitioners and other avid readers, Strategic Choices, Ethical Dilemmas will be useful for all those seeking to put the world to rights and provide some tasty food for thought for those who enjoy paradoxes and squared circles.
Modi and India || Rahul Shivshankar, Siddhartha Talya
In 2014, the BJP, under the leadership of Modi, won a clear majority in the Lok Sabha elections. The National Democratic Alliance’s triumph ended a nearly two-and-a-half-decade run of mostly messy coalition governments. In 2019, the BJP further improved its tally, cementing its parliamentary majority and its ability to ring in transformational laws and policies. Most of the initiatives taken by the Modi-led NDA have been aimed at positioning Bharat as a ‘Vishwa Guru’—an exemplar of moral righteousness, a pluralistic democracy led by dharma and drawing sustenance from the wellspring of an eternal Hindu universalism.
But this shift towards India’s Hindu ethos has prompted the Opposition and many allied commentators to fear the rise of a second republic—a ‘Hindu Rashtra’—moored to an implacable ultra-nationalist and majoritarian dogma. The INDIA bloc has declared the 2024 election as the last opportunity to stop the rise of Modi and his idea of India.
Evocative, anecdotal, argumentative and deeply researched, Modi and India: 2024 and the Battle for Bharat chronicles the emergence of, and the battle for, a new republic in the making.
Muslim Politics in India || Hamid Dalwai, Dilip Chitre
Dalwai’s Muslim Politics in India is arguably the most perceptive analysis of Muslim politics to appear in post-Independence India. It retains the same freshness-and relevance-which it had when it was first published some three decades back. First published in 1968, an enlarged edition was later published under the title Muslim Politics in Secular India by Hind Pocket Books, Delhi, in 1972.
His Majesty’s Headhunters || Mmhonlümo Kikon
Surprisingly little is known about the siege of Kohima, considered a game-changing event that altered the course of world history during the Second World War. His Majesty’s Headhunters adds to our understanding of this battle and shows how it redefined a whole era.
Providing a unique perspective of Nagaland and its warriors, His Majesty’s Headhunters uncovers the untold story of the siege, regarded as one of the more celebrated battles of D-Day and often referred to as the ‘Stalingrad of the East’ by Western scholars. Historians even believe that this was the last battle of the British Empire
and the first battle of the ‘New India’.
In Unboxing Bengaluru—the first ever deep-dive into the city—Malini Goyal and Prashanth Prakash ably unravel the city’s journey and the ensuing social, behavioural, technological and consumptive changes. They look at why people are drawn to the city; how the cosmopolitan culture and multi-linguistic society gives it a distinct flavour; the parallel economies that have cropped up; how the influx of young workers have changed the city; and the fault-lines of unplanned and poorly managed growth over the decades.
Richly researched and vividly written, Unboxing Bengaluru is filled with absorbing vignettes, extensive reportage and solid data. A fascinating book and a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the city, and indeed, India.
Fighting Retreat || Walter Reid
Churchill strove to sabotage any moves towards Independence, crippling the Government of India Act over five years of dogged opposition to its passage in the 1930s. As prime minister during the Second World War, Churchill frustrated the freedom struggle from behind the scenes, delaying Independence by a decade. To this day for Indians, he is the imperialist villain, held personally responsible for the Bengal Famine of 1943.
Fighting Retreat reveals Churchill at his worst: cruel, obstructive and selfish. However, the same man was outstandingly liberal at the Colonial Office, risking his career with his generosity to the Boers, the Irish and the Middle East. Why was he so strangely hostile towards India?
Another India || Pratinav Anil
Another India tells the story of the world’s biggest religious minority through vivid biographical portraits that weave together the stories of both elite and subaltern Muslims.
By challenging traditional histories and highlighting the neglect of minority rights since Independence, Pratinav Anil argues that Muslims, since 1947, have had to contend with discrimination, disadvantage, deindustrialization, dispossession and disenfranchisement, as well as an unresponsive leadership. He explores the rise and fall of the Indian Muslim elite and the birth of the nationalist Muslim, and emphasizes the importance of class in understanding the dynamics of Indian politics.
Career 3.0 || Abhijit Bhaduri
We need to master the rules of Career 3.0.
In Career 3.0, Abhijit Bhaduri, a renowned expert on talent and leadership, shows you how to develop the six key skills that will make you future-ready and successful in Career 3.0. Whether you work for an organization, run your own business or do both, you will discover how to adapt to change, learn new skills, and lead with impact.
