Explore a fresh telling of the inspiring, mysterious, and magical life of the great master Padmasambhava—the Lotus-Born—who planted the seed of Buddhism in Tibet that is still blossoming today, beautifully illustrated for ages 10+.
The Lotus-Born is one of the most iconic and important figures in Tibetan history. Here, his magical life story is outlined in colorful and captivating detail, offering young readers a rare glimpse into his fierce adventures and battles that transformed Tibet, a land of malevolent spirits and wild folk, into a fertile ground for Buddhism. The rich and vibrant spiritual tradition that resulted in Tibet has thrived for over one thousand years. This timeless tale is sure to capture the imagination of future generations, just as the oral, theatrical, and written accounts of it have in the Himalayas for centuries.
On Thursday, 5 April 1877, thirty-year-old Annie Besant stood trial in London for daring to sell a small book on birth control—an act that shocked Victorian society and made her a household name. This was only the beginning of a lifetime spent defying authority.
Besant began as a devout Christian wife, only to renounce her faith and embrace atheism. She became a fiery socialist voice in the strikes and protests of the 1880s, then turned to Theosophy in search of spiritual truths. But it was in India that she found her greatest cause. Moving beyond religion and reform, she became a leader in the Indian movement for self-rule, edited nationalist newspapers, campaigned for self-rule and was even interned by the British government for her influence. To many Indians she was a heroine; to the colonial State, a dangerous agitator.
Annie Besant’s life was extraordinary and full of contradictions: from politics to mysticism, from the London suburbs to the heart of India’s freedom struggle, from Christian piety to Theosophical priestesshood. The Nine Lives of Annie Besant tells the complete story of a woman who broke all the rules.
In 1986, as Indian and Chinese troops faced off in Sumdorong Chu in Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian general airlifted a brigade to occupy dominating heights, putting pressure on the Chinese below. The audacious General Krishnaswamy Sundarji swung the momentum decisively in India’s favour, forcing the Chinese to back-pedal in the Himalayas.
The following year, the same army chief planned Operation Brasstacks, one of the largest military exercises since World War II. The move threatened Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, unnerving General Zia-ul-Haq and prompting him to seek rapprochement.
The 1980s were a decade of dramatic turns: events that led to the assassinations of two Indian prime ministers, political upheaval and military crises. General Sundarji oversaw two of the most controversial operations in independent India: Operation Blue Star, against Sikh militants inside the Golden Temple, and Operation Pawan, against Tamil militants in Sri Lanka. He was also drawn into the Bofors acquisition and the scandal that followed, which helped bring down a government.
But who was Krishnaswamy Sundarji? How did his penchant for bold, sometimes brash decisions take shape? Was he too ambitious? Was he ahead of his time in pushing for technology-driven warfare, or behind it as insurgencies demanded a more improvised approach?
This definitive biography by bestselling author Probal Dasgupta traces the life and times of one of India’s most charismatic yet forgotten army chiefs. Sundarji’s career mirrored the journey of a young nation, often echoing its political choices and contradictions. The only general to have influenced both military and political thinking in India’s democracy, his brisk 820-day tenure saw the army through modernization, crises, controversies and change. This book explores Sundarji’s central role in shaping the modern Indian Army and his influence during the turbulent 1980s.
Never Say Die.
Not just a motto for businessman, investor and entrepreneur, Shripal Morakhia. But a way of life.
Hailing from an old business family who were at one time the leading stockbrokers of the Bombay Stock Exchange, Shripal went into business in the early 1980s in trying circumstances when he suddenly lost his father. At that time, he had completed his MBA from the USA and planned to settle down there.
Owing to family compulsions, Shripal came to India to take over the family business. Over the next three decades, he was wildly successful in some of his ventures and among the companies he founded were ShareKhan and Smaaash (he was even briefly the owner of Amar Chitra Katha).
But then times changed and Shripal also subsequently experienced the soul-sapping lows of the business cycle. Through it all, Shripal kept innovating and trying to find ways to grow and resurrect his businesses.
‘Never Say Die’ kept him going.
For centuries, it has been (wrongly) believed that men are the superior gender. But what have we based that on? What research has been conducted to prove this?
Men are stronger. Men have had more power. So obviously, men must be superior.
Well . . . not quite.
Is it simply conditioning? At what point will we accept that feminism isn’t about one gender being better than another. It is about all genders being treated equally.
Putting the Toilet Seat Down is not only Feminism 101 but the first step we can take towards equal living. It is a no-gyaan, no-judgement guide for anyone who is curious (or confused) about feminism. Or for anyone who wants to unlearn their biases. With answers to questions like what is feminism, why do we need it in today’s world and do feminists hate men, this funny, engaging and nuanced graphic narrative breaks down big ideas with logic, humour, sensitivity and just the right amount of self-roasting.
Instead of lectures, you’ll get real talk—backed by history, science, and real-life examples — about why questioning your own biases doesn’t make you ‘less of a man’; just a better, more empathetic ally.
It’s about understanding the world a little better, and maybe becoming a better person in the process.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to navigate crises is paramount for any organization. This book provides invaluable insights into how CG Power, once on the brink of collapse, successfully redefined its trajectory through strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to ethical governance. This story serves as a compelling reminder that with the right vision, dedication, and teamwork, even the most challenging situations can be transformed into opportunities for growth.
Rabindranath demands to be quoted for his impressive command over language, his inimitable expressions and, especially, for the keenness of his thought. Tagore s poetry is legion, but his prose writings reflect the way he perceived the world and his involvement in the contemporary debates of his time. Tagore s sharp, analytical, polyglot mind contested mainstream world views even as he maintained a unique position on the fundamental shifts that were occurring in society and politics in the first half of the twentieth century. The Nectar of Life, a collection of pithy quotations from Tagore s prose writings, available in English for the first time, is distilled from his essays, speeches and letters. These musings on a wide array of subjects ranging from literature, nationalism and religion to beauty, happiness and love will delight readers, particularly those who are new to Tagore.
Speaking of History brings India’s past into sharp, urgent focus. In these wide-ranging conversations, Romila Thapar, the distinguished historian, joins Namit Arora, incisive writer and social critic, to explore how history is written, remembered and fought over.
Together, they pull back the curtain on the historian’s craft: how evidence is weighed, how interpretations are made, and why the past has become a battleground of politics and identity. From caste and gender to religion, mythology and nationalism, they revisit much contested terrain and ask the vital questions—what can we really know about our past, and why does it matter so much today?
The result is both erudite and refreshingly accessible: a book that challenges distortion and mythmaking, while celebrating history as an act of curiosity, argument and critical inquiry. At a time when the discipline is under siege, Speaking of History is both a defence of rigorous scholarship and a lively reminder that to engage with history in all its complexity is to undertake a profound journey—an inquiry not just into the past, but into ourselves.
Did you know that insects are at the forefront of research today? Scientists are looking to them to design heart valves, prosthetics, drones, noise-cancelling headphones and many other things. In fact, insects have done what humans are only beginning to learn to do.
However, despite occupying every nook and corner of the earth and sustaining several ecological systems, they continue to remain misunderstood and unappreciated beings. Considering the diversity of entomological studies happening across various parts of the globe, it will not be an exaggeration to say that the field is still at a nascent stage in India.
In Miniature Giants, biologist and naturalist Geetha Iyer attempts to set the record straight. She writes about several such marvellous insects and their strange and absorbing behaviours in an attempt to highlight the need for their conservation. In this book, she also dispels myths and misconceptions about them arising from nothing but sheer ignorance.
