British-Indian novelist and essayist, Salman Rushdie is best known for his novel Midnight’s Children, which won the Booker Prize in 1981. He is the author of great works like Shame, The Moor’s Last Sigh, The Enchantress of Florence, and Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights. Here are five things you did not know about the literary maestro:
1. Salman Rushdie was the son of a Cambridge-educated lawyer and a teacher and was born in Bombay, India, during the British Raj. His parents were Kashmiri Muslims. Rushdie relocated from India to study history at Cambridge University after completing high school in Warwickshire, England.
2. He became one of the most well-known authors in history with Midnight’s Children, a magical realism portrayal of a generation of supernaturally gifted kids with a mystical link to India’s own birth as an independent modern nation.
3. Despite winning numerous literary awards, including the Austrian State Prize for European Literature, the Golden PEN Award, and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, Rushdie is yet to win the Nobel Prize.
4.Rushdie is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 for his services to literature.
5. As a former president of PEN American Center, a nonprofit organization that promotes freedom of expression and defends writers who are persecuted for their work, he is a passionate advocate for freedom of expression and has spoken out against censorship and book banning.
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Victory City || Salman Rushdie
Order your copy today of Salman Rushdie’s latest book Victory City. This is an epic story of a 247-year-old woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence, only to be consumed by it over the years.
Are you sticking to the ‘I’m-going-to-follow-a-super-healthy-lifestyle’ resolution you made on New Year’s Eve? It’s all good – even if you haven’t been, we are here to equip you with all the information you need to get back on the wagon.
As book lovers, we know that books can be a powerful tool in promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Whether you’re looking to improve your physical fitness, enhance your mental clarity, nourish your soul, or explore new ways of taking care of your body and mind, we’ve got you covered.
Here are our top recommendations for health and wellness books that are not only informative, but also engaging and easy to digest.
So head to your favorite reading nook, settle in, and get ready to kickstart your healthy journey!
We live in a world where there is a new fad diet, superfood, supplement or nutrition theory every month. There are so many tricks to optimizing workouts, peak performance, burning fat, living longer, sleeping better and biohacking your immune system. Wellness has become a part of mainstream discourse like never before, and the result is an overwhelming barrage of seemingly contradictory information.
But here’s one simple truth: good health impacts every aspect of life, be it productivity at work, interpersonal relationships or balanced family life. In Hacking Health, Mukesh Bansal takes on the mammoth task of demystifying the science, simplifying the research, and tracing the story of our relationship with our body. Through a combination of personal experience and cutting-edge science, this is a book that draws from ancient wisdom and also debunks unscientific myths to help you make smart choices in pursuit of good health. From nutrition and fitness to sleep and immunity, weight management and mental health to ageing and longevity, this book delves into the breadth and depth of holistic health and helps you navigate the lines between science and pseudoscience.
25 Small Habits by Manoj Chenthamarakshan
25 Small Habits || Manoj Chenthamarakshan
We all know that our habits shape our lives, but when we try to incorporate a new habit into our lifestyle, we understand how difficult it can get. Most people fail to retain a new habit past the first week. This book doesn’t teach you how to develop habits; instead, it offers you a set of twenty-five small habits that take very little time and can be held on to without much effort.
The habits in this book are designed to give you holistic growth in terms of self-development, community, career, relationship, and physical and mental health. You can choose the habits that you are able to fit into your daily schedule.
7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body for Greater Well-Being by Dr Hansaji Yogendra
7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body for Greater Well-Being || Dr Hansaji Yogendra
Do you feel that your life is out of control? Your health, mind and ambitions . . . none are panning out as planned?
Does it appear as if there is an invisible force that is dictating your relationships?
Do you have this intense desire to stop and restart in a way that things begin to work for you?
Then, this is the book for you.
7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body for Greater Well-Being is the simple but practical guide you need to read to get that control back. Written by the most admired and respected Dr Hansaji Yogendra of The Yoga Institute, this step-by-step guide explains the importance of creating and maintaining balance in all aspects of your life.
In an anecdotal and friendly way, Dr Hansaji delineates the practices and the thought processes you need to develop and the changes you need to make to put life in perspective for you. Whether it is getting a good night’s sleep or eating healthy or dealing with office stress, she helps you sort out each aspect with her great insight.
4G Code to Good Health by Ishi Khosla
4G Code to Good Health || Ishi Khosla
Do you know that if you just eat the right foods, you can control your appetite and weight, remove cravings, control moods, manage sleep and much more?
Each of us today wants to be healthy and lead a balanced life. The pandemic has also taught us how important it is to have strong immunity. Yet we struggle with what to eat and what not to. Noted dietician and nutritionist Ishi Khosla says that our gut is the control panel of our health. Our forefathers knew it. That is why it is said, ‘Jaise ann vaisa mann‘ or you are what you eat. Ishi takes it a step further when she says, ‘We are not only what we eat, but what we digest and what we DON’T eat!’
Here, she distills decades of experience and knowledge and combines it with the wisdom of the past to provide an insight into the science of the 4 Gs-Gut, Girth, Gluten and Glucose-and their connection with each other, so we can modify our eating habits and lifestyle in a permanent manner. Remember, our bodies are forgiving and capable of healing. It’s NEVER too late!
Energise Your Mind by Gaur Gopal Das
Energize Your Mind || Gaur Gopal Das
Take charge of your mind.
Be in charge of your life.
In this book, bestselling author and life coach Gaur Gopal Das decodes how the mind works. He combines his anecdotal style with analytical research to teach us how to discipline our mind for our greater well-being. Throughout this book, he provides interactive exercises, meditation techniques and worksheets to help us take charge of our mind.
This book is an essential read for anyone who wants to work towards a better, more fulfilling future for themselves.
Dr Mathai’s ABC to Health by Issac Mathai
Dr Mathai’s ABC to Health || Issac Mathai
How often have you put off eating healthy food, starting those morning walks, hitting the gym or practising yoga because you are feeling well anyway?
The refrain often is-will stop junk food from next week, will begin fitness from the new year or next month, will ensure adequate sleep from tomorrow. Almost always, starting wellness or staying fit is post-dated.
Dr Mathai’s ABC to Good Health tells you why you must not postpone all those good habits of staying healthy and what could happen to you if you ignore your fitness quotient. It tells you why you must not press the panic button only when you fall sick but practise wellness every single day to build a solid immunity and stay away from the common cold, fever and many everyday ailments.
The book gives you simple tips to practise daily wellness by way of eating right, sleeping enough, and staying positive at all times. It gives you the health benefits of practising wellness from A to Z, ranging from fruits and nuts to vegetables, and even activities that can make you feel like a rock star every single morning when you wake up. It is wellness today and every single day.
Diversity month is an occasion to honour the unique voices and different cultural origins of people around the globe. It is to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions made by those who lived before us and are still influencing the world today. Here are a few of our favourite books that will bring new perspectives to your life and offer stories that are sure to stay forever with you.
The Black Magic Women by Moushumi Kandali, Parbina Rashid
The Black Magic Women || Moushumi Kandali, Parbina Rashid
In order to pack a punch, the author enters a surrealistic mode and liberally sprinkles tale, myth, and metaphors throughout the book. The reader fails to stay an objective observer given the range of emotions these ten tales from the North-east arouse. The Black Magic Women by Moushumi Kandali attempts to introduce readers to Assam’s diverse culture, but does so in a strikingly different way. She removes her Assamese characters from the region and places them in modern society, capturing their struggle to maintain their inherent “Assameseness” while attempting to fit into the broader community.
The Nitopadesha by Nitin Pai
The Nitopadesha || Nitin Pai
Nitopadesha, a book about good citizenship and citizen-craft that will appeal to the modern reader, is a labyrinth of tales in the style of the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales. Nitin Pai’s compelling translation is a must-read for conscientious citizens of all ages, covering topics like what citizenship means, the ethical dilemmas one encounters as a citizen, and how one can deal with social issues.
Secrets of Divine Love Journal by A. Helwa
Secrets of Divine Love Journal || A. Helwa
The best-selling book Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam served as the inspiration for the journal. Secrets of Divine Love Journal can assist you in developing a closer bond with Allah by inspiring and bringing you closer to the core of your faith through heart-centered thoughts, insightful prompts, and thought-provoking inquiries.
