This is the first and only detailed chronicle of the legend’s fifty year long journey across all the five industries she worked in

New Delhi, 13 August 2019: Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of the book on the iconic Indian cinema legend, Sridevi, written by author and screenwriter Satyarth Nayak and approved by Boney Kapoor. Titled Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar, this book recounts the life and times of the actor who changed how women stars were perceived in a patriarchal film industry. The book will be published under the Ebury Press imprint of Penguin Random House in October 2019 and is available for pre-order on e-commerce websites. Ebury Press is one of the country’s most successful imprints dedicated to discovering, publishing and building the best voices in popular fiction and non-fiction.

Sridevi embarked on her career in the movies when she was just four years old and went on to become the number one movie star in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu cinema, simultaneously. Her body of work has firmly established her as one of the most iconic screen goddesses of India, with the roles and characters she played becoming cultural touchstones for generations of fans and aspiring actors alike.

The author of the book, Satyarth Nayak, says, ‘I have always been a huge admirer of Sridevi and this book gave me the perfect opportunity to celebrate the journey of India’s beloved screen goddess. It was wonderful interacting with various film personalities that she worked with over the years, and put together their memories and stories into a narrative that charts her saga from a child star to India’s first female superstar. What I am proud of is that besides her legendary innings in Hindi Cinema, this book for the first time delves deep into her iconic body of work in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada cinema. I am sure this comprehensive narrative on Sridevi will be embraced by millions of her fans from across the globe. I am indebted to Penguin for sharing my vision for this book, and would especially like to thank Boney Kapoor for being a pillar of strength in helping me realise my dream.’

Commemorating Sridevi’s larger-than-life magic spread over five decades, Satyarth Nayak will give readers an up-close and personal look into both the phenomenon and the person. With exclusive access to her family, friends and co-stars in the film fraternity, the author will track Sridevi’s journey from child star to prima donna who redefined the heroine. The book will not only chronicle her journey and successes in the industry but also her innings after her glorious comeback in 2012 with English Vinglish.

Milee Ashwarya, Publisher, Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘Sridevi has been the quintessential superstar with a fascinating journey from a child star to the undisputed goddess of the silver screen. Few actors can match the screen presence, comic timing, versatility and beauty that she stood for. She left us too early but continues to live on in the hearts of millions of her fans. Sridevi by Satyarth Nayak is a tribute to the actor and a gift for her fans. I would like to congratulate and thank Satyarth for painstakingly researching and beautifully narrating the life journey of one of India’s most iconic actors. I am delighted and excited to be publishing the book.’

Satyarth Nayak is an author and screenwriter based in Mumbai. A former SAARC Award–winning correspondent with CNN-IBN, Delhi, he holds a master’s in English literature from St. Stephen’s College. Satyarth’s debut novel, The Emperor’s Riddles, released in 2014 and became a bestselling thriller. His short stories have won the British Council Award and appeared in Sudha Murthy’s Penguin anthology Something Happened on the Way to Heaven. Satyarth has also scripted Sony’s epic show Porus, touted as India’s biggest historical TV series. A self-confessed cinephile, this is his first non-fiction book.

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

New Delhi, 5 August 2019; Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of award-winning and bestselling author Manu S. Pillai’s new untitled book on a forgotten slice of colonial history from David Godwin at David Godwin Associates Ltd, London. To be published in 2021 under the Allen Lane imprint, it will be released simultaneously by Penguin Random House UK. PRH’s non-fiction imprint, Allen Lane, is renowned for quality and originality of thought across subjects including history, science, politics, economics, philosophy, psychology, language and current affairs.

Acclaimed for his ability to capture unique perspectives of Indian history, in his immensely readable and engaging new work Manu S. Pillai writes about India’s extraordinary past and the startling colonial connections that have shaped independent India’s narrative. The book will examine the influence of the West on Indian beliefs and culture and how its present self-image was conceived.

