India’s Forests aims to explore the history of Indian forests in a new way. It is a result of several years of deliberations on how to think about the Indian forests from a historical perspective. It revisits more than the question of the role of forests in India’s long history. It seeks to bring to light new insights on how changes in society, culture, and polity have reshaped forests and continue to do so.
Forests mean not one but many things to different people. While seen as ecologically crucial in many ways, they are also a storehouse of resources in more than one way. They have also been the arena and subject of critical social movements, among whom Chipko gained special prominence in India almost half a century ago. They are also sites of social, political, scientific and cultural contestation.
Forests are battlegrounds for more than just timber and land. Forests are contested not only as a resource but also in ideational terms. What constitutes a forest, for whom, when, and where can it be, is often a contentious issue.
Catagory: Non Fiction
non fiction main category
The Nine Lives of Annie Besant
On Thursday, 5 April 1877, thirty-year-old Annie Besant stood trial in London for daring to sell a small book on birth control—an act that shocked Victorian society and made her a household name. This was only the beginning of a lifetime spent defying authority.
Besant began as a devout Christian wife, only to renounce her faith and embrace atheism. She became a fiery socialist voice in the strikes and protests of the 1880s, then turned to Theosophy in search of spiritual truths. But it was in India that she found her greatest cause. Moving beyond religion and reform, she became a leader in the Indian movement for self-rule, edited nationalist newspapers, campaigned for self-rule and was even interned by the British government for her influence. To many Indians she was a heroine; to the colonial State, a dangerous agitator.
Annie Besant’s life was extraordinary and full of contradictions: from politics to mysticism, from the London suburbs to the heart of India’s freedom struggle, from Christian piety to Theosophical priestesshood. The Nine Lives of Annie Besant tells the complete story of a woman who broke all the rules.
Glimpses of a Golden Childhood
General Brasstacks
In 1986, as Indian and Chinese troops faced off at Sumdorong Chu in Arunachal Pradesh, a standoff ensued. An Indian general airlifted a brigade to occupy difficult heights, putting the pressure on the Chinese who were on the lower heights. The audacious General Krishnaswamy Sundarji had swung the momentum decisively in India’s favour, forcing the Chinese to backpedal in the Himalayas.
The next year, the same army chief planned Operation Brasstacks, one of the largest military exercises in the world after World War II. The move threatened Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions which unnerved General Zia, and he reached out to New Delhi for a rapprochement.
No other decade has matched the 1980s for its headlined procession of grand events, turns of history, tragic events that includes the assassinations of two Indian Prime Ministers. Besides Brasstacks, General Sundarji oversaw two of the most controversial events: Operation Bluestar, against Sikh militants inside the Golden Temple Complex, and Operation Pawan, the Indian Peacekeeping Force against Tamil militants in Sri Lanka. Sundarji was involved in the acquisition of Bofors and the controversy that followed, leading to the fall of the government.
The Indian army was called in to fight militants inside a religious complex, fought on Siachen for the first time; in the deserts of Rajasthan, the plains of Punjab, hills of Arunachal, the swamps of the northeast, jungles of Jaffna and the island country of Maldives. All of these campaigns had the imprint and bore the legacy of Sundarji.
But who was Krishnaswamy Sundarji? How did his predilection for bold decisions, often termed as brash, arise? Was he too ambitious? Was he ahead of his time in dreaming of advanced technology in wars or was he behind time as the decade witnessed insurgencies that warranted a bootstrapped approach? This definitive biography by bestselling author Probal Dasgupta will detail the life and times of one of India’s most charismatic, yet forgotten, army chiefs.
Sundarji straddled the timeline of the first six decades of a free India, his career often echoing the trajectory of India’s political choices in these years. He is the only military general who influenced the political dispensation and policy choices within India’s democracy. His brisk 820-day stint got the country battles, wars, standoffs, a modern fighting machine, victories, setbacks, controversies, praises and criticism alike – and by the end of it all, prompted two kinds of views about him. Either people loved him or hated him.
This biography seeks to highlight Sundarji’s role in building the modern Indian Army and explores his key role in the turbulent political decade of eighties in India. Krishnaswamy Sundarji is arguably the most important military leader in India’s history. A towering presence, his legacy remains profound, disputed and unresolved because of the seminal impact, political volatility, controversies and his own unrivalled ambition.
Putting the Toilet Seat Down
For centuries, it has been (wrongly) believed that men are the superior gender. But what have we based that on? What research has been conducted to prove this?
Men are stronger. Men have had more power. So obviously, men must be superior.
Well . . . not quite.