From Darkness Into Light by A.Helwa
From Darkness Into Light || A.Helwa
From Darkness into Light was written for those who are longing to experience a journey of spiritual deepening. For those who are seeking a close bond with Allah, connection, and hope. It will motivate you to approach the Divine with compassion after reading From Darkness into Light. It will demonstrate to you how to approach God despite all of your uncertainties and insecurities and how to transform your concerns into worship. This book is intended for those who want to approach God honestly and sincerely rather than for those who have a perfect connection with God.
A Man from Motihari by Abdullah Khan
A Man from Motihari || Abdullah Khan
Aslam, an elegant aspiring writer who is healing from a failed relationship, and Jessica, a Los Angeles-based activist and actor in the adult entertainment business, accidentally cross paths and fall hopelessly in love. The story follows these two unlikely characters as they travel against the background of India’s growing right-wing political forces. It transports you to rural India to reveal George Orwell’s close relationship with Motihari, a tiny town in northern Bihar where Gandhi Ji conducted the first Satyagraha experiment.
The Penguin Book of Modern Tibetan Essays by Tenzin Dickie
The Penguin Book of Modern Tibetan Essays || Tenzin Dickie
The Penguin Book of Modern Tibetan Essays is a groundbreaking anthology of modern Tibetan non-fiction. Some of the finest Tibetan authors currently producing work in Tibetan, English, and Chinese are included in this ground-breaking collection, which honours the art of the contemporary Tibetan essay. This collection of personal essays by Tibetan authors marks a historic development in modern Tibetan literature and makes a major contribution to global literature.
Shurjo’s Clan by Iffat Nawaz
Shurjo’s Clan || Iffat Nawaz
Iffat Nawaz’s lyrical and evocative prose heralds the arrival of a distinctive voice that explores issues of loss, belonging, identity, and family with delightful imagination and devastating insight. It spans decades, from the forced migration of Bengalis to East Pakistan in 1947 to the liberation war of 1971, the wave of immigrants to the West in the 1980s, and a final return. This debut book asks, above all, how we can respect the past without letting its wounds destroy us with its mesmerising balance between inexplicable otherworldliness and undeniable reality.
Fruits of the Barren Tree by Lekhnath Chhetri, Anurag Basnet
Fruits of the Barren Tree || Lekhnath Chhetri, Anurag Basnet
Originally published in Nepali as Phoolange, this sharp, evocative novel is the story of a failed movement and a cautionary tale of how easily the contagion of violence can infect a community. It is also a compelling picture of Darjeeling outside of the brochures and postcards. It is intensely visual and filled with a strong sense of place.
The Dalit Truth by K. Raju
The Dalit Truth || K. Raju
A chorus of Dalit voices can be heard calling out to the future in The Dalit Truth. The pages of this book represent many Dalit realities and their struggles against the caste system’s lies, pointing to a future full of hope and opportunity for the following generations. These pages will be enlightening and refreshing to today’s educated users. The Dalit Truth is a dossier for tomorrow.
The Trauma of Caste by Thenmozhi Soundararajan
The Trauma of Caste || Thenmozhi Soundararajan
Thenmozhi Soundararajan, a Dalit American activist, issues an appeal to action for readers everywhere, not just in South Asia. By examining caste from a feminist, abolitionist, and Dalit Buddhist perspective—and by laying bare the grief, trauma, rage, and stolen futures enacted by Brahminical social structures on the caste-oppressed—she connects Dalit oppression to struggles for liberation among Black, Indigenous, Latinx femme, and Queer communities.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida || Shehan Karunatilaka
Sri Lanka, 1990. Maali Almeida, a war photographer who was also a gambler and a secret homosexual man, awoke dead in what appeared to be a heavenly visa office. He is unaware of his killer as his dismembered corpse sinks to the bottom of Beira Lake. The ghouls and ghosts who gather around him can testify to the depressingly large list of suspects in a time when grudges are settled by death squads, suicide bombers, and hired goons. However, Maali’s time is running out even in the heavens. He has seven moons to attempt to get in touch with the people he loves the most and direct them to a secret stash of images that will upend Sri Lanka.
Karunatilaka is back with a rip-roaring epic that is full of mordant wit and unsettling truths, ten years after his prize-winning book Chinaman made him one of Sri Lanka’s leading writers.
Rooh by Manav Kaul
Rooh || Manav Kaul
Two young boys who are approaching adulthood, the cruelty of being a refugee in their own country, and a parent who is unable to reconcile this perplexing reality all contribute to the undercurrent of pain that permeates his life. The main character, Manav, travels back to Kashmir both literally and figuratively in this stream-of-consciousness book and relived the past as a part of the present. Rooh turns out to be a profoundly moving tale of the kind but broken individuals he encounters on this journey.
These Seats Are Reserved by Abhinav Chandrachud
These Seats Are Reserved || Abhinav Chandrachud
In India, the use of reservations or affirmative action is highly divisive. Many people oppose it because they believe it compromises the concept of “merit” and runs counter to the idea of equality of opportunity, despite the fact that it is legally required and supported by historians, political scientists, and social activists. Abhinav tracks the development of the reservation policy in These Seats Are Reserved.
The Scientific Sufi by Meher Wan
The Scientific Sufi || Meher Wan
The most comprehensive biography of Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose, the instigator of contemporary science in India, written in English is The Scientific Sufi. He was on the verge of receiving at least two Nobel Prizes, if not one, for his work on wireless communication and the discovery of the nervous system in plants, and many people think he was wrongfully denied these honours. This biography painstakingly reconstructs his life, times, work, legacy, youth, influences, and paints a close-up picture of the man who is credited with establishing modern science in India.
Water in a Broken Pot by Yogesh Maitreya
Water in a Broken Pot || Yogesh Maitreya
Yogesh Maitreya describes his eventual discovery of the written word, literature, and the Ambedkarite heritage, which helped shape his goals, identity, and the eventual career choice of publishing books after hopping from job to job to make ends meet. This new and radical voice shares his story in the most direct and unfiltered manner possible, as it actually happened, giving us readers the green light to be open and vulnerable when we share our own stories.
Fear and Other Stories by Dalpat Chauhan, Hemang Ashwinkumar
Fear and Other Stories || Dalpat Chauhan, Hemang Ashwinkumar
Fear and Other Stories serves as a stark reminder of the perils that Dalit life entails, a life that is plagued by unfathomable violence and fear even in the most innocuous circumstances. Veteran Gujarati author Dalpat Chauhan describes these real-life instances of frustration and rage in this compilation of short stories with startling vividness. His characters examine historical, mythological, and literary legends while highlighting the viewpoints of the marginalised. They also chronicle a long history of defiance.
Sivakami’s Vow: Paranjyothi’s Journey by Nandini Vijayaraghavan, Kalki Krishnamurthy
The first book in the four-volume Sivakami’s Vow series, Paranjyothi’s Journey, is a captivating account of war, betrayal, closely guarded forts, passions, and a Pallava ruler who will stop at nothing to preserve his empire. It was penned by Kalki, a master storyteller who nearly single-handedly elevated Tamil literature and history to new heights.
Caste: The Lies That Divide Us by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste: The Lies That Divide Us || Isabel Wilkerson
Caste order is not based on morality or emotions. Which groups possess authority and which do not is at issue.Beyond issues of race or wealth, a strong, unspoken system of distinctions governs our daily lives. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson paints a stunning picture of this obscure occurrence in her book Caste. Wilkerson shows how caste has moulded our world and how its rigid, arbitrary hierarchies still separate us today by tying together America, India, and Nazi Germany.
Terminal 3 by Debasmita Dasgupta
Terminal 3 || Debasmita Dasgupta
Khwab has persevered despite experiencing joy and emptiness, desire and grief, penance and serenity. She imagines that one day, existence will be a paradise. The tale of the common people attempting to live out their dreams in the Valley is told in Terminal 3: Breathing Against the Background of Conflict.
As nature wakes up from its winter slumber and bursts forth with new growth and vibrant colors, rejuvenate yourself with these latest page-turners this April.
The Skincare Answer Book||Dr Jaishree Sharad
Written in a Q&A format, The Skincare Answer Book helps you cut through the jargon by answering some of the most common skincare questions. From questions on skin types and skin routines to more specific topics like serums, acne, hyperpigmentation, sun allergies, hair loss, anti-aging, rosacea, layering of skin, common skin conditions like eczemas and skin infections, this book will arm you with all the information you need to care for your skin.
