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.
The prevailing narrative and knowledge ecosystem, and most certainly newspaper and TV reporting, on the Himalaya is dominated by colonial and postcolonial situational exposés that are informed by the Centres’ perspectives. Hence, many writings suffer from the imperial gaze, on the one hand, and a recency bias on the other, while approaching the peripheries as either exotic destinations or military hotspots with red lines drawn on snow-capped peaks, crests and arid plateaus.
The Himalaya has always been a contested region and has gained even more political salience after the 1962 Sino-Indian border war and, more so in recent times, with the rise of India and China.
What gets lost are the voices and lives of the people who actually call the Himalaya home.
In the Margins of Empires documents the lives and livelihoods of the borderlands in the Eastern Himalayan region—Nepal, Bhutan, pre-1950 Tibet and the post-1950 Tibetan Autonomous Region, Sikkim, Darjeeling, and India’s North-East. The book is an effort to look at the region as an organic whole, from within the region, connected through centuries of transboundary traders, travellers, scholars, monastic exchanges, but also by missionaries, monks, and moles.
As border infrastructure across the Himalaya in TAR and India is being constantly upgraded, and as India and China play a cat-and-mouse game, smaller states and communities in the borderlands, including the Chicken’s Neck, find themselves caught up in the larger geopolitical arena. With fresh analysis, great insight, and on-the-ground reportage, Akhilesh Upadhyay tells the story of the region and of communities that remain wedged between giants, yet are also shaping their own futures in the shadow of the Himalaya’s peaks.
What does the future of the region look like? Perhaps it will follow the mystique of the Himalaya.
In September-October 2020, around 300,000 Indian farmers marched to New Delhi, to protest against three new farm laws by stationing themselves on national highways around the capital for over a year. This movement, the largest farmer assertion in recent times, with its firm commitment to democracy, civil disobedience and peaceful resistance, carved out a distinct political space for itself.
For over a decade prior, farmer groups had repeatedly tried to highlight agricultural issues neglected by successive governments. However, what transpired after 2020 was a unique moment in the history of world social movements.
Farmer Power examines the 2020-21 movement and delves into its evolution, history and what made it unique on the global scale. This book also looks into broader agricultural sector issues, including the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, and the limitations of the procurement system. It seeks to highlight the policy interventions made by Indian state in the past two decades on these issues. This comprehensive account is essential for anyone interested in the politics of agriculture, livelihoods, and rural scenarios.
Whither Human Rights in India, edited by Anand Teltumbde, one of India’s prominent human rights activists, is a searing and indispensable anthology that brings together some of the most important thinkers, activists and human rights defenders of our time. The essays trace the historical and ideological roots of India’s human rights discourse—from colonial legacies and constitutional guarantees to the challenges posed by majoritarian politics, state violence and systemic inequality.
Contributors critically examine institutions and practices shaping the current landscape: judicial responses, hate speech, impunity, ‘bulldozer justice’ and contested models of development. They also turn to the lived realities of vulnerable communities—Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, Christians, women, children, LGBTQI+ people and prisoners—whose struggles for dignity illuminate the larger battle for justice and democracy.
Featuring incisive contributions from Harsh Mander, Kalpana Kannabiran, Aakar Patel, Teesta Setalvad, Gautam Navlakha, Mihir Desai and others, this volume offers an unflinching exploration of human rights at a critical juncture in India’s history.
Dedicated to the memory of Father Stan Swamy and Prof. G. N. Saibaba, Whither Human Rights in India is both a record of resistance and a call to rethink the future of democracy and human dignity.
In the dead of night on November 26, 2008, ten men slipped silently into Mumbai by sea. Over the next 60 hours, they unleashed a storm of violence that brought India’s financial capital to its knees and shocked the world. The true story of this attack, the most audacious terror plot since 9/11, begins decades earlier, spans multiple continents, and enmeshes a diverse array of characters with varying motivations.
This is a story that has never been told in full. Until now.
Perfect Storm peels back the layers of this conspiracy, taking readers on a riveting journey that extends from the blood-soaked birth of Pakistan in 1947 to the treacherous geopolitical landscape of the post 9/11 world. Based on meticulous research and drawing on Prabhakar Aloka’s decades-long experience in counter-terrorism in the Intelligence Bureau, and co-author Nikhil Ravi’s expertise as a screenwriter and filmmaker documenting Indo-Pak geopolitical flashpoints, the book pieces together the spider’s web behind 26/11, spanning worlds as disparate as dusty training camps in rural Pakistan and neon-lit hacker dens in South-East Asia, casting an unprecedented look into the anatomy of a state-sponsored terror attack.
