Catagory: Biographies, Diaries & True Accounts

“An outstanding literary biography” AMITAV GHOSH

“Mukul writes beautifully, and brings to life a man who has often been misunderstood” BENJAMIN MOSER

“This book is a remarkable contribution to the world of Indian letters: ANNIE ZAIDI

Sachchidanand Hirananda Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’ is unarguably one of the most remarkable figures of Indian literature. From his revolutionary youth to acquiring the mantle of a (highly controversial) patron saint of Hindi literature, Agyeya’s turbulent life also tells a history of the Hindi literary world and of a new nation-spanning as it does two world wars, Independence and Partition, and the building and fraying of the Nehruvian state.

Akshaya Mukul’s comprehensive and unflinching biography is a journey into Agyeya’s public, private and secret lives. Based on never-seen-before archival material-including a mammoth trove of private papers, documents of the CIA-funded Congress for Cultural Freedom and colonial records of his years in jail-the book delves deep into the life of the nonconformist poet-novelist. Mukul reveals Agyeya’s revolutionary life and bomb-making skills, his CIA connection, a secret lover, his intense relationship with a first cousin, the trajectory of his political positions, from following M.N. Roy to exploring issues dear to the Hindu right, and much more. Along the way, we get a rare peek into the factionalism and pettiness of the Hindi literary world of the twentieth century, and the wondrous and grand debates which characterized that milieu.

Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover features a formidable cast of characters: from writers like Premchand, Phanishwarnath Renu, Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand and Josephine Miles to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad and actor Balraj Sahni. And its landscapes stretch from British jails, an intellectually robust Allahabad and modern-day Delhi to monasteries in Europe, the homes of Agyeya’s friends in the Himalayas and universities in
the US. This book is a magnificent examination of Agyeya’s civilizational enterprise.

Ambitious and scholarly, Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover is also an unputdownable, whirlwind of a read.

Discover the magic of Indian cinema’s greatest legend with this in-depth analysis which delves into the art and craft of the cinema of Dilip Kumar. This volume intricately explores film by film, scene by scene, song by song coupled with some of the most epochal and quintessential dialogues from the iconic films of the ‘world’s first Method actor’. It fosters a profound understanding of the psychological, behavioural, and improvisational aspects of film acting and cinematic character as interpreted by the greatest phenomenon of Indian cinema. It minutely observes and comprehends the intricate characterizations he meticulously portrayed across various genres: from tragedy to comedy, from romance to malevolence, and from a bumpkin to a sophisticate. He could seamlessly change his persona on screen from a gangster to a law-abiding cop as also convincingly portray triple roles with each character distinct from the other two.

Supported by astute research ensuring authenticity, it also explores the world of Hindi film music and those who made it an essential part of filmmaking in general and its significance to the films of Dilip Kumar in particular. Additionally, it also sheds light on the collaborative efforts of filmmakers, music composers, lyricists, writers, cinematographers and film critics and authors who contributed to the enduring legacy of his work.

This is a must read for fans of Indian cinema, celebrating the timeless legacy of the one and only Dilip Kumar.

‘. . . for only men with courage and a sense of patriotism join the Armed Forces’.

That is what General Satyawant Mallanah Shrinagesh wrote to his son Satish as he contemplated a career in the army.

As one of the earliest chiefs of the army staff of newly independent India, he truly believed that no services or association in India provides a greater measure of unity or a finer example of nationalism than the armed forces. Witnessing the transition of the Indian Army from a colonial to a national one, he was steadfast in his belief that a free India needed a strong army to defend it.

He was instrumental in modernizing the Indian Army as we know it today, and broke the myth that Indians were incapable of strong military leadership. As Corps Commander of Jammu & Kashmir during the 1947-48 War with Pakistan, he was the first to introduce tanks at Zoji La to overcome well-entrenched Pakistani defences at such heights. From missions abroad and senior appointments in the Army to becoming Chief of Army Staff, and later, the first ever military officer to be appointed as governor of a state, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Mysore (now Karnataka), this recounts in vivid detail the life of a man who led a distinguished career of service to the nation.

Based on notes left by the late General and preserved by the family, is an exhaustive and inspirational account of an extraordinary soldier who would become one of India’s greatest generals.

A collection of poetry and prose that offers comfort, community, and belonging through stories of love, loss, change, and rebirth.

In this collection of poetry and prose, Sara Surani weaves together the universal songs of her ancestors, voices of women she has met across the world, and her own reflections. These are not songs with music, but melodies of memory and spirit–of love and laughter. Of curiosity and wonder. Of healing and hope. Of the little moments when time slows down.

The daughter of Pakistani-Muslim immigrants who moved to South Texas to give their daughter a better life, Surani draws on her roots to create a tapestry of stories; comforting and deeply familiar. Throughout the book, she braids shared struggles with collective joy, reminding us of all that we hold in common while conjuring a deep sense of belonging–one that is needed now, more than ever.

जननायक कर्पूरी ठाकुर पुस्तक बिहार के महान नेता कर्पूरी ठाकुर के जीवन और विचारधारा पर आधारित है। यह उनके संघर्ष, सादगी और समाज के प्रति उनकी निस्वार्थ सेवा को दर्शाती है। पुस्तक उनके समाजवादी दृष्टिकोण, शिक्षा, समानता और न्याय के प्रति उनकी प्रतिबद्धता को उजागर करती है, जो हर पाठक को प्रेरणा देती है।