The Hidden Hindu 3 by Akshat Gupta
The Hidden Hindu 3 || Akshat Gupta
Which of Nagendra and Om is Devdhwaja? While Nagendra is brought back from the dead unharmed and stronger than ever, Parimal and LSD struggle to believe one another. While Vrishkapi battles against certain death, which has already devoured Milarepa, Parashurama and Kripacharya are imprisoned in the past of the collapsed Om. The other immortals are destroyed on all fronts, leaving the powerful Ashwatthama in the dark. Where are the phrases that are still missing? Will the immortals be able to halt Nagendra from finding them all and finishing the verse? Unravel the sudden riddle of the doomed immortals before time runs out.
Fear and Other Stories by Dalpat Chauhan, Hemang Ashwinkumar
Fear and Other Stories || Dalpat Chauhan, Hemang Ashwinkumar
Fear and Other Stories serves as a stark reminder of the perils that Dalit life entails, a life that is plagued by unfathomable violence and fear even in the most innocuous circumstances. Veteran Gujarati author Dalpat Chauhan describes these real-life instances of frustration and rage in this compilation of short stories with startling vividness. His characters examine historical, mythological, and literary legends while highlighting the viewpoints of the marginalised. They also chronicle a long history of defiance.
Eating the Present, Tasting the Future by Charmaine O’Brien
Eating the Present, Tasting the Future || Charmaine O’Brien
One of India’s most remarkable characteristics is her cuisine, which reflects the country’s history, enduring customs, and variety of people and places through its innumerable tastes and styles. But it is transforming more quickly than anyone could have imagined.
In order to explore the many factors transforming what, how, and where Indians are producing, trading, and consuming their food, Eating the Present, Tasting the Future goes “off the plate” and takes readers on a trip through the country’s modern foodscape. This is a timely and significant piece of work that provides a singular window into a complex culture at a time when food and our relationship with it are subjects of growing global interest.
Water in a Broken Pot by Yogesh Maitreya
Water in a Broken Pot || Yogesh Maitreya
Yogesh Maitreya describes his eventual discovery of the written word, literature, and the Ambedkarite heritage, which helped shape his goals, identity, and the eventual career choice of publishing books after hopping from job to job to make ends meet. This new and radical voice shares his story in the most direct and unfiltered manner possible, as it actually happened, giving us readers the green light to be open and vulnerable when we share our own stories.
Lab Hopping by Nandita Jayaraj, Aashima Dogra
Lab Hopping || Nandita Jayaraj, Aashima Dogra
Inspiring tales of female scientists who persisted in their field in the face of obstacles like sexism, systemic bias, and apathy abound in our laboratories. Stories that demonstrate a dysfunctional system as well as the efforts of exceptional women to make it work. The authors not only provide a thorough analysis of the situation of women in science but also provide a roadmap for the future by questioning whether India is doing enough to support its women in science and whether western models of science and feminism can really be implemented in India.
Work 3.0 by Avik Chanda, Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay
Work 3.0 || Avik Chanda, Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay
Some of the other most important and challenging issues of the modern era are addressed head-on in Work 3.0. Avik Chanda and Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay present a rich multi-disciplinary brew that spans economics, statistics, public policy, history, sociology, psychology, law, political science, literature, and philosophy using rigorous research supported by industry reports, business case studies, expert interviews, anecdotes, and their own personal expertise and insights. The book will alter the way you think about the future and how the past and present still influence it because of its extraordinarily broad scope, astonishing depth of analytical detail, and far-reaching conclusions.
The Big Bull of Dalal Street by Neil Borate, Aprajita Sharma, Aditya Kondawar
The Big Bull of Dalal Street || Neil Borate, Aprajita Sharma, Aditya Kondawar
This book explores Rakesh’s existence as a person and as a professional, also known as “India’s Big Bull.” It examines the records of Jhunjhunwala’s investments and the interviews he has given over the years to provide a fascinating account of his voyage. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to understanding the stocks that made him wealthy and the mistakes he made, making it more than just a biography. The book provides practical advice for retail investors by examining the path of the illustrious investor. These include the advantages of long-term investing, stock market blunders to avoid, and the risk involved in leveraged trades, among other things.
Exprovement by Hersh Haladker and Raghunath Mashelkar
Exprovement || Hersh Haladker and Raghunath Mashelkar
Can an outdated or failed solution in one industry bring disruption to another? Can a racing team improve industrial manufacturing productivity? Can science fiction offer entrepreneurs valuable lessons in innovative thinking?
This book will motivate leaders to seek out analogies while remembering that “obvious” comparisons can only at best result in development while “unexpected” ones can produce exponential improvement and continue a tradition of innovation.
Dr Mathai’s ABC to Health by Issac Mathai
Dr Mathai’s ABC to Health || Issac Mathai
Dr. Mathai’s ABC to Good Health explains why you shouldn’t put off developing all those healthy practises and what might happen to you if you neglect your fitness level. It explains why you should practise wellness every single day to develop a strong immunity and avoid the common cold, fever, and many other common illnesses rather than pressing the panic button only when you become ill.
Nala Damayanti by Anand Neelakantan
Nala Damayanti || Anand Neelakantan
Hemanga the swan pleads with Brahma to give him a chance to prove true love exists among mankind, but Narada sends him to Vidarbha to unite Nala, the king of Nishadas, with Damayanti, the princess of Vidharbha. Hemanga almost succeeds in making them fall in love, but Kali hears of his plan and seizes his chance to prove that no true love exists in a woman’s heart. All that stands between the future of humans and the mighty Kali is a little bird and Damayanti’s determination.
I Hear You by Nidhi Upadhyay
I Hear You || Nidhi Upadhyay
Most expectant mothers talk to their unborn. But what if the unborn starts to respond?
Mahika is hoping that a baby will breathe new life into her dead marriage. But all her pregnancies meet the same fate, because no baby is perfect for Shivam, her genius geneticist husband. Until there is one. Rudra, the world’s first genetically altered foetus, is Shivam’s perfect creation and Mahika’s last hope. Mahika, who is six weeks pregnant, has just entered her fertility clinic when she finds an anonymous letter that reveals the unpleasant truth about her pregnancy. Mahika finds herself imprisoned in her own home before she can accept the reality that her husband’s pursuit of perfection has staked out a territory in her womb. But then she learns that her unborn child possesses exceptional abilities.
Sivakami’s Vow 2: The Siege of Kanchi by Nandini Vijayaraghavan, Kalki Krishnamurthy
Sivakami’s Vow 2: The Siege of Kanchi || Nandini Vijayaraghavan, Kalki Krishnamurthy
In the action-packed second volume of Sivakami’s Vow: The Siege of Kanchi, Kalki’s compelling narrative skillfully weaves suspense, romance, and drama to describe the heroic efforts of the Pallavas to fend off the Chalukya invasion and the increasing intimacy between Mamallar and Sivakami.
Rooh by Manav Kaul
Rooh || Manav Kaul
Two young boys who are approaching adulthood, the cruelty of being a refugee in their own country, and a parent who is unable to reconcile this perplexing reality all contribute to the undercurrent of pain that permeates his life. The main character, Manav, travels back to Kashmir both literally and figuratively in this stream-of-consciousness book and relived the past as a part of the present. Rooh turns out to be a profoundly moving tale of the kind but broken individuals he encounters on this journey.
Cyber Encounters by Ashok Kumar, O.P. Manocha
Cyber Encounters || Ashok Kumar, O.P. Manocha
Twelve intriguing fictional accounts of cybercrime are presented in Cyber Encounters, a book that delves deeply into the hazy world of cyberspace. In each true story-based tale, OP Manocha, an ex-DRDO scientist, and Ashok Kumar, the DGP of the Uttarakhand Police and a seasoned veteran in the state’s organised battle against cybercrime, describe a particular type of cybercrime. This fascinating insider account is a must-read because it is jam-packed with details about the crime, the inquiry into it, and the capture of the offenders.
Girl to Goddess by Nishi Jagavat
Girl to Goddess || Nishi Jagavat
The poetry collection Girl to Goddess talks to the difficulties of the human experience and how one overcomes them. Finding the goddess within is crucial, and Nishi’s writing is a testament to the significance of doing so. Her words will stay with readers long after they’ve finished the book.
Working to Restore by Esha Chhabra
Working to Restore || Esha Chhabra
Working to Restore examines revolutionary approaches in nine areas: agriculture, waste, supply chain, inclusivity for the collective good, women in the workforce, travel, health, energy, and finance. The businesses highlighted are addressing world problems by fostering ethical production and consumption, establishing fair chances for all, promoting climate action, and more. Chhabra emphasises how their work ushers in a new age of regeneration and restoration by moving beyond the greenwashed concept of “sustainability.”