सीमित संसाधनों में पला-बढ़ा एक बालक, जो आगे चलकर भारत का प्रधानमंत्री बना और पूरे वैश्विक पटल पर अपनी एक अमिट छाप छोड़ दी।
ये कैसे हुआ, प्रेरणाएं कहां से मिलीं। इस असाधारण उपलब्धि के पीछे कौन सी सोच काम कर रही थी, वो कौन से अनुभव थे जिन्होंने एक बालक को असाधारण बना दिया, इन्ही जिज्ञासाओं से इस पुस्तक संग्रह (बॉक्स सेट) ‘सेवा ही संकल्प, राष्ट्र प्रथम ही प्रेरणा — नरेन्द्र मोदी’ का जन्म हुआ है।
दुर्लभ फ़ोटोग्राफ़्स और अनसुनी घटनाओं से सजी यह पुस्तक संग्रह प्रधानमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी के जीवन की अनदेखी झांकी है। चार पुस्तकों और तीन भागों में विभाजित, यह नरेन्द्र दामोदरदास मोदी की कहानी है। ये गुजरात के वडनगर में जन्मे और पले-बढ़े एक कौतूहल से भरे युवा की यात्रा है, जो अपने जन्म-प्रदेश का मुख्यमंत्री बना। लाखों लोगों को प्रभावित करने वाली ये यात्रा, भविष्य में करोड़ों-अरबों लोगों के जीवन में संभावनाओं का सूर्य बनकर चमकने वाली थी।
इस संग्रह की पहली पुस्तक ‘Seeds of Service – सेवा के बीज’ आपको युवा नरेन्द्र मोदी के प्रारंभिक वर्षों, शुरुआती अनुभवों और उनके जीवन पर पड़ने वाले प्रभावों में गहराई तक ले जाएगी और उनके संवेदनशील बचपन, युवावस्था, स्वयंसेवक के रूप में यात्रा जैसे विविध पहलुओं से जोड़ेगी।
दूसरी पुस्तक ‘Dedication and Duty – समर्पण और कर्तव्य’ में आपको उनके भारतीय जनता पार्टी में अभूतपूर्व उत्थान, सांगठनिक पुर्नगठन, तबाह हो चुकी मातृभूमि में एक मुसाफिर बेटे की वापसी जैसे कई विषयों की जानकारी होगी। भारतीय जनता पार्टी के सबसे सफल रणनीतिकारों में से एक के रूप में यह उनकी वो यात्रा है, जिसने पार्टी, प्रदेश और देश का युग परिभाषित कर दिया।
इस संग्रह की तीसरी पुस्तक ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava – नागरिक देवो भवः’ एक मुख्यमंत्री के तौर नरेन्द्र मोदी द्वारा गुजरात में बदलाव और प्रगति की एक अद्वितीय गाथा है। लगातार चार कार्यकालों में व्यापक बहुक्षेत्रीय और बहुआयामी परिवर्तनों की ये कथा अपने आप में प्रेरणा का ज्योति पुंज है।
संग्रह की चौथी व अंतिम पुस्तक ‘यादगार स्मृतियां – Memorable Glimpses’ उनके जन्म से लेकर गुजरात के मुख्यमंत्री बनने तक के विविध क्षणों को चित्रों के माध्यम से सामने लाती है।
इस पुस्तक संग्रह में जनमानस के उन अनुभवों को समाहित किया गया है, जिन्होंने मिलकर 140 करोड़ भारतीयों के लोकतांत्रिक रूप से निर्वाचित नेता को गढ़ा है। यह पुस्तक संग्रह उस ऐतिहासिक मोड़ पर समाप्त होता है, जब नरेन्द्र मोदी, 1947 के बाद पैदा हुए पहले प्रधानमंत्री के रूप में, बतौर सरकार के मुखिया, दुनिया के सबसे बड़े लोकतंत्र के मंदिर, भारतीय संसद की सीढ़ियों पर झुके थे।
A definitive account of India’s decisive military response to Pakistan-backed terrorism — told by Lt Gen K.J.S. Dhillon, one of India’s most respected Army commanders.