Commenting on the publication of the upcoming book, Manu S. Pillai says, ‘I am thrilled to join the Penguin Random House India family, and expect this to be a long, fruitful relationship. After all, some of the greatest titles on Indian history – including many books, which energized my own interest in the subject years ago – were published by PRH, which makes this both a privilege as well as a moment of excitement. While my own efforts to pursue the highest standards in my writing will continue, they will, no doubt, benefit greatly from the editorial expertise at PRH, and together we will hopefully present books that not only make us proud, but also do justice to the fascinating world of Indian history.’

Using a diverse range of sources – from the latest secondary work to original archival material – the author will chronicle the lives of remarkable men and women who were instrumental in shaping what is today India’s self-image and distinct modernity. The book will travel through eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Indian history, exploring everything from caste, religion and people from diverse backgrounds. Through these tales of figures and of the times in which they lived, Manu extrapolates the manner in which the dynamics of the colonial age continue to affect India even today.

Manasi Subramaniam, senior commissioning editor and head of literary rights at Penguin Random House India, says, ‘Manu S. Pillai is one of our most brilliant young historians, and we are delighted he will join us on the prestigious Allen Lane list. He has an extraordinary knack for uncovering stories in places that others might not even think to look, and he brings a novelist’s eye to his academic rigour. He is, in every way, that rare historian with the gift of the imagination – a gift that both adorns and informs his breadth of knowledge, meticulous research, and spirit of curiosity and engagement.’

Manu S. Pillai is the author of the critically acclaimed The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore (2015) and Rebel Sultans: The Deccan from Khilji to Shivaji (2018). Formerly chief to staff to the chairman of the external affairs committee in the Indian parliament, he has in the past worked at the House of Lords, and with the BBC on their Incarnations Indian history series. He has, since 2016, written a weekly column on history in Mint Lounge, and his other writings have appeared in The Hindu, the Times of India, Hindustan Times, the New Statesman, Open magazine and other publications. Winner of the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar, awarded by India’s national academy of letters to writers under forty, he is also studying for a PhD at the India Institute at King’s College London. His third book, a collection of essays on Indian history, titled The Courtesan, the Mahatma and the Italian Brahmin, was published in June 2019.

Ranjana Sengupta, deputy publisher, Penguin Random House India says, ‘Manu S. Pillai brings enormous talent, curiosity and energy into the field of history writing in India today. In his new book, he will explore the grand questions about Indian identities: What makes one Indian? What are the factors shaping India’s distinct modernity? What are the enduring consequences of India’s relationship with British colonialism? This will be an original, wide-ranging and deeply researched insight into the impact of India’s encounter with the West. Penguin Random House India are absolutely delighted to be the publishers of this extraordinary book.’

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

Top business leader and economist write about a trailblazing future for the country

New Delhi, 31 July 2019;Penguin Random House India announces the forthcoming publication of a ground-breaking book by one of India’s leading business leaders and change-makers, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons. Titled Bridgital Nation: Solving Technology’s People Problem, this book has been co-authored by Roopa Purushothaman, Chief Economist and Head of Policy Advocacy, Tata Sons.

This book was acquired by Penguin Random House India to be published under the Allen Lane imprint and will be released in September 2019. Allen Lane imprint is known for advancing original and transformative ideas, and some of the most distinguished titles in serious non-fiction have been published under it.

Using new digital technology to address some of the biggest challenges in the country—such as access to quality jobs, better healthcare and skill-based education—Mr N. Chandrasekaran and Ms R. Purushothaman present a powerful vision for unlocking India’s economic potential to help millions of Indians achieve their dreams. Using ‘Bridgital’ technologies, the authors examine unique and novel programmes that would connect Indians across the country, creating a network of services to be delivered when and where they are most required. From healthcare to education to business, the model can be applied in various sectors. By a conservative estimate, it could create and impact 30 million jobs by 2025.

In this book, the authors acknowledge the huge chasm that exists between rural and urban communities—be it in levels of education and medical access or between aspirations and achievement—and offer real solutions to tackle these challenges using the ‘Bridgital’ technologies of the future, including mobile-ready solutions driven by the Cloud and artificial intelligence.

Meru Gokhale, publisher of Penguin Press, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘We are thrilled to be bringing Mr N. Chandrasekaran’s grand vision to the world in the form of this book. It will be published under the prestigious Allen Lane imprint, befitting a subject as significant as this. Mr Chandrasekaran offers an ingenious solution to the coming disruption of AI, where India could emerge a world leader in transforming the path ahead.’