Fruits of the Barren Tree by Lekhnath Chhetri, Anurag Basnet
Fruits of the Barren Tree || Lekhnath Chhetri, Anurag Basnet
Originally published in Nepali as Phoolange, this sharp, evocative novel is the story of a failed movement and a cautionary tale of how easily the contagion of violence can infect a community. It is also a compelling picture of Darjeeling outside of the brochures and postcards. It is intensely visual and filled with a strong sense of place.
Filmi Stories by Kunal Basu
Filmi Stories || Kunal Basu
This collection’s eight tales deal with unexpected dangers and adventures, bizarre comedies, apocalypses, and the sublime poetry of daily existence. A truck driver who is angry with his rival decides to murder him but ends up saving migrant workers who are trapped by a pandemic. After breaking the law for the first time, a new jailer discovers that nothing in this universe is unforgiveable. A perfectly groomed corpse wearing a suit is found on a beach, and the suspects’ travels through casinos and cruise ships have taken them to different countries. A murder in a museum is made possible by the naked paintings of a deceased artist. A risky game of using a human bait to draw a prey out of its hiding place is played in the pursuit of a terrorist. A man discovers himself the only passenger on a flight between two deserted airports. On the brink of losing his innocence, a shopkeeper learns the lessons of the Mahabharata.
Poetry is a unique art form that has the power to transport us to different worlds, evoke deep emotions, and connect us with the human experience in profound ways. Whether you are a seasoned poetry lover or just starting to explore this beautiful art form, there is something for everyone in the world of poetry.
Check out this curated list to find out your read for today that you’re sure to cherish forever.
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Unsung by Arunoday Singh
Unsung || Arunoday Singh
Unsung, Arunoday Singh’s first volume of poetry, presents a collection of his most popular work alongside new material, where he delves inwards and probes questions of love, loss, longing-everything that ails the human heart.
He has amassed a large, involved following on Instagram, where he shares his poetry in handwritten calligraphy under the handle @sufisoul. The poems are deceptively simple and intensely piercing. They are divided into four sections that explore the themes of the self, the elements, breaking and healing, the search for divinity, and the light and darkness of the spirit.
The Penguin Book of Indian Poets
The Penguin Book of Indian Poets
Jeet Thayil has compiled the definitive anthology of Indian poetry in English. This monumental undertaking, two decades in the making, brings together writers from across the world, a wealth of voices–in dialogue, in soliloquy, in rhetoric, and in play–to present an expansive, encompassing idea of what makes an ‘Indian’ poet. Included are lost, uncollected, or out of print poems by major poets, essays that place entire bodies of work into their precise cultural contexts, and a collection of classic black and white portraits by Madhu Kapparath. These images, taken over a period of thirty years, form an archive of breathtaking historical scope. They offer the viewer unparalleled intimacy and access to the lives of some of India’s greatest poets.
Annus Horribilis by Avinab Datta-Areng
Annus Horribilis || Avinab Datta-Areng
Annus Horribilis is concerned with the violence of thinking, alone. The voices in these poems move through relationships, family, friendship, external disintegration, the labour of loving, being loved and of caring, where they are constantly confronted with the familiar turning foreign, the quotidian becoming a scene of absolute hostility, and where a word otherwise spoken easily becomes incommunicable. The book grapples with a (habitually futile) desire to communicate what should only be communicable-looking for some friend in language-that won’t lead to misunderstanding or, worse, silence. It searches for a language in which thought might survive and perhaps even reach out towards others.
To the Bravest Person I Know by Ayesha Chenoy
To the Bravest Person I Know || Ayesha Chenoy
From growing up with dysfunctional families to coming of age, from dealing with heartbreak, pain and grief to learning to accept and forgive, To, the Bravest Person I Know is your guide through every difficult situation. It is modern therapy delivered to you through a series of poems and a letter in verse that runs as a footnote from the beginning to the end of the book.
The poems explore the whole construct of ‘normal’, of that which was created to make people feel less normal if they don’t fit in, to make them feel ‘abnormal’. The book tells us that depression is normal, as is fear; feeling insecure is normal, as is hurting people. And bravery is about facing all of this-it’s about facing everything life
throws at you every day.
To, the Bravest Person I Know cuts through rainbows and self-righteous dross to provide a vaccine of truth, liberating and reminding us that we are all in a tunnel, and that it’s normal to feel like we may never get out. But there is light at the end of it.
Singing in the Dark by K. Satchidanandan, Nishi Chawla
Singing in the Dark || K. Satchidanandan, Nishi Chawla
Singing in the Dark brings together the finest of poetic responses to the coronavirus pandemic. More than a hundred of the world’s most esteemed poets reflect upon a crisis that has dramatically altered our lives, and laid bare our vulnerabilities. The poems capture all its dimensions: the trauma of solitude, the unexpected transformation in the expression of interpersonal relationships, the even sharper visibility of the class divide, the marvellous revival of nature and the profound realization of the transience of human existence. The moods vary from quiet contemplation and choking anguish to suppressed rage and cautious celebration in an anthology that serves as an aesthetic archive of a strange era in human history.
Anthology of Humorous Sanskrit Verses by A.N.D. Haksar
Anthology of Humorous Sanskrit Verses || A.N.D. Haksar
In recent times, whenever ancient Sanskrit works are discussed or translated into English, the focus is usually on the lofty, religious and dramatic works. Due to the interest created by Western audiences, the Kama Sutra and love poetry has also been in the limelight. But, even though the Hasya Rasa or the humorous sentiment has always been an integral part of our ancient Sanskrit literature, it is little known today.
Anthology of Humorous Sanskrit Verses is a collection of about 200 verse translations drawn from various Sanskrit works or anthologies compiled more than 500 years ago. Several such anthologies are well-known although none of them focus exclusively on humor. A.N.D. Haksar’s translation of these verses is full of wit, earthy humor and cynical satire, and an excellent addition of the canon of Sanskrit literature.
Girl to Goddess by Nishi
Girl to Goddess || Nishi
Girl to Goddess is a book of poetry written by popular Instagram poet Nishi. The poems in the book are deeply personal, touching on universal themes of struggle, pain and healing. Nishi writes candidly about her own struggles with finding happiness, dealing with relationships and the challenges she faced on her journey towards self-acceptance and self-love. She explores the idea of finding the inner divinity, or the goddess within, and how listening to this voice helped her find a sense of peace and purpose. She shares her personal journey of self-discovery and growth.
Through this collection of insightful poems, Nishi takes the reader on a journey of mistakes, failures, fears, lessons, perspectives and realizations about life, love and everything in between. She shares her vulnerabilities and opens up about her deepest emotions. Her words inspire readers to look inwards and embrace their own inner divinity, encouraging them to find their own path towards healing and self-love.
In celebration of International Women’s day, here are our favourite page-turners written by our favourite authors! Whether you are looking to delve into the career of professional women or seeking inspiration from a diverse range of female voices, there is something on this list for everyone.
Ambapali by Tanushree Podder
Ambapali || Tanushree Podder
A young woman is forced to choose a route in this vivid narrative because of the schemes of powerful individuals. Ambapali‘s story is still one of a strong woman who was resolved to take charge of her life despite being forced against her will onto the Vajji republic’s cultural centre stage, being betrayed in a romantic relationship, and being let down by friends. A extraordinary, moving story about the glittering glamour, risky love, and selflessness that characterised Ambapali‘s life.
The Half Empress by Tripti Pandey
The Half Empress || Tripti Pandey
Tripti Pandey’s historical book The Half Empress vividly depicts the life of a formidable woman who has been purposefully left out of history while transporting the reader to the royal halls of nineteenth-century Jaipur.
The Potrait of a Secret by Tarun Mehrishi
The Potrait of a Secret || Tarun Mehrishi
With everything at stake, Indian intelligence battles the ISI and the CIA for control over the secret with every resource at its disposal, until one man decides the fate of the world.
Life Switch by Madhuri Banerjee
Life Switch || Madhuri Banerjee
Life Switch is a thrilling, emotional, dramatic, and erotic love story. Nandita, a staid housewife, switches lives with Annie, her doppelgänger. She swaps her phone, her house, her husband, and her mundane family life for Annie’s dazzling business life at an advertising agency. When secrets are revealed, their lives become brutally difficult.
A Place in My Heart by Anupama Chopra
A Place in My Heart || Anupama Chopra
A Place in My Heart is an infinitely versatile thing. It is a listicle. It honours the influence of narrative. It also recounts a day in the life of a Bollywood worker. Anupama Chopra, a National Award-winning author, journalist, and film critic, writes about fifty films, artists, and occasions that have profoundly influenced her and helped define her twenty-five-year career.