On 22 April 2025, the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, south Kashmir, witnessed a horrifying attack when heavily armed terrorists from the Resistance Front, a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), fully sponsored by the Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), shattered its serenity with gunfire, killing twenty-six innocent individuals and injuring several others. The victims included newlyweds, elderly parents and solo trekkers. A Hindu professor narrowly escaped death by reciting the kalma, a Christian sacrificed his life to save his family and a local Muslim was killed while saving others. This was an attempt to rupture India’s religious harmony and create widespread outrage in the country.
India chose to respond to this incident, which shook not just the nation but the world, with Operation SINDOOR, showcasing its military modernization and might. The mission targeted terror camps, including the ones in Bahawalpur and Muridke, linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and LeT, respectively, and terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India’s response demonstrated military professionalism, technological maturity and diplomatic sagacity, ensuring regional stability while delivering a powerful message against Pakistan and its terror factory. This book carries minute details and a blow-by-blow account of the ‘Four-Day War’ between two hostile nuclear powers. The author underscores the intelligent use of media and social media in the battle of narratives, discusses the ‘new normal’ and emerging rules of engagement, and suggests a way forward.
Offering hitherto unrevealed information, Lt Gen. ‘Tiny’ Dhillon (Retd) opens a window to Operation SINDOOR, a testament to the strength of the Indian military and the unity of India when confronted with an adverse situation. With visuals from the destroyed target areas, this book is a powerful reminder of the impact of terrorism and the enduring hope for peace and justice.
Operation SINDOOR is a must-read for everyone.
In Why the Constitution Matters Justice D.Y. Chandrachud delves into the profound significance of the Constitution in shaping the nation’s identity and governance. This insightful book offers readers a nuanced understanding of the Constitution’s role in protecting fundamental rights, ensuring justice and maintaining the rule of law. The author brings to the forefront his experience of nearly twenty-five years as a judge, making complex constitutional principles accessible to both legal professionals and common citizens. Through engaging narratives and real-life examples, he illustrates how the Constitution impacts everyday life and why it remains a cornerstone of democracy. The book covers themes such as democracy, free speech, pluralism, gender, environmental governance, dissent and landmark judgments that have shaped modern India.
Why the Constitution Matters is not just a book for legal scholars; it is a must-read for anyone who values democracy, justice and the rule of law. Discover why the Constitution is more than just a document; it is the foundation of a just and equitable society.
In this paradigm-shifting history, two leading historians of India re-examine the making of the Indian constitution from the perspective of the country’s people. In a departure from dominant approaches that foreground the framing of the text within the Constituent Assembly, Ornit Shani and Rohit De instead demonstrate how it was shaped by diverse publics across India and beyond. They reveal multiple, parallel constitution-making processes underway across the subcontinent, highlighting how individuals and groups transformed constitutionalism into a medium of struggle and a tool for transformation. De and Shani argue that the deep sense of ownership the public assumed over the constitution became pivotal to the formation, legitimacy and endurance of India’s democracy against arduous challenges and many odds. In highlighting the Indian case as a model for thinking through constitution making in plural societies, this is a vital contribution to constitutional and democratic history.
Nepal is poised as never before to embark on an incredible future. The past two decades has seen unprecedented economic growth despite the challenges propped up by frequent changes in government, tumultuous political transitions, earthquakes, floods, blockades and to top it all, the pandemic. There is little written about this change as negative narratives cloud contemporary writings on Nepal.
Moreover, there’s something uniquely exciting about where Nepal can go from here on. Drawing from practical experiences and academic insights, this book presents a compelling vision for Nepal’s future, exploring key areas such as hydropower, agriculture, tourism, migration and digital transformation. It argues that with a sixfold increase in GDP over two decades, Nepal is actually poised to scale even greater heights in the years to come. Positioned strategically between China and India, and supported by a robust diaspora, this not-so-small country has the potential to transform into a high-income country by 2043. There is change brewing among its youth who are ready to play a more active role in transforming the country’s politics and economy. It is, therefore, only a matter of time before all this untapped potential is leveraged. While this book is about Nepal’s potential, it is also a playbook for emerging economies.
Come, join the journey to reimagine and reintroduce Nepal to the global stage.