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, says, ‘The process of writing this book has further cemented my belief that the adoption of Bridgital—AI, Cloud and related technologies in a deliberate manner—is the twenty-first-century answer to India’s, and to many of the developing world’s, most perpetual challenges. Bridgital thinking makes the most of what India has, and gives the country what it most needs. As a practitioner, the book’s structure reflects an effort to be closely connected to realities on the ground. In doing so, I hope this work will contribute to an educated and fruitful debate on India’s (as well as other countries’) growth and development path.’

This book brings new scalable ‘Bridgital’ ideas to life using real stories of change from different corners of India as well as new ideas from on-ground experiments that showcase the impact of technology in diverse areas—from the creation of more employment opportunities to providing better healthcare to more people. Recognizing advanced technology as a major disruptive force, Mr N. Chandrasekaran and Ms R. Purushothaman use a counterintuitive approach to harness its power to India’s advantage, one that could set India up as a one of the top three world economies.

Roopa Purushothaman, Chief Economist and Head of Policy Advocacy, Tata Sons, says, ‘Bridgital Nation has been written over the course of the past two years. It is filled with real-life narratives of people grappling with access and employment. It is also supported by numbers and analyses that ground the various stories in fact. The reality is, the future will be one of humans and technology working together. It’s this future India will have to anticipate and design for, keeping its young workforce, infrastructure, and linguistic and cultural diversity in mind.’

Richa Burman, associate commissioning editor for Penguin Press, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘It has been a tremendous experience to work with Mr Chandrasekaran and Roopa Purushothaman on this project. It is like being part of a huge transformation we all are about to witness that will overturn many presumptions. This ground-breaking vision is set to change the narrative of India’s future policies and influence a whole host of sectors.’

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of bestselling author Kevin Missal’s The Sindbad Series, an action packed adaption of the fabled tales from The Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights). Published as a trilogy under the Puffin imprint targeting the young adult reader, the first of the fantasy and adventure series will be launched in 2020.

Based on the fearless journey of the legendary sailor, one of the famous heroes from The Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights), the trilogy will see the rise and transformation of Suleiman-Al-Tajir, a small-time thief into the daredevil Sindbad the Sailor who goes on to conquer the seven seas. With powerful villains, faithful side-kicks and terrifying monsters, a sixteen-year-old Sindbad will undertake the journey that will change the trajectory of his life forever.

Arpita Nath, associate commissioning editor, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘Kevin is a tremendously adventurous writer and it is exciting that we get to work with him as he forays into the space of young adult literature. Looking back at Kevin’s earlier writings, we are sure that the Sindbad series will be high on fantasy, adventure and teenage relationships, and successfully bring forth the magic of the legendary sailor.’

Kevin, a 22-year-old graduate from St. Stephen’s College, is the author of the much-loved Kalki Trilogy. His books, Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu (2017) and Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma (2018), have gone on to become instant hits.

Sohini Mitra, associate publisher, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘We are delighted to add Kevin Missal to our publishing programme for young adults. Kevin is hugely popular for the rich oeuvre of work he has done and we welcome him into the PRH family with this trilogy. Kevin’s adaptation of Sindbad is a supremely imaginative piece of work, giving a new spin to the age-old adventures.’

Kevin says, ‘Ever since I was a teen, I loved the world mythology and the tales of Sindbad—a fearless sailor who travelled the seven seas to prosper, unafraid of failing and trying again. After my foray in Hindu mythology, I decided I wanted to mix fantasy and world mythology in the story of a young thief called Suleiman who one day be called Sindbad. Teaming up with Penguin was a no brainer for it is home to some of the best YA fantasies out there. And I’m so excited that my first YA venture is coming through them.’

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

New Delhi, 19 July 2019: Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of the first-ever biography of one of the legends of Indian cinema, Balraj Sahni. This deeply personal narrative is being written by his son and actor Parikshat Sahni and marks his debut as an author. Titled The Non-Conformist: Memories of My Father Balraj Sahni, the book will release in August 2019 and is available for pre-order on e-commerce websites.