A Place in My Heart is a blend of recommendations and remembrances, nostalgia and narratives
The Queen of Indian Pop by Vikas Kumar Jha
The Queen of Indian Pop || Vikas Kumar Jha
The entire trajectory of Uthup’s musical career is depicted in this vivid biography by Vikas Kumar Jha, was initially written in Hindi. From her early years in Mumbai to her first jazz band gigs in flashy nightclubs in Chennai to her meteoric rise to fame as India’s musical sensation and her philanthropic work, Jha covers it all and manages to weave a story that is vivid, motivational, and guaranteed to keep any reader interested until the very end.
The reader gets an up-close look at Usha Uthup’s life and times thanks to Srishti Jha’s flawless English adaptation.
The Black Magic Women by Moushumi Kandali and Parbina Rashid
The Black Magic Women || Moushumi Kandali and Parbina Rashid
The struggle of Moushumi Kandali’s characters to maintain their inherent “Assameseness” while assimilating into the broader society is captured by taking them out of Assam and setting them in the mainstream. In order to pack a punch, the author enters a surrealistic mode and liberally sprinkles tale, myth, and metaphors throughout. The reader is unable to stay an objective observer given the range of emotions these ten tales from the North-east arouse.
The Dolphin and the Shark by Namita Thapar
The Dolphin and the Shark || Namita Thapar
The Dolphin and the Shark is the result of Namita Thapar’s experiences operating her own entrepreneurship academy, serving as a judge on Shark Tank India, and managing the Emcure India business. The book focuses on the need for modern leaders to find a balance between being aggressive leaders like sharks and passive leaders like dolphins (empathetic leader).
Ritual by Vasudha Rai
Ritual || Vasudha Rai
This book offers a system of daily rites to develop a customised routine that works for contemporary living, inspired by long-standing traditions. Vasudha Rai encourages you to experiment and play with traditional customs so that you can enjoy the magic of Ritual.
Ritual is a group of activities designed to maximise, harmonise, and enhance the daytime and nighttime natural energies.
Shurjo’s Clan by Iffat Nawaz
Shurjo’s Clan || Iffat Nawaz
Iffat Nawaz’s lyrical and evocative prose heralds the arrival of a distinctive voice that explores issues of loss, belonging, identity, and family with delightful imagination and devastating insight. It spans decades, from the forced migration of Bengalis to East Pakistan in 1947 to the liberation war of 1971, the wave of immigrants to the West in the 1980s, and a final return. This debut book questions, above all, how we can honour the past without allowing its wounds destroy us with its mesmerising balance between inexplicable otherworldliness and undeniable reality.
Equal, Yet Different by Anita Bhogle
Equal, Yet Different || Anita Bhogle
Women need to and want to be handled in an equal, yet distinctive, manner.
Equal, Yet Different identifies catalysts that can help women reach their full potential and fulfilment based on in-depth interviews with professional women, leaders, and experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). All readers interested in women’s careers will gain something from this book, including women, their partners, employers, and even organisations that want to thrive.
Beauty Unbottled by Kavita Khosa
Beauty Unbottled || Kavita Khosa
Kavita Khosa, the creator of the prestigious skincare line Purearth, contributes her years of Ayurvedic experience and skill as an organic beauty science formulator to this book. Ayurvedic texts from the past and current scientific study are used in Beauty Unbottled to dispel urban beauty myths. This book, which has Ayurvedic roots, encourages you to enjoy your skin.
Victory City by Salman Rushdie
Victory City || Salman Rushdie
The globally bestselling author and Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie presents the epic story of a woman who creates a fantastical kingdom only to be consumed by it over the centuries. This tale of love, adventure, and myth, which is brilliantly styled as a translation of an ancient epic, stands as a testament to the power of storytelling.
Terminal 3 by Debasmita Dasgupta
Terminal 3 || Debasmita Dasgupta
Khwab has persevered despite experiencing joy and emptiness, desire and grief, penance and serenity. She imagines that one day, existence will be a paradise. The tale of the common people attempting to live out their dreams in the Valley is told in Terminal 3: Breathing against the background of conflict.
Rani Durgawati by Nandini Sengupta
Rani Durgawati || Nandini Sengupta
The folklore and music of her people continue to honour the tenacious and powerful Rani Durgawati. Nandini Sengupta has now used these songs and legends to produce a carefully researched and easily readable biography of a little-known female hero and one of India’s most underappreciated monarchs.
Dr. Cuterus by Tanaya Narendra
Dr. Cuterus || Tanaya Narendra
Everyone has a body, but no one wishes to discuss it. particularly those “secret” parts. We have nowhere to turn to learn about and comprehend our bodies because of the immense humiliation and stigma. Our connection with our bodies is still a dull black-and-white production rather than a lovely technicolour musical. This is where this book comes in-a one-stop scientific, funny, and easy to understand guide to everything you’ve always pondered about what’s ‘down there’, also up there! Dr. Cuterus can address any issue you may have.
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, a children’s book with 100 bedtime tales about remarkable women from history and the present, is a New York Times best-seller. It features illustrations by 60 female artists from around the globe.
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Frida Liu is having trouble. Her work is not consistent with the sacrifices made by her Chinese immigrant parents. Gust, her spouse, won’t give up his younger mistress who is obsessed with wellness. Their cherubic daughter Harriet is the only one who helps Frida ultimately reach the level of perfection everyone was expecting. Even though Harriet is all she has, she is sufficient.
Until Frida has a very bad day.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Life is uncertain, just like science. Because of this, Elizabeth Zott discovers herself to be a single mother and the reluctant face of Supper at Six, America’s most adored cooking programme, a few years later. The unconventional cooking method Elizabeth uses—”combine one tablespoon acetic vinegar with a pinch of sodium chloride”—proves to be ground-breaking. But not everyone is pleased as her fan base expands. Elizabeth Zott isn’t just training women how to cook, it turns out. She is challenging them to alter the current situation.
7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body for Greater Well-Being by Dr Hansaji Yogendra
The straightforward yet helpful manual you require to peruse to regain that control is 7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body for Greater Well-Being. This step-by-step manual, written by The Yoga Institute’s most renowned and respected Dr. Hansaji Yogendra, describes the significance of establishing and preserving balance in all areas of your life.
Spring is here and so are our favourite books for March that are perfect for a picnic amidst tulip and petunia covered gardens.
In Pursuit of Peace by Satinder Kumar Lambah
In Pursuit of Peace || Satinder Kumar Lambah
No relationship has ever been as complicated or as challenging to handle as India’s with Pakistan. Every Indian leader has faced a strategic challenge as a result of four wars, transnational terrorism, and Pakistan’s ongoing hostility and unrelenting campaign on the “Kashmir problem”. However, despite using different approaches, each has sought harmony in the interests of India’s development and security, with the same outcome.
The late Satinder Kumar Lambah’s unique position as a diplomat who worked in both Pakistan and other countries allows him to provide an insider’s account of the tumultuous history between India and Pakistan.
My Life in Design by Gauri Khan
My Life in Design || Gauri Khan
Gauri Khan details her career as a designer in her coffee table book, My Life in Design, which includes only images of her and her family, including Shah Rukh, Aryan, Suhana, and AbRam. The book also includes never-before-seen photos of Mannat, her home in Mumbai, and the design procedures that went into them as well as other significant projects. Additionally, she offers advice to those seeking to enter her line of work as well as to laypeople interested in learning more about the intriguing and inspiring world of design.
Fear and Lovely by Anjana Appachana
Fear and Lovely || Anjana Appachana
Mallika is a painfully shy young woman growing up in the heart of a lively New Delhi colony. After suffering a trauma, Mallika loses three days of her memory and slowly spirals into a deep depression. She must find a way out of this abyss back to herself and those she loves. But she must also hide her mental illness from her community. In a narrative that unfolds elliptically through the perspectives of Mallika and her seven loves, we discover that everyone is hiding truths. As each gives voice to their own struggles, secrets and silences shatter.
TheScientific Sufi by Meher Wan
The Scientific Sufi || Meher Wan
The most comprehensive biography of Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose, the instigator of contemporary science in India, written in English is The Scientific Sufi. He was on the verge of receiving at least two Nobel Prizes, if not one, for his work on wireless communication and the discovery of the nervous system in plants, and many people think he was wrongfully denied these honours. This biography painstakingly reconstructs his life, times, work, legacy, youth, influences, and paints a close-up picture of the man who is credited with establishing modern science in India.