Career 3.0 is a guide that will help you stay relevant. The book is filled with inspiring stories that will challenge you to rethink your career vision, strategy and action. It will give you the tools and techniques to thrive in the new world of work.
You may be surprised to find out that you already have a Career 3.0 mindset. Now you know what it is called.
The Gallery || Manju Kapur
THE GALLERY pursues the question of what it takes for a woman to stand up for herself, through the intertwined lives of Minal and Ellora Sahni, wife and daughter of a successful New Delhi lawyer, and Maitrye and Tashi, wife
and daughter of the office peon at the Sahni law practice. In her new novel, Manju Kapur brings together themes of independence, identity and womanhood by focusing on a set of principal characters who are connected through work and physical proximity, yet separated by class and power.
The Patient in Bed Number 12 || Raj Kamal Jha
The Patient in Bed Number 12 is a remarkable novel framed as a confession from parent to child, from child to parent. In this profoundly moving exchange, secrets long buried tumble out, mysterious and dreamlike: a grieving mother finds solace in a newspaper photograph; a ghost comes to life in an abandoned fridge; children fill empty jars with the night’s darkness; a young couple plan how to seek permission for their love; and three men with a phone camera turn a family’s world upside down.
The Journey to Adi Kailash || M.K. Ramachandran
The Journey to Adi Kailash is no different. While detailing his trek to one of the most revered mountains of India, Ramachandran includes interpretations of our history, culture, traditions, the Puranas and the Upanishads, as well as contributions by great sadhus, sages and rishis. He weaves in interesting stories—of how the Asuras came to India, the ancient technology of turning metal to gold, the ninety-five-year-old woman who is well-versed in the 144 courses of Kriya Yoga, the yogi who acquires the power to fly into the sky . .
Bear with Me, Amma || Gita Krishnankutty, M.T. Vasudevan Nair
MT, as he is popularly known, is one of the most illustrious writers and film-makers from modern Kerala. His life’s work has won him the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award, the National Film Award and the Padma Bhushan, among others.
MT grew up in the village of Kudallur in Kerala and his writings constantly evoke the landscape of the years he spent there. Many of the characters in his stories are based on people who lived in this region and the stories themselves often retell incidents that happened there.
The memoirs as well as the stories in this volume were chosen by MT himself. They pay homage to his childhood, his craft and most importantly, his Amma, whose restful presence they beautifully and poignantly capture.
The Great Indian Manthan || Ed by Pushparaj Deshpande, Gurdeep Singh Sappal
India is rapidly becoming the world’s largest flailing democracy. India’s institutional framework has been systematically undermined, from within and without. In the tenth volume of the Rethinking India series, some of India’s most eminent persons write of how we can think of re-engineering India’s hardware (redressing structural flaws in India’s existing institutions, creating new institutions equipped to address fresh challenges and re-engaging all of India’s systems), as well as ensuring progressive forces radically re-invent their political strategies and operational methodologies to socialize Indians to constitutional values.
Leadership Chronicles || Debashis Chatterjee
Leadership Chronicles decodes some of the deep secrets of leadership. It tells the story of a lifetime of teaching, learning and institution-building like never before. This book is a voyage of discovery of those unseen facets and mysteries of a maverick teacher’s life.
Debashis Chatterjee shares authentic insights from his personal and professional journey of nearly three decades. The perspectives, stories and anecdotes reframe and shed light on the global application of classical Indian thought. This work presents transformative wisdom in a way that would stimulate your mind.
Told with candour, sensitivity and humour, the chronicles present a rich harvest of insights and ideas on the making of a leader.
Step into September with a bundle of brand-new children’s books! Join Biji in the kitchen, tag along with Anna and Kichu through their big fight, and help Ira ensure Mahalaxmi’s unforgettable trip to Mysore. These stories are perfect for young readers, full of fun and excitement!
Biji’s In The Kitchen || Natasha Sharma
Slimy bhindi curry, anyone? Biji is freestyle and fun. But when she is in the kitchen, everyone, beware!
The Big Bad Fight || Yamini Vijayan
Best friends Anna and Kichu are collectors of incredible things. But one day, they have a nasty fight. Will things ever be the same again?
Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore || Niyatee Sharma
Ira’s new friend Mahalaxmi is different from everyone else in the class. When Mahalaxmi can’t come on the class trip to Mysore, Ira knows she has to find a way. But will Mahalaxmi let her classmates help her?