Balraj Sahni is considered one of the finest, most natural actors hailing from the golden era of Indian cinema. His performances in such Indian classics as Do Bigha Zamin and Garam Hawa are considered master-classes in the art of acting. His contribution to the performative arts has not only inspired many other actors but also earned him lifelong admiration from a host of actors such as Amitabh Bachchan and Om Puri among others.

Actor, director, producer and now author, Parikshat Sahni says, ‘Writing about Balraj Sahni, my father and an inspiration to many, has been a redemptive and a cathartic experience for me. I am happy that I got the opportunity to share untold stories about Dad, and pay my tribute to him, his life and his craft through The Non-Conformist. I hope his fans and the lovers of cinema will be able to unravel the man behind the actor and enjoy the book. I would like to thank Penguin Random House India and my publisher Milee Ashwarya for the opportunity and for publishing The Non-Conformist.’

The book will present a unique and insightful take on the legendary actor from the point of view of his son. Replete with untold stories and unseen photos, The Non-Conformist will give readers an intimate glimpse of Balraj Sahni as a man and an actor, as a husband and a friend, as a parent and a patriot. In his foreword to the book, renowned actor Amitabh Bachchan shares his experiences with Balraj Sahni, commemorating the late actor’s contribution to Indian cinema.

Milee Ashwarya, publisher, Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘The Non-Conformist is a personal, intimate and real portrayal of an iconic star who left us too early. Balraj Sahni was known for his simplicity, sincerity, talent and non-conformism, and in the book his son Parikshat Sahni paints a moving picture of the man, actor, father, colleague and friend who continues to touch many lives. It has been my pleasure and honour to work with Parikshat Sahni on the book, and I am delighted and proud to have it on our list.’

Parikshat Sahni is a well-known actor who has appeared in several films and TV series. His first stint in the movies began as a child artist and he went on to act in over 30 films. He is famous for playing the lead in the television series Gul Gulshan Gulfaam and Gaatha. He has also appeared in three of Rajkumar Hirani’s blockbuster films Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots and PK. During his long and successful career in Hindi cinema, Parikshat also worked as producer and director for Balraj Sahni Productions. He directed a children’s film, Pakda Gaya Par Kaun, under the banner. He lives in Mumbai and likes to paint in his free time.

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

The essay collection will present new and disruptive ideas to bring India closer to its constitutional principles

New Delhi, 18 July 2019;Penguin Random House India in association with the Samruddha Bharat Foundation (SBF) announces the publication of a 14-volume series of over 120 policy-oriented essays to propose innovative and disruptive ideas to further India’s promise. The series will be announced at an event later today commemorating SBF’s first anniversary in the presence of the former President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

The first volume, titled Vision for a Nation: Paths and Perspectives, has contributions from leading intellectuals on the idea of a plural, inclusive, just, equitable, prosperous India. They include academician and activist Kancha Ilaiah, author and academician Neera Chandhoke, scholar and linguist Ganesh Devy, sociologist and legal researcher Kalpana Kannabiran, former Chief Election Commissioner of India S.Y. Quraishi, writer and politician Shashi Tharoor, Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee and Bharatanatyam dancer Navtej Singh Johar, veteran politician Sitaram Yechury, among others.

The Samruddha Bharat Foundation (SBF) is an independent socio-political organisation set up to safeguard and further the constitutional idea of India and take serious cognisance of the country’s present and future challenges and to rise to them. In just one year, it has constituted numerous working groups to critically rethink social, economic and political paradigms and invited over 400 of India’s foremost academics, activists, professionals and policymakers across party lines for ideation and innovation. With this set of 14 volumes, the Foundation aims to initiate an inclusive dialogue and build conversation and consensus on them. These books will highlight innovative ideas that seek to deepen and further the promise of India. The essays will be authored by India’s foremost academics, technocrats, activists, intellectuals, policymakers, thinkers and are written to be accessible to a general readership.