Purposeful by Sandeep K. Krishnan
Purposeful || Sandeep K. Krishnan
Sandeep explains how you can discover your mission and become more engaged at work using up-to-date research from the fields of psychology, philosophy, management, and business as well as professional insights and more than two decades of experience in the field.
You will gain knowledge about creating your purpose action plan, ascent of the purpose pyramid, development of a “owning” mentality, comprehension and use of purpose accelerators, acquisition and use of skills that matter, stopping overthinking, and resilience building.
The Rebellious Spirit by Osho
The Rebellious Spirit || Osho
In The Rebellious Spirit, Osho addresses the spirit that dwells beneath our societal conditioning and fans a flame powerful enough to burn through layers of debris, allowing us to see with the enlightened being’s crystal-clear vision. This is a novel that will captivate you, make you laugh out loud, and give you the confidence to live your authentic life in the modern world.
The Skincare Answer Book by Dr. Jaishree Sharad
The Skincare Answer Book || Dr. Jaishree Sharad
It can be very difficult to know how to take care of your skin properly, particularly with all of the advice and knowledge available. The Skincare Answer Book, which is written in a Q&A style, explains some of the most frequently asked skincare questions to help you cut through the jargon. This book will arm you with all the knowledge you need to take care of your skin, from questions on skin types and skin routines to more specific topics like serums, acne, hyperpigmentation, sun allergies, hair loss, anti-aging, rosacea, layering of skin, and common skin conditions like eczemas and skin infections.
A Man from Motihari by Abdullah Khan
A Man from Motihari || Abdullah Khan
Aslam, a dapper aspiring writer who is healing from a failed relationship, and Jessica, a Los Angeles-based activist and actor in the adult entertainment business, accidentally cross paths and fall hopelessly in love. The story follows these two unlikely characters as they travel against the background of India’s growing right-wing political forces. It transports you to rural India to reveal George Orwell’s close relationship with Motihari, a tiny town in northern Bihar where Gandhi Ji conducted the first Satyagraha experiment.
The Miracle Makers by Bharat Sundaresan
The Miracle Makers || Bharat Sundaresan
This book aims to transport you to the battleground of this unimagined script by including anecdotes from on and off the field, including talks with coaches, players, and other show stars, as well as feedback from his colleague Gaurav Joshi. It claims to bring to life the most exceptional cricket tour, possibly going all the way back to when the sport was first invented.
Basu Chatterji by Anirudha Bhattacherjee
Basu Chatterji || Anirudha Bhattacherjee
Basu Chatterji: And Middle-of-the-Road Cinema explores the making-of his movies through anecdotes. It situates Basu’s film and television work in the context of the times, including Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan’s rise to fame, the Emergency, the revival of Sarat Chandra’s tales, the advent of disco, and the decadent period of Hindi cinema in the 1980s. The book honours the achievements of one of Hindi cinema’s most underappreciated but effective filmmakers.
Bipin by Rachna Bisht Rawat
Bipin || Rachna Bisht Rawat
Bipin: The Man behind the Uniform is the story of the NDA cadet who was relegated in the third term for not being able to do a mandatory jump into the swimming pool; of the young Second Lieutenant who was tricked into losing his ID card at the Amritsar railway station by a 5/11 Gorkha Rifles officer posing as his sahayak; of the Major with a leg in plaster who was carried up to his company post on the Pakistan border because he insisted on joining his men for Dusshera celebrations under direct enemy observation; of the Army Chief who decided India would retaliate immediately and openly to every act of cross-border terrorism; of the Chief of Defence Staff who was happiest dancing the jhamre with his Gorkha troops.
Learn, Don’t Study by Pramath Raj Sinha
Learn, Don’t Study || Pramath Raj Sinha
Pramath Raj Sinha has compiled the best and most useful advice for young people who are facing some of the most significant and difficult decisions of their professional lives in Learn, Don’t Study, relying on his experiences of over twenty-five years in the field of education.
Multibagger Stocks by Prasenjit Paul
Multibagger Stocks || Prasenjit Paul
This book provides readers with a straightforward yet efficient method for locating stocks that have the potential to produce amazing profits. The three most important stock market investing questions are addressed, cutting through the clutter and noise: when to invest (enter the market), how long to remain invested, and finally when to leave. The book dispels the misconception that multibagger companies lack solid fundamentals by explaining why only stocks with solid fundamentals can grow to be multibaggers.
How Business Storytelling Works by Sandeep Das
How Business Storytelling Works || Sandeep Das
The most important talent you need to thrive professionally in today’s world of noise, competition, and significant technological disruption is business storytelling. Sandeep examines human development, behavioural psychology, and the film industry in this book to determine the fundamentals of good storytelling.
The Story of Tata by Peter Casey
The Story of Tata || Peter Casey
Insiders from the Tata businesses first share their stories with Peter Casey in this exclusive and approved book. This is a book that every business-minded person should read, from its humble origins as a mercantile company to its development as a successful yet charitable organisation to its recent brush with Mistry. Insiders from the Tata businesses first share their stories with Peter Casey in this exclusive and approved book. This is a book that every business-minded person should read, from its humble origins as a mercantile company to its development as a successful yet charitable organisation to its recent brush with Mistry.
This International Mother Language Day, we bring you our favourite reads to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity. Scroll down to find the books that you would like to read next.
Hangwoman by K.R. Meera
Hangwoman || K.R. Meera
The Grddha Mullick family takes great pride in their long history, which dates back to 400 B.C. The Grddha Mullicks play a key role as eyewitnesses to the significant events that have shaped the history of the subcontinent in these amazing stories of hangmen and hangings. The narrative of Chetna, the youngest member in the family, is transformed into an epic and twisted coming-of-age tale thanks to Meera’s amazing imagination. Will the passionate young lady be able to break free from her love? Will she be able to kill someone? Will she shine a brighter light on Grddha Mullick’s famous name? Or will she give in to the glamour of fame and the rush of having the ability to decide someone’s fate? As the drama sputters towards its unavoidable conclusion, the vile pleasures of voyeurism and the punishing ironies of violence are kept in agile balance.
Lajja by Taslima Nasrin
Lajja || Taslima Nasrin
Lajja, a brutal indictment of religious fanaticism and man’s inhumanity to man, was outlawed in Bangladesh but quickly rose to fame elsewhere. The Dutta family, which consists of Sudhamoy and Kironmoyee, as well as their offspring Suranjan and Maya, has always resided in Bangladesh. Unlike the majority of their friends and family, they are not willing to leave their nation even though they are a part of a small, weak Hindu community. Sudhamoy has a naive optimism and idealism that he will not be let down by his homeland. On December 6, 1992, the Babri Mosque was destroyed. The incident is condemned by the entire world, but Bangladesh feels its immediate effects the most keenly as Muslim mobs start to hunt down and assault Hindus. The Duttas’ world starts to disintegrate as the nightmare comes at their door.
Chowringhee by Sankar
Chowringhee || Sankar
Best-selling Bengali author Sankar’s 1962 book Chowringhee, which is set in 1950s Calcutta, is written in Bengali. It focuses on the private lives of administrators, staff members, and visitors at the Shahjahan, one of Calcutta’s biggest hotels. The newest employee, Shankar, tells the tales of a number of individuals whose lives intersect in the hotel’s suites, restaurants, bar, and backrooms. Chowringhee is as much an eulogy as it is an homage to a city and its people thanks to its barely veiled accounts of the private lives of real-life celebrities and its sympathetic story that seamlessly weaves the past and the present.
One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan
One Part Woman || Perumal Murugan
Kali and Ponna’s relationship is tested by the Chariot Festival, which could end their suffering and humiliation, but also put their marriage to the ultimate test. One Part Woman evokes an intimate and unsettling portrait of marriage, love and sex.
Tejo Tungabhadra by Vasudhendra
Tejo Tungabhadra || Vasudhendra
Tejo Tungabhadra is a grand saga of love, ambition, greed, and a deep zest for life, set in the late 15th and early 16th century. The profoundly antisemitic society around Bella and her family, who are young Jewish refugees living in Lisbon on the banks of the Tejo River, poses daily threats to their lives and dignity. Her lover, Gabriel, travels to India with General Albuquerque’s fleet in search of riches and a bright future for the two of them. Meanwhile, the young pair Hampamma and Keshava are caught in the violent religious storm and the cruel rigmarole of tradition on the banks of the Tungabhadra in the Vijayanagara Empire. With all the thunder and gush of colliding rivers, the two tales come together in Goa. Tejo Tungabhadra, a grand saga of love, desire, greed, and a profound zest for life through the tossing waves of history, is set in the late 15th and early 16th century.
