Who continues to pay the costs of war long after our soldiers are gone?
There are many stories of courageous heroes at the borders, but how much do we know about the women standing strong behind them?
The Force behind the Forces is a collection of seven true stories of eternal love, courage and sacrifice. Written by an army wife, Swapnil Pandey, this book brings to light moving stories of unimaginable valour in the face of broken dreams, lost hopes and shattered families. It proves that bullets and bombs can only pierce the bodies of our soldiers, for their stories will live on in the hearts of these brave women forever, women who have dedicated their lives to the nation, without even a uniform to call their own.
Foreword by The Dalai Lama
Do you wish to sharpen your awareness?
Train your mind to observe your thoughts and emotions?
Bestselling author Shonali Sabherwal’s latest book is for anyone looking to start meditating. With a detailed guide and a focus on Vipassana, it shows you how to control the highs and lows in life and take charge of your happiness. It teaches you how to occupy a state of equanimity and be present in the moment through an ancient technique used by the Buddha for enlightenment. Lift yourself up on this journey from misery to happiness, from defilement to purity, from bondage to liberation and from ignorance to enlightenment. Turn your life around through Vipassana.
H.D. Deve Gowda has been in public life for nearly seven decades. He started at the very bottom, as a member of the Holenarasipur Taluk Development Board and reached the very top as India’s eleventh prime minister, in 1996. In between, he was an independent legislator, spent long years as leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, had been an effective irrigation and public works minister, and finally, chief minister in 1994 after many missed opportunities. Even twenty-five years after he stepped down as prime minister, he has remained relevant in Indian politics. Despite this long, arduous yet fascinating journey that began in a poor peasant household in the plains of Hassan, there has been no comprehensive assessment of his life and work. This biography endeavours to professionally fill the gap.
The book’s narrative is instructed by Gowda’s rich parliamentary record, archival material and interviews conducted with people associated with him at various stages of his life. The layered narrative is further nuanced by Gowda’s own voice, gargantuan memory, a close reading of the time when he made history and the currents of destiny that preceded it. Although Gowda has spent most of his years in Karnataka and has become a symbol of the federal idea, this book argues that the diverse national imagination and sincerity that he deployed as prime minister had magically lit up different corners of India.
When Gowda became prime minister, many people intuitively registered that our democracy had not been rigged or captured by elites and dynasts, and there was indeed space in our system to rise for a self-made person with no godfathers. It generated hope and continues to do so.
How did Tata transform itself from a family-owned business to one of the most professionally managed enterprises in the world? How did it become a world leader in an array of unrelated businesses-from steel and automobile manufacturing to hotels and IT consulting? What exactly is the ‘Tata Way’, which has earned it so much admiration and respect?
This brief history of the Tatas charts the contribution of every Tata chairman-from Jamsetji Tata, who set up the company in 1868, to Ratan Tata and Cyrus Mistry-and explores the values at the heart of the Tata Group, as well as the role played in its development by the philanthropic trusts that own two-thirds of the company.
For anyone curious about this Indian company that has become a leading global player, this book is the perfect introduction.
More than thirty-five years after his death, Sanjeev Kumar remains a role model for all aspiring actors. He could light up the screen in underpants, paunch showing, in one of Hindi cinema’s most lovable song sequences, ‘Thande thande paani se nahana chahiye’ (Pati Patni Aur Woh, 1977). Entirely unselfconscious of his image as a star, he would often be cast as the father figure to a number of his contemporaries, most famously Sharmila Tagore in Mausam (1975) and Amitabh Bachchan in Trishul (1978), or as the elderly Thakur in Sholay (1975) and yet leave an indelible mark with his presence and his acting prowess.
After starting out in B-films in the 1960s, he caught the eye in Sungharsh (1967), where the manner in which he held his own against Dilip Kumar is now stuff of Hindi film folklore. Equally adept at comedy (Angoor and Manchali, for example) and dramatic serious roles (Anubhav and Koshish), he was truly an actor’s actor.
Hanif Zaveri and Sumant Batra’s biography provides a glimpse of star’s personal and professional lives, taking off from the traditional business of the Zariwalas, his romantic involvement with some of Hindi cinema’s biggest names, his lifelong battle with loneliness and his glittering achievements on screen. An Actor’s Actor is a succinct introduction to the life and films of a star who left us tragically at the young age of forty-seven but who continues to live through his unforgettable and remarkable contribution to Hindi cinema.
In her second book, award-winning actor Divya Dutta recounts her experiences with some of the stalwarts of Bollywood who played a significant role in her film journey. She talks about the inspiration they have been in her life through their immersive interactions, through what they did for her, and what she learnt from them.
From getting Shabbo’s dialect and look just right on the sets of Veer-Zaara with Yash Chopra to being inspired by Shabana Azmi’s inimitable zest for celebrating life; from her impromptu improvisations on the sets with Irrfan Khan to her non-stop peals of laughter with Shah Rukh Khan, she tells it all with rare candour. She opens up about moments that changed her deeply from within. Such as the time when she burst out crying after playing mean to Amitabh Bachchan during a shoot, or when Shyam Benegal made her choreograph her own dance sequence in a film.
The Stars in My Sky is not only about the deep impact these experiences had on her life, but also about how they defined the trajectory of her career.
‘Barkat’ means abundance. An abundance of blessings and auspiciousness. Where there is no dearth and there is no scarcity, that’s Barkat. It’s a much bigger word than can be translated in English.
This is the story of one of the most beloved chefs from India, Vikas Khanna. From the small town of Amritsar, he grew to be an international chef and fulfilled his dream of getting a Michelin Star. He narrates how his grandmother infused in him the values of sharing food, while the langars of the Golden Temple showed him that community kitchens are perhaps the only way to ensure no one goes hungry.
From these values developed around food, he got the goal and the grit to build one of the world’s largest food drives called ‘Feed India’ during the COVID-19 lockdown.
This deeply personal and heart-touching narrative is a testimony of one man’s vision to showcase Indian culture and the intrinsic value of sharing food to the world.
Insights into the millet movement that is happening in India creating a buzz with consumers, entrepreneurs, chefs, NGOs and government. Hear how people have become inspired by this humble ancient grain. Stories, touching moments, beautiful imagery, harsh environments to new urban trends and recipes especially created by chefs and a nutritionist. This and more. Be amazed by this quiet revolution that is happening in India.
Across India women, mostly from the courtesan community, were the stellar pioneers of recording technology in the early twentieth-century.
Yet, their stories have been completely lost in the sands of time.
This book revisits their lives & features the indefatigable saga of 25 inspiring Indian women musicians from across the country, from 1902 to 1947.
Also, hear their original voices that have been restored & reconstructed in the accompanying CD.
Are you ‘Ruddy’ for adventure?
In the forests of central India, where teak meets sal and plateaus meet hills, natural history meets detective fiction in an inquisitive Ruddy Mongoose’s investigations. Join Naturalist Ruddy as he unearths some of nature’s most fascinating mysteries in this one-of-a-kind comic book set across India’s various natural habitats.
Dig to the bottom of nature’s ‘crime scenes’ with this one-of-a-kind, edge-of-your-seat comic book!
Learn more about lesser-known animals, insects and organisms of India, and how they interact with their environment
Includes cases that the readers can assist Ruddy in solving.