Advisor to Samruddha Bharat Foundation, Aakash Singh Rathore, says, ‘Facing the 70th year of the republic affords us the opportunity to bring together outstanding scholars and practitioners to evaluate where we as a nation have reached, and to collectively rethink, strategically but also responsibly, how we now must move forward.’

Commenting on the initiative, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Member of Parliament (D.M.K.), and one of the contributors to the series, says, ‘It is important to bring different voices together on a platform and to start a debate, where the space for debate is shrinking. I congratulate Samruddha Bharat Foundation for creating a platform where diverse perspectives are being brought together and discussed.’

Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary, CPI (M), says, ‘What emerged in the epic people’s freedom struggle in India was an Idea that independent India moves towards transcending its immense diversities in favour of a substantial inclusive unity of its people. This is the ‘Idea of India’. The current battles in India are between the Majoritarian “Hindutva Nationalism” and the Inclusive “Indian Patriotism”. These battles are captured in these volumes.’

Pushparaj Deshpande, Samruddha Bharat’s Managing Trustee and one of the series editors, says, ‘The volumes strive tokickstart a national dialogue on key socio-economic and political issues, and forge a consensus on how we can proceed as a nation. In the coming years, we hope this will serve as a blueprint for all progressive forces committed to furthering India’s promise’.

Stressing on the need for such a collection, Swati Chopra, senior commissioning editor, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘The books in this series attempt to re-evaluate and reimagine the core values of our Constitution in a contemporary context and how they can be made more robust in India today. In that sense, ‘Rethinking India’ is a befitting title for the series and we are proud to be publishing it.’

The volumes will cover issues such as minorities, women, unemployment, healthcare, urbanisation, and many more. Each volume will detail at least 10 specific policy solutions, which are innovative, disrupted, and well researched by some of the greatest minds of our times. The books will also offer road maps to navigate through challenges with the mission to cooperatively rise above them and revitalise India’s aspirations.

Milee Ashwarya, Publisher, Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘I feel delighted and honoured that the Samruddha Bharat Foundation (SBF) has chosen to partner with Penguin Random House India for the publication of the prestigious and valuable 14 volume series that will address the diverse current and future challenges for our country. The series will be an invaluable addition to our list and is a must read for readers across age groups. I congratulate the eminent writers who have come together to make this possible and I look forward to publishing the series.’

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honours.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

New Delhi, 17 July 2019: Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of the first writing venture by popular television host, actor and fitness icon Mandira Bedi. Titled Happy for No Reason, this will be a memoir written in the style of a modern-day fitness lifestyle manual. This book will be released in 2020 in English across the country.

A multifaceted personality, Mandira writes about her experiences in parenting, keeping fit and striking a balance, in the process busting myths while divulging her mantra in dealing with these aspects. This tell-all memoir will inspire, inform and entertain the readers. As a fitness icon, Mandira writes about the need for body positivity, encouraging people to relinquish their struggle for third-party validation and adopting a health regime for their own benefit. She candidly shares with her readers the tricks that have helped her retain her health and exuberance in the chaotic, mentally and physically gruelling schedules she has had to keep as a working professional. Besides, she discusses in detail the secrets that have helped her find a sustainable work-life balance, and physical and mental well-being.

Talking about her upcoming book, Mandira Bedi says, ‘With utmost gratitude, I look at my life having taken the most blessed and divine turns these last 25 years in entertainment. Each passing year, it has been getting and feeling better than the year gone by. I have lived life, going with the flow and that has brought me to the only goal I ever hoped to get to – being happy from within. Happy for no Reason is an attitude and an intent I put out, to wake up with every day of my life. Moreover, being invited by Penguin to author this book is a dream come true for me. But when you are in a place of true bliss you get to reach beyond what could be and what is!’

Mandira Bedi is known for her candid disposition and in this book she talks about living life under the public eye. Taking cues from her own life, she writes about her ‘material’ being that is either celebrated or castigated for her bold and radical choices in the limelight. This also acts as a general commentary on what society worships as the ‘ideal body’ and how it discards whatever deviates from it.