Lifting the Veil by Ismat Chughtai
Lifting the Veil || Ismat Chughtai
Ismat Chughtai investigated female sexuality with unparalleled frankness and looked at the political and social mores of her time at a time when writing by and about women was uncommon and tentative. She completely changed the tone of Urdu fiction by writing about the society she was familiar with and introducing middle-class idiom into Urdu prose.
In Lifting the Veil, Ismat Chughtai’s fiction and nonfiction work are combined. The twenty-one pieces in this collection showcase Chughtai’s finest work, which is distinguished by her exquisite word choice, enthralling dialogue, wry humour, and her trademark irreverence, wit, and attention to detail.
The Princess and the Political Agent by Binodini
The Princess and the Political Agent || Binodini
This is the love tale of Sanatombi and Lt. Col. Henry St. P. Maxwell, the British representative in the Tibeto-Burman kingdom of Manipur, which has now been translated into English by Binodini’s son, L. Somi Roy. A moving story of loyalty and betrayal, treachery, and bravery, it is set amid the Raj’s imperialist machinations, the grandeur of kings, warring princes, cunning queens, and obedient retainers. Binodini’s viewpoint, which revives front-page international headlines from the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891, glistens with wit, empathy, and beauty and vividly depicts the court and manners of a little-known country. She uncovers a forgotten era of the British Raj and its extraordinary past in the process.
Lata by Yatindra Mishra
Lata || Yatindra Mishra
Lata: A Life in Music is a celebration of art and the life of one of India’s most revered vocalists. It is a tribute to the marvellous life of the Late Lata Mangeshkar. The final result of Yatindra Mishra’s ten-year conversation with the legendary performer, it also uncovers the great artist’s lesser-known sides, introducing readers to Lata Mangeshkar as an intellectual and cultural exponent and offering a rare window into the person behind the adored legend.
Nothing says ‘romantic’ quite like a book lover during Valentine’s season. We all agree that books never disappoint, always keep us company, and are always happy to be taken out and read again and again, right? So get cozy with a good book in this month of love with these sixteen page-turners!
Victory City by Salman Rushdie
Victory City || Salman Rushdie
From the transcendent imagination of Booker Prize-winning, worldwide popular novelist Salman Rushdie comes the magnificent tale of a woman who creates a whimsical empire only to be overtaken by it over the years. This chronicle of love, adventure, and myth is brilliantly designed as a retelling of an ancient epic, and it is a monument to the power of storytelling in and of itself.
Unsung by Arunoday Singh
Unsung || Arunoday Singh
Unsung, Arunoday Singh’s debut poetry collection, includes a selection of his most popular pieces as well as new poems in which he goes within and explores topics of love, grief, and yearning that ails the human heart. The poems are deceptively simple but cutting. They are separated into four sections that each examine a different theme, such as the self, the elements, breaking and healing, the search for divinity, and the brightness and darkness of the spirit.
When I Am With You by Durjoy Datta
When I Am With You || Durjoy Datta
Crazy, quirky and so utterly romantic, Durjoy Datta’s When I Am With You is the ultimate relationship roller coaster and is just the ideal book to cuddle up with on Valentine’s Day!
The Newlyweds by Mansi Choksi
The Newlyweds || Mansi Choksi
Choksi illuminates three young couples who defy patriarchy-approved arranged marriages in the search of love through colourful, lyrical words, depicting the struggles, victories, and losses that await them. The Newlyweds is an engaging and touching book that tackles universal concerns such as what we are prepared to risk for love. Does finding it transform us if we’re lucky enough to find it? Is it for the better? Or is it for the worse?
It Was Always You by Sudeep Nagarkar
It Was Always You || Sudeep Nagarkar
Karan and Shruti have a happy marriage. Till Karan’s ex reappears in his life one day. Karan soon finds himself becoming sentimental about matters of the heart and remembering his first romance fondly. Will he jeopardise his seemingly ideal marriage for his ex-girlfriend? Meanwhile, his closest friend Aditya is experiencing emotional trouble in his relationship with his wife Jasmine. Will both friends fight to keep their marriage afloat, or will they make a decision they will later come to regret?
Tejo Tungabhadra by Vasudhendra and Maithreyi Karnoor
Tejo Tungabhadra || Vasudhendra and Maithreyi Karnoor
Tejo Tungabhadra‘s story is about two rivers on opposite continents whose spirits are linked by history. Bella, a young Jewish refugee, and her family confront daily dangers to their lives and dignity from the strongly hostile society that surrounds them on the banks of the Tejo River in Lisbon. Gabriel, her lover, sails to India with General Albuquerque’s fleet in search of fortune and a secure future. Meanwhile, on the banks of the Tungabhadra in the Vijayanagara Empire, the young couple Hampamma and Keshava are caught in the eye of a storm of religious fury and the harsh rigmarole of custom. In Goa, the two storylines collide with all the thunder and flow of colliding rivers.
Tejo Tungabhadra is a vast narrative of love, ambition, avarice, and a deep enthusiasm for life over the tossing seas of history set in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
The Penguin Book of Indian Poets
The Penguin Book of Indian Poets
Compiled by Jeet Thayil, The Penguin Book of Indian Poets is an anthology of Indian poetry in English. This two-decade-long project brings together writers from over the world, a plethora of voices-in dialogue, soliloquy, rhetoric, and play-to convey an enormous, all-encompassing vision of what it means to be an ‘Indian’ poet.
A Thousand Kisses Deep by Novoneel Chakraborty
A Thousand Kisses Deep || Novoneel Chakraborty
A Thousand Kisses Deep, a literary romance thriller by Novoneel Chakraborty, is an emotional storm representing modern multifaceted relationships, lost love, life, and fate. A sequel to the popular book That Kiss In The Rain, this book is filled with thrills and suspense. This terrifying tale follows four protagonists, Haasil, Palki, Pallavi, and Swadha, as they seek life lessons and calm, only to learn that love has not done with any of them. If you appreciate reading romance and mystery thriller novels, this is a must-read full of unexpected twists.
Heart on the Edge by Novoneel Chakraborty
Heart on the Edge || Novoneel Chakraborty
Shravan, Naishee Kamaraj’s younger brother, shares a special affinity with her. When he suddenly goes away one day, everyone assumes he went on his own will, but Naishee knew her brother better than anybody else. She suspects there has been wrongdoing. And her worst fears are realised when she obtains a used phone containing a video of her brother being held captive. She engages in some heinous acts in order to save her sibling. As time passes, Naishee realises she will emerge a completely different person at the end of it all.
Cross Your Heart, Take My Name by Novoneel Chakraborty
Cross Your Heart, Take My Name || Novoneel Chakraborty
Cross Your Heart, Take My Name is a captivating story about urban loneliness, fickle relationships, and our need for company, depicted through the tortuous journey of two people caught up in their own emotional crisis, blurring the borders between crime and sin.
Our Impossible Love by Durjoy Datta
Our Impossible Love || Durjoy Datta
Aisha, a late bloomer, must learn what it means to be a woman and to be desired. Danish believes that time is running out for him and that he will end up like his overachieving, driven younger brother.
Danish, the bewildered idiot, is appointed as Aisha’s student counsellor, and her life takes an unusual turn. They must discover out love, life, friendship, and, most importantly, themselves. And it’s not turning out to be… easy? Our Impossible Love depicts life as it is and love as it should be.
Undying Affinity by Sara Naveed
Undying Affinity || Sara Naveed
Zarish, a twenty-two-year-old woman, has all she could ever want in life. She is wealthy, beautiful, and well-known. She and Haroon, her attractive childhood sweetheart, are inseparable until a new finance professor, Ahmar Muraad, joins their institution. Every lady at the campus has her sights set on him. He is appealing, personable, and intelligent. Zarish is charmed to his smooth personality as well. But would he ever show any interest in her? Zarish, caught in a web of passion, has no idea that one person may entirely shift her outlook on life. Undying Affinity will stick with you forever because it is filled with romance, drama, and sorrow.
Half Torn Hearts by Novoneel Chakraborty
Half Torn Hearts || Novoneel Chakraborty
Half Torn Hearts is a coming-of-age story about three-layered people dealing with their first loss, which reveals the demon that we all have but are afraid of confronting, and which ultimately becomes the cause of our own demise.
