More than seven decades after the Partition of India in 1947, the burden of grief in the hearts and minds of those affected still bears heavy. With a mere stroke of ink on a map, a nation was divided into two, affecting families from one generation to the next, the resultant wounds of which run painfully deep even today.
People on either side of the dreaded Radcliffe line that divided India and Pakistan experienced unimaginable trauma. The horrific events which led to the displacement of millions of people is forever etched in the memories of those who survived this nightmare. Yet, despite the widespread devastation, there were also some uplifting stories of humanity, grit and determination, along with the memories of all that was lost and those who were lost. Through these real stories of Partition, Rajeev Shukla has captured inspiring tales of love, kindness and perseverance of the human spirit.
There are stories from people who went on to become prime ministers, presidents, industrialists, medical researchers and more. In the decades following Partition, these stories of how families rebuilt their lives from scratch are worth remembering.
From the stories of figures like Manmohan Singh and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to Gauri Khan’s grandmother and Avtar Narain Gujral, Scars of 1947 is a moving and nostalgic collection of a journey back in time, of an unforgettable period that left two nations scarred forever.
Asha Devi is India’s youngest ever Prime Minister. She is twenty-nine years old, charismatic and driven. Elevated to power after the assassination of her father she must prove that she is more than just a dynast.
But within days of her swearing-in, things begin to go wrong. Terrorists take hundreds of people hostage at Delhi’s top mall. Her coalition partner turns on her. Her step-brothers resent her accession. And she is caught up in a ratings war between two of India’s top TV channels and their self-obsessed anchors.
As Asha struggles to retain her hold on power, defeat the terrorists, keep her family together, win over coalition partners and tackle the beast of 24×7 news TV, she never loses sight of one objective: She must track down the man who murdered her father.
Written in a cinematic, fast-moving style this book offers an insider’s view of how things move at the top echelons of government and gives us a rare peek into the underbelly of the TV news business. It also brings back Asha Devi, the much-admired heroine of Seema Goswami’s bestselling Race Course Road.
In 1971, India waged a momentous war against Pakistan. But before all-out war, an even more significant tank battle was fought on 21 November 1971 by the C Squadron 45 Cavalry, which demolished the Pakistani General A.A.K. Niazi’s plans of victory and set the stage for the utter routing of the Pakistani Army.
Equipped with the amphibious PT-76 tanks, the Indian Army’s C Squadron 45 Cavalry was unleashed to swim across the River Kabodak, near the Boyra salient (now in Bangladesh), to counter the threat from East Pakistan. On 21 November 1971, the two warring armies clashed in a tank versus tank battle at Garibpur. In one fell swoop, Pakistan’s 3 (Independent) Armoured Squadron, consisting of fourteen American M-24 Chaffee tanks, was completely destroyed and two of its infantry battalions were badly mauled. This was followed by the shooting down of three Sabre F-86 jets for the loss of two PT-76 tanks on the Indian side. And thus, the biggest attack planned by General A.A.K. Niazi to teach the Indians and the Mukti Bahini a lesson had gone up in smoke.
This battle was a victory and a decisive one at that. It was a trumpet call to the rest of the world of India’s intent to stand up for human liberty and dignity in this war of liberation.
On 3 December 1971, Pakistan declared war. The rest is history.
The Burning Chaffees is a thrilling account of the pivotal battle of 21 November by Brigadier B.S. Mehta.
Note: There is an error on Page 267. Brigadier Mehta was awarded Mention-in-Despatches for his gallant services, and not the MVC. The error is regretted and has been corrected in the new edition.
Have you ever wondered why diets just don’t seem to work? In Yuktahaar, celebrity nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal argues that the reason why none of the diets in the past have seemed to work is because they focused on the wrong cause-you, the reader. While we may continue to have a fling with low carb, vegan, low fat diets and everything in between but a long-lasting solution may never be found if we do not shift our focus from ‘you’ to ‘them’-the human-gut microbiome connection.
Nearly all chronic issues are rooted in an imbalanced microbiome. Disruption in the balance of your belly-based microscopic community not only causes weight gain and increases the risk of chronic diseases but also impacts our mood, behavior, happiness, and a general sense of well-being.