Premanka Goswami, senior commissioning editor at Penguin Random House India, says, ‘In her life, Mandira Bedi has donned many hats. In addition to being a versatile actor, she is a successful entrepreneur, a social influencer, a sports lover, a fitness enthusiast, an advocate of body positivity and now an author as well. A deeply personal narrative, her part-memoir-part-lifestyle manual will capture the many roles she juggles as a professional, a parent and a home-maker. We are thrilled to have Mandira on our list and I look forward to working with her.’

Ranjana Sengupta, deputy publisher, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘Mandira Bedi is not just a successful actor, business woman and fitness icon, she is also someone who has smashed many glass ceilings. Happy For No Reason will be an inspirational book for readers. We are absolutely delighted to have her on our list.

*END*

About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honours.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of Chandan Deshmukh’s forthcoming career helper Seven Dream Jobs For Students: And How To Find Them. The author joins the Penguin Random House India family with two other previously published titles- his debut book Six Secrets Smart Students Don’t Tell You (2014) and Five Lies My Teacher Told Me: Success Tips for the New Generation (2018).

Seven Dream Jobs For Students: And How To Find Them is Deshmukh’s third book in the genre of personal development and self-help. Published under the Penguin imprint, this book will be released in 2020 and will be positioned as a valuable guide for students in decoding their career options.

Arpita Nath, associate commissioning editor, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘We are thrilled to welcome Chandan to the PRH family. His new book is an essential read for students and parents alike as it talks about how to choose the right career path. It is especially pertinent in today’s day and age where there is so much pressure on children to excel. Chandan’s books, with its easy-going and accessible writing, will act as a companion to those who need guidance on how to assess their strengths and weaknesses, and also manage their anxieties.’

The author who is a software engineer by profession, will help students analyze their assets, shortcomings and passion to find clues about their personality traits. The author looks to burst the myth that students need to take a linear path in their professions; a software engineering major need not join a technology firm or business major can look at other avenues rather than banking. The book, which will focus on exploring the full human potential, will also teach students on how to make the perfect resume and preparing for an interview.

Sohini Mitra, associate publisher, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘With a plethora of career options today, students can be overwhelmed with thoughts about life after school. Chandan’s new book will give them the chance to understand their natural potential. We are excited to publish a book which will help students seek directions in their career and further studies. As a leading children’s and young adult publisher, books of this nature give our readers a well rounded exposure to different aspects of life.’

Chandan Deshmukh is a 29-year-old Bangalore-based Electronics & Communication Engineer by chance, and Business Quality Lead by profession. Having authored three books on demystifying student life and their future, he has established himself name in the self-help/personal development space. He says, ‘My inspiration for writing this book was simple: if a 5-day family vacation takes 6 months of planning, isn’t a solid blueprint necessary for 16 years of student life? In school, I was a below average student, and my teachers used to call me ‘butterfly’ as I wasn’t a focused-student. Back then, I looked for an engaging book to suggest ways to study smart, build hobbies and ascertain career opportunities. Since I couldn’t find anything so comprehensive, I decided to write one. These books are a result of my own personal experiences and research and I am excited that the pioneer of publishing- Penguin Random House India is helping me take them to the right audience. I am also excited to work with Arpita Nath, my editor who understands the pulse behind the thought process, and is ever charming. I look forward to a long relationship with PRH.’

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About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honors.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

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MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

New Delhi, 21 June 2019: Marking the occasion of the International Day of Yoga, Penguin Random House India announces the publication of the official autobiography of yoga maestro and spiritual guru Swami Ramdev, titled My Life, My Mission. Written along with senior journalist Uday Mahurkar, this is a one of its kind personal narrative of the life and times of the globally renowned yoga teacher. The book is due to release in August 2019 and is already available for pre-order on e-commerce websites.

A gripping tell-all about one of the most successful household names in India, My Life, My Mission addresses the major controversies, turning points and achievements of Swami Ramdev’s life. In this book, Swami Ramdev chronicles his life along with co-author Uday Mahurkar and tells readers about his journey from a small village in Haryana to the international stage.

Commenting on the publication of his life story, Swami Ramdev says, ‘I am delighted that my autobiography My Life, My Mission is ready for publication. I hope readers, fans, and followers from across the world will read it and be a part of my journey. I would like to thank my co-author eminent journalist Uday Mahurkar for helping me write my story and my publisher Milee Ashwarya from Penguin Random House India for publishing the book.’