The Secrets We Keep by Sudeep Nagarkar
The Secrets We Keep || Sudeep Nagarkar
Rahul, an intelligence officer on a secret mission, falls in love with the major’s daughter, Akriti, and decides to hide her at his parents’ house. However, when Akriti goes missing, Rahul realizes she is someone familiar and is faced with the biggest shock of his life.
Till the Last Breath by Durjoy Datta
Till the Last Breath || Durjoy Datt
Will your heart skip a beat when death is so close? Two patients have been admitted to room 509. One is a bright nineteen-year-old medical student who is afflicted with an incurable, terminal sickness. Every extra breath she takes is a blessing. The other person is a twenty-five-year-old drug user whose organs are failing. He is eager to get rid of his body. He believes that the sooner the better.
Two reputable doctors, each suffering their own demons from the past, are doing everything they can to keep these two patients alive, even risking their medical licences. These final days in the hospital have an impact on the two patients, their doctors, and everyone else around them in ways they could never have predicted. Till the Last Breath is a truly moving narrative about what it means to be alive.
Eleven Ways to Love
Eleven Ways to Love
This is a book of essays that shows us, with empathy, humour, and wisdom, that there is no such thing as love that dares not speak its name. It is pieced together with a dash of poetry and a whole lot of love, including a variety of voices and a cast of unexpected heroes and heroines.
Looking for a book to accompany your cup of hot coffee these cold days? Here are our February favourites that are absolute page-turners!
Victory City by Salman Rushdie
Victory City || Salman Rushdie
COMING SOON – from the magnificent mind of Booker Prize-winning, worldwide popular novelist Salman Rushdie comes the epic story of a woman who creates a mythical empire only to be destroyed by it over the years. This chronicle of love, adventure, and myth is brilliantly designed as a translation of a historic tale, and it is a monument to the magic of storytelling in and of itself.
Tirukkural by Meena Kandasamy and Tiruvalluvar
Tirukkural || Meena Kandasamy, Tiruvalluvar
The Kamattu-p-pal, written by Thiruvalluvar, is the third portion of the Tirukkural, one of the most significant manuscripts in Tamil literature. The most intimate element of this wonderful work is also the one that has historically been most restricted.
Meena Kandasamy weaves a magical spell with her trademark wit, lyricism, and passionate insight: taking the reader on a journey through 250 kurals organized under separate headings – ‘The Pleasure of Sex,’ ‘Renouncing Shame,’ ‘The Delights of Sulking’ – the outcome is a brand new, crucial, and exhilarating translation that expresses meaningful messages about female sensuality, agency, and desire.
These Seats are Reserved by Abhinav Chandrachud
These Seats are Reserved || Abhinav Chandrachud
Reservation, often known as affirmative action, is a very contentious concept in India. While constitutionally mandated and supported by historians, political scientists, and social activists, many oppose it, seeing it as compromising ‘merit’ and going against the idea of equality of opportunity.
Abhinav analyzes the history and development of the reservation policy in These Seats Are Reserved. Having been thoroughly researched and expertly narrated, this volume is a captivating addition to any thinking person’s library.
The Laughter by Sonora Jha
The Laughter || Sonora Jha
Sonora Jha has developed a fascinating figure who is both in sync with and out of sync with our times, an intellectual man who inspires and then questions our sympathies. As the novel draws to a close, Jha invites us to reconsider events, revealing a depth of loneliness in unexpected places, the individuality of youth, and the looming menace of white rage in America.
The Laughter, an explosive and tense piece of fiction, is a fascinating depiction of privilege, radicalization, class, and modern academia that compels us to confront our preconceptions as readers and citizens.
The Best of Satyajit Ray by Satyajit Ray
The Best of Satyajit Ray || Satyajit Ray
From Ray’s enduring creation, professional detective Feluda, to the narratives of Professor Shonku; short stories; writings on filmmaking; and opinions on world and Indian cinema, among many others, this box set, The Best of Satyajit Ray, is not only a treat for Ray enthusiasts but also a collector’s edition.
Customer in the Boardroom by Rama Bijapurkar
Customer in the Boardroom || Rama Bijapurkar
Most Indian organisations’ business strategies are characterised by supply-side, tunnel vision of the market, and compulsively competitor-centered methods. Customer in the Boardroom emphasises the importance of firms incorporating customer centricity into their business strategy formulation process if they are to continue to expand profitably and protect their future.
Secrets of Divine Love Journal by A. Helwa
Secrets of Divine Love Journal || A. Helwa
The Secrets of Divine Love Journal is based on the book Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam, which was published in 2008. Secrets of Divine Love Journal will help you establish a closer connection to Allah by uniting you with the heart of your faith in a more intimate and inspiring way through heart-centered thoughts, enlightening prompts, and thought-provoking questions.
From Darkness into Light by A. Helwa
From Darkness into Light || A. Helwa
From Darkness into Light is a deeply moving collection of poetry on forgiveness, guidance, timeless wisdom, prayer, self-love, faith, and the ultimate journey of the soul to healing, connection, and unity with the One. This book was intended for individuals who want to embark on a spiritual journey. For individuals in search of hope, connection, and a meaningful relationship with Allah.
Unfiltered by Saurabh Mukherjea
Unfiltered || Saurabh Mukherjea
Unfiltered: The CEO and the Coach, a pioneering book, for the first time opens the doors that ordinarily shield the confidential world of coaching sessions. The book’s candour assists readers in completely grasping the life-changing influence that coaching may have. As a leadership development book, the writers share the tales (both individual and mutual) of their five-year collaboration. The resulting narrative includes not only unique ideas that executives and entrepreneurs will find valuable for their own development, but also deep insights into how we may master the world by understanding ourselves.
The Perfect 10 by Yasmin Karachiwala
The Perfect 10 || Yasmin Karachiwala
This book will show you that it only takes ten minutes a day to begin your health journey and you will be packed with fitness routines, movement ideas, and lifestyle modifications interspersed with stories of actual people’s adventures. Yasmin Karachiwala is on the move. Observe how your body and life changes.
7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body by Dr. Hansaji Yogendra
7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body || Dr. Hansaji Yogendra
The simple yet practical guide 7 Rules to Reset Your Mind and Body for Greater Well-Being is what you need to read to regain control. This step-by-step book, written by The Yoga Institute’s most acclaimed and regarded Dr Hansaji Yogendra, emphasizes the necessity of achieving and maintaining balance in all parts of your life.
Life Switch by Madhuri Banerjee
Life Switch || Madhuri Banerjee
Life Switch is a thrilling, emotional, dramatic, and erotic love story. Nandita, a staid housewife, switches lives with Annie, her doppelgänger. She swaps her phone, her house, her husband, and her mundane family life for Annie’s dazzling business life at an advertising agency. When secrets are revealed, their lives become brutally difficult.
Oblivion and Other Stories by Gopinath Mohnaty
Oblivion and Other Stories || Gopinath Mohnaty
Gopinath Mohanty’s anthology Oblivion and Other Stories contains twenty short stories. They portray the forgotten ones, the monotony of living on the outside of life—of the impoverished, tribals, and regular people—invisible amid the feudal environment of Orissa in the twentieth century.
Bad Liars by Vikrant Khanna
Bad Liars || Vikrant Khanna
When the body of a well-known fund manager, Anant Kapoor, is discovered in his home, the police quickly suspect his wife of murder. She has no excuse, and she stands to benefit directly from his death. However, when the police dig deeper, they discover two other suspects who are equally likely to commit the crime. Who, and more importantly, why, killed Anant?
Dattapaharam by V.J. James
Dattapaharam || V.J. James
Dattapaharam, a novel by critically acclaimed and bestselling Malayalam author V.J. James, is a rumination on solitude, man’s connection with nature, and the strings that bind us to this world. It is a surreal novel in which the author’s imagination soars like an eagle and words flow like the untouched springs in a rainforest. Dattapaharam is a powerful novel for our anthropocentric age, written by one of the most exciting voices to emerge from the Indian subcontinent. It is at times a fable on the modern world, at times a search for identity amid a quest for discovery, and on the whole a moving tale that takes the reader deep into the forests to understand what truly makes us human.
Kitne Ghazi Aaye Kitne Ghazi Gaye by K.J.S. Dhillon
Kitne Ghazi Aaye, Kitne Ghazi Gaye is an autobiographical, candid, and emotive account of an Army veteran’s life. It concentrates on the personal, professional, and, most significantly, family life of an Army soldier, and will not only provide insight into the challenges and tribulations he endured, but will also inspire a broad range of readers, particularly young defence aspirants.