In this book, Munmun gives an actionable 10-week holistic program that encourages a gut balancing lifestyle, consisting of season-wise meal plans, recipes, exercise routines, sleep hygiene tips, and yoga practice. The book also charts actress Taapsee Pannu’s phenomenal physical transformation while working with Munmun. With a focus on combining traditional, regional Indian foods with evidence-backed tips, Yuktahaar will transform your relationship with food and rebalance your gut for a leaner and healthier you.
Have you heard of the king who sacrificed his own flesh to keep his word to a pigeon? Or about the throne that gives anyone who sits on it the unique ability to dispense justice! And how about the sculptor who managed to make magnificent statues with no hands at all?
There’s something for everyone in this collection of tales of wisdom and wit!
From quarrels among gods and the follies of great sages to the benevolence of kings and the virtues of ordinary mortals, Sudha Murty spins fresh accounts of lesser-known stories in Indian mythology. Accompanied by fantastical illustrations and narrated in an unassuming fashion, The Sage with Two Horns is sure to delight fans of the beloved storyteller.
India’s favorite author, Sudha Murty brings a follow-up to the bestselling Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata, The Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna and The Daugher from the Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology.
Includes exclusive first-hand account of the 2020 Galwan clash
An army medic who went beyond the call of duty amid a frenzy of treacherous bloodletting in Ladakh’s Galwan while his fellow soldiers fought the Chinese to death; the crew of an Indian Navy destroyer that put everything on the line to rescue hundreds from Cyclone Tauktae in the Arabian Sea; an Indian Air Force pilot who ejected from his doomed fighter less than two seconds before it hit the ground, only to find he was missing a leg.
This book presents their accounts, or of those who were with them in their final moments. India’s Most Fearless 3 features ten true stories of extraordinary courage and fearlessness, providing glimpses of the heroism Indian soldiers have displayed in unthinkably hostile conditions and under grave provocation.
Shanay Bansal, a young and successful entrepreneur, is looking forward to his engagement with Afsana Agarwal. But a few weeks before the engagement, he receives a mysterious voice message from someone from Afsana’s past. Curious, Shanay plays the voice message and through those many other such messages, a different world from the past opens up about a beautiful relationship that got broken due to a terrible lie.
Half Torn Hearts is a coming-of-age tale of three layered individuals coming to terms with their first loss, which bares the devil that we all possess but are scared of encountering and which eventually becomes the cause of our own ruin.
‘If I am here, in the flesh, then I am not here to forgive. I am here to conclude.’
Anirudh, the Kalki avatar, has been slain by the enemy. His allies swiftly regroup, not having the luxury to mourn the fallen hero. Bewildered at their loss, they look towards Avyay, who wields the mantle of the avatar now. Taking over the reins of the battle, the group faces the inevitable challenge as Ashwatthama fulfils his mission: resurrecting Kali, the Lord of Evil. Will the forces of Kalki be able to save the earth or will everything perish? With unforeseen surprises and events stretching across realms known and unknown, and across yugas present and past, this third instalment concludes the Kalki Chronicles with an ending that you never saw coming
A thrilling plotline and conclusion that will have the reader at the edge of their seat.
The final book in the three-part mythological saga: The Kalki Chronicles. For all Indian mythology fans and readers of the epics: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Transform focuses on people management, which the author demonstrates is a very important pillar of success. That is because leadership and managing are the means, while the end impact is what they do to people.
The book is divided into four sections. The first introduces you to the core concepts of leading and managing, and present a series of exercises to open your mind and make you more self-aware as a leader and manager. The second section focuses on helping you become great at managing, with a direct focus on your teams. The third section focuses on becoming great at leading-leading by doing and leading by being. The final section will help you create action plans, and help you develop a practical and implementable plan towards becoming a great leader and manager.
Insightful and practical, Transform is a comprehensive book on leadership and management which covers all important concepts while giving practical implementation techniques for each.
A bustling city. A farmstead in a verdant village. A fugitive. A scoundrel. And an unfolding series of events seen through the eyes of a child.
This gritty novel, while offering the reader delightful glimpses of daily life in the two regions of southern India that form its setting, also brings them face to face with the less savoury and disturbing aspects of the human condition. The mostly lovable characters, who are at the mercy of a universe that does not discriminate between good and evil, cannot take anything for granted. Whether man, beast or bird, each must deal with their destiny according to their own nature and instincts. In the end, they find that they have only themselves, and their relationships with each other, to fall back on.
Poignant and perceptive, Chamor will haunt you for a long time.