Is it simply conditioning? At what point will we accept that feminism isn’t about one gender being better than another. It is about all genders being treated equally.
Putting the Toilet Seat Down is not only Feminism 101 but the first step we can take towards equal living. It is a no-gyaan, no-judgement guide for anyone who is curious (or confused) about feminism. Or for anyone who wants to unlearn their biases. With answers to questions like what is feminism, why do we need it in today’s world and do feminists hate men, this funny, engaging and nuanced graphic narrative breaks down big ideas with logic, humour, sensitivity and just the right amount of self-roasting.
Instead of lectures, you’ll get real talk—backed by history, science, and real-life examples — about why questioning your own biases doesn’t make you ‘less of a man’; just a better, more empathetic ally.
It’s about understanding the world a little better, and maybe becoming a better person in the process.
The Great Revival
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to navigate crises is paramount for any organization. This book provides invaluable insights into how CG Power, once on the brink of collapse, successfully redefined its trajectory through strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to ethical governance. This story serves as a compelling reminder that with the right vision, dedication, and teamwork, even the most challenging situations can be transformed into opportunities for growth.
Finger Pointing To The Moon
Rabindranath demands to be quoted for his impressive command over language, his inimitable expressions and, especially, for the keenness of his thought. Tagore s poetry is legion, but his prose writings reflect the way he perceived the world and his involvement in the contemporary debates of his time. Tagore s sharp, analytical, polyglot mind contested mainstream world views even as he maintained a unique position on the fundamental shifts that were occurring in society and politics in the first half of the twentieth century. The Nectar of Life, a collection of pithy quotations from Tagore s prose writings, available in English for the first time, is distilled from his essays, speeches and letters. These musings on a wide array of subjects ranging from literature, nationalism and religion to beauty, happiness and love will delight readers, particularly those who are new to Tagore.
Speaking of History
Speaking of History brings India’s past into sharp, urgent focus. In these wide-ranging conversations, Romila Thapar, the distinguished historian, joins Namit Arora, incisive writer and social critic, to explore how history is written, remembered and fought over.
Together, they pull back the curtain on the historian’s craft: how evidence is weighed, how interpretations are made, and why the past has become a battleground of politics and identity. From caste and gender to religion, mythology and nationalism, they revisit much contested terrain and ask the vital questions—what can we really know about our past, and why does it matter so much today?
The result is both erudite and refreshingly accessible: a book that challenges distortion and mythmaking, while celebrating history as an act of curiosity, argument and critical inquiry. At a time when the discipline is under siege, Speaking of History is both a defence of rigorous scholarship and a lively reminder that to engage with history in all its complexity is to undertake a profound journey—an inquiry not just into the past, but into ourselves.
Miniature Giants
Did you know that insects are at the forefront of research today? Scientists are looking to them to design heart valves, prosthetics, drones, noise-cancelling headphones and many other things. In fact, insects have done what humans are only beginning to learn to do.
However, despite occupying every nook and corner of the earth and sustaining several ecological systems, they continue to remain misunderstood and unappreciated beings. Considering the diversity of entomological studies happening across various parts of the globe, it will not be an exaggeration to say that the field is still at a nascent stage in India.
In Miniature Giants, biologist and naturalist Geetha Iyer attempts to set the record straight. She writes about several such marvellous insects and their strange and absorbing behaviours in an attempt to highlight the need for their conservation. In this book, she also dispels myths and misconceptions about them arising from nothing but sheer ignorance.
Remember Your Roots: How to Awaken Your Ancestral Power and Live with Gratitude (A Book Inspired by Mayan Wisdom)
Supported by Mayan traditions, this book shows you how to embrace gratitude in every area of your life so that you may find ultimate bliss, happiness, and connection to all things.
In Remember Your Roots, Mayan Spiritual Guide Christine Olivia Hernandez draws upon her lineage’s wisdom and cosmovision. She bridges these ancient teachings to the modern day so you can connect to your roots and live with greater wholeness, regardless of your specific ancestry. However, there is a problem. Many people do not feel connected to their roots, but rather, a sense of loss, mistrust, and unsafety in the world.
By speaking to the core issues we all face, Christine guides you through an intentional 13 chapter journey to help you access gratitude in every area of your life. Gratitude is a state of being that brings health, abundance, and enlightenment, for it’s the key that unlocks all doors in your life. When we remember this truth, we find that we are connected to the wisdom of the trees, the light of stars, the elements, and to each other. Realizing this, we can overcome any adversity.
From accessing the wisdom of your body and creating a positive mental environment, to resolving unhealthy generational patterns and embracing the importance of ceremony and celebration, this book guides you to feel wholeness and gratitude in every area of your life.