Raja Rammohun Roy (1774—1833) was a great champion of liberty and civil rights in colonial India. He was also a true cosmopolitan who envisioned a world without borders. A tireless crusader for religious and social reform, Rammohun attempted a progressive reinterpretation of Hinduism and tried to improve the lot of socially marginalized groups such as women.
Yet, in spite of his lofty public presence, Rammohun was a hugely controversial figure. He shocked the Hindu orthodoxy by his support to the abolition of Sati, offended evangelists by separating the moral message of Christ from the purely theological, and was often dragged into legal disputes over family property. By the time of his death in Bristol, he was as much resented as respected, both at home and abroad.
Using relatively unexplored sources, this elegant and accessible new biography by Amiya P. Sen paints a fascinating portrait of one of the legendary makers of modern India.
Archives: Books
Startup Capitals
As the Internet has matured in technology and reach, we have seen an explosion in tech startups all over the world. Not only are some of these startups changing the world and how we live in it, they are also proving to be the engines of job creation, an aspect that will be critical in the future. To support these startups, new ecosystems are popping up all over the globe to help grow these companies, aided by governments, successful entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists. In Startup Capitals, Zafar Anjum brings you a ringside view from the world’s top ten startup cities of the world. Well-researched and highly insightful, this book lays bare the engines of innovation and the lessons that can be learnt from these burgeoning startup capitals.
Zubin Mehta
The only man ever to direct two major orchestras in North America at once, Zubin Mehta is a true maestro. A musical prodigy who appeared on the cover of Time magazine at the age of thirty-one, Zubin Mehta looks back at his illustrious life as a conductor, drawing links with the symphony in music and life. The book follows his relationship with Western classical music, his training and his refinement of the art. Weaving in and out of the narrative are anecdotes and the memories of his younger brother, Zarin, one of the best music administrators in the world today, and his son, Mervon. If you love music, this legend’s story is sure to hit the right notes.
Happy Street
Our ceaseless toil to achieve success often assumes that our ultimate goal, happiness, lies at the end of a rainbow. But what if the key to happiness lies within each of us, and it is for us to build our own local Shangri-La, a Happy Street? Happiness guru Dr Rekha Shetty’s new book shows us how we can make every day special by following some simple mantras and doing just a little bit to make a difference to our immediate environs. Seize the day; practise acts of compassion; take a break; celebrate the little things; treat yourself to joy; leave your footprint on life; build your own sustainable environment; bring Lakshmi home.
Happy Street is your very own step-by-step guide to achieving happiness for yourself and to building a better community.
Pyffin Classics: A Winter’s Night And Other Stories
Ten classic stories from the master of Hindi literature
Nearly a century after they were written, Premchand’s numerous short stories, novels and plays, written both in Hindi and Urdu, continue to be a mirror to Indian society and its traditions.
A Winter’s Night and Other Stories brings together, for young readers, some of his most powerful short stories. This is a world inhabited by people like Halku, forced to spend the bitterly cold winter night in the open, without a blanket; Kaki, the old invalid aunt, ill-treated by her own relatives; and Shankar, reduced to being a bonded labour for the sake of a handful of wheat. Premchand describes their plights with unflinching honesty. Yet all is not hopeless in this world. There is also little Hamid, who buys tongs for his old grandmother rather than toys for himself; Ladli, who saves her share of puris for her blind aunt; and Big Brother, trying in vain to remember the strange names of English kings and queens.
Greed, dishonesty, cruelty abound in this world, as do kindness, bravery and humour. These ten stories are an ideal introduction to Premchand and his concerns and ideas that remain relevant to this day.
Puffin Classics: Malgudi School
‘It was Monday morning. Swaminathan was reluctant to open his eyes . . . He shuddered at the very thought of school . . .’
R.K. Narayan’s classic stories about the adventures of Swami and his friends Rajam and Mani, in a sleepy and picturesque south Indian town called Malgudi, have regaled both young and old for years. Malgudi Schooldays is a slightly abridged version of Narayan’s celebrated novel Swami and Friends, and includes two additional stories featuring Swami. A delightfully funny account of the life of a harum-scarum schoolboy by one of the greatest English-language writers of our time, Malgudi Schooldays enchants and captivates all those who step into its world.
Puffin Classics: The Adventures Of Mowgli
Rudyard Kipling’s eternal classics, The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book are most loved for the stories of Mowgli, the boy who grew up in a wolf pack. This book brings together all the stories of Mowgli. It begins with Father Wolf rescuing an abandoned baby boy from the tiger Shere Khan, terror of the jungle. The child grows up among the animals, befriending Bagheera the Panther, Balu the Bear, and making mortal enemies with Shere Khan the Tiger. He is kidnapped by monkeys, exiled by the wolf pack, disowned by humans, till he finally vanquishes Shere Khan and returns to the forest. But the call of his own kind grows stronger, and he eventually finds his own, tenuous place among men and animals. Kipling’s creations from the two Jungle Books-human and animal- have remained alive in literature and celluloid for nearly a century. They have mesmerized, entertained and educated generations of children. In this special Puffin Classics edition, Mowgli comes alive once more, accompanied by illustrations rendered by Gond artist Durga Bai, and an affectionate, heartwarming introduction by that other favourite children’s writer, Ruskin Bond.
Muezza and Baby Jaan
An incongruent pair and their illuminating friendship.
Join Baby Jaan as she listens to Muezza’s mesmerizing tales and soak in the wonder of rare, enlightening nuggets of Islamic lore. A djinn in the form of a baby camel and Prophet’s favourite cat come together in their shared exploits and a mutual education. As their chance meeting and tender bond is delicately explored, we are offered a fascinating array of teachings from the Quran that is sure to captivate children of all ages. Savour some enthralling gems about Nuh’s ark, God breathing life into the first man and woman, Iblis the djinn-turned-angel, the gift of free will, the ninety-nine names of God, the blessed she-camel, the mighty King Sulaiman and much, much more.
Charmingly whimsical and breathtakingly illustrated, Muezza and Baby Jaan is a read like no other.
Mr And Mrs Jinnah
When Ruttie Petit fled from her father’s castle to wed Mohammed Ali Jinnah in 1918, their marriage outraged society at large. They were divided by community, religion and an age gap of twenty-four years. Well-known journalist Sheela Reddy uses never-before-seen personal letters and papers as well as accounts left by contemporaries and friends to portray this unusual relationship with a sympathetic, discerning eye. A product of intensive and meticulous research in Delhi, Bombay and Karachi, Reddy not only brings the solitary, misunderstood Jinnah and the lonely, wistful Ruttie to life, but also the society and politics of the times their story was set in. A must-read for all those interested in politics, history, and the power of an unforgettable love story.
Living Next Door To Alise
Life will never be the same for Siddharth when he starts living next door to Alise
Nine-year-old Siddharth is the despair of his parents. He does not want to run around or climb trees, and is terrified of ants. Then one day, he finally makes a friend-the fast-talking; quick-thinking, ultra-intelligent baby elephant, Alise. Together the two friends set out on a series of exploits. But the friends don’t stop at just having fun. The Bearded Bandit has spread terror among the elephants in the forest and someone has to stop him.