This autobiographical account uncovers the trials, tribulations and triumphs of his life and provides insights into his childhood, his passion for yoga and good health, his friends and foes, and the Swadeshi campaign he spearheaded. A story of transforming a vision into a reality, it also highlights the journey Swami Ramdev’s venture, Patanjali Group of Institutions, to becoming a multibillion corporation and is considered one of the fastest growing company in FMCG in India with a turnover of about Rs 12,000 crores.

Co-author Uday Mahurkar says, ‘It was an experience of a lifetime co-authoring this book with Swami Ramdevji and being witness to his extraordinary journey. Few people have made as much difference to the lives of the people in independent India as him. I would like to thank him and my publisher Milee Ashwarya for this great opportunity.’

Milee Ashwarya, publisher, Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House India says, ‘After a few years of hard work and perseverance My Life, My Mission by Swami Ramdev and Uday Mahurkar is ready for publication. I feel delighted and excited today as we launch the pre-order of the book that captures the journey of Swami Ramdev from a village boy to a global icon. I would like to thank Swami Ramdev for giving us the opportunity to publish the book, and to Uday Mahurkar without whose tireless efforts the book would never have happened.’

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About Penguin Random House India
Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honours.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

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MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan
pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in
+91 97118 64445

New Delhi, 14 May 2019: Penguin Random House India announces the acquisition of the first ever-comprehensive biography of the founder and managing director of India’s largest drug maker Sun Pharmaceuticals, Dilip Shanghvi. Journalist and author Soma Das writes this rare account of the life and times of the reticent Indian billionaire businessman whose professional accomplishments have given him the moniker ‘Takeover Tycoon’ and ‘Medicine Mogul’. Titled, The Reluctant Billionaire: How Dilip Shanghvi became the richest self-made Indian, will be published under the Portfolio imprint by Penguin. It will release in June and is already available for pre-order on e-commerce websites.

Based on interviews with over 150 friends, family members, rivals, former aides, and Dilip Shanghvi himself, this is the untold human story of an enterprise and its creator. The book traces Shanghvi’s transformation from a quiet, curious child working in his father’s small shop to an astute strategist, who built India’s largest pharma company Sun Pharma.

Author Soma Das says, ‘Dilip Shanghvi is one of the most interesting and least understood business minds of India today. For someone, unschooled in degrees of sciences and management who worked his way up from a tiny wholesale shop in the bylanes of Dawa Bazaar in Calcutta of 1970s to create one of country’s most valuable enterprises and become the richest self-made Indian in 2015, he is also one of the least studied capitalists. Until now, his journey has been shrouded in mystery partly because of his unwillingness to share it. This narrative attempts to change that. Based on accounts of many of his friends, rivals, extended family members, former and present aides, colleagues and Shanghvi himself, the book strives to understand the fiercely intense personality behind his calm demeanour and tell the tale of his enterprise-Sun Pharma.’

This book is an extraordinary story of an ordinary man, who chooses to stay ‘Anti-famous’. The tale unravels his contrarian and controversial bets that made Sun a global force. It reveals the riveting story of the fiercely intense personality that lies beneath his calm demeanour; of friends and family Shanghvi started his company with—the hurt, and emotional conflicts surrounding their separation—and how Shanghvi staked his closest relationships to professionalize Sun.

Lohit Jagwani, commissioning editor, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘This book is a fascinating story of how Dilip Shanghvi, a small time businessman from Calcutta, built one of India’s most valued pharmaceutical companies and also briefly replaced Mukesh Ambani as the richest man in India in March 2015. This is for the first time that we will get a candid look into his journey. With over three years of research and more than a hundred interviews, Soma Das has written a compelling book which will surely keep you engaged till the end.’

Milee Ashwarya, Publisher, Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing, Penguin Random House India says, ‘I have waited for more than three years to publish The Reluctant Billionaire: How Dilip Shanghvi became the richest self-made Indian by Soma Das and it has been worth the wait. Impeccably researched, painstakingly detailed and beautifully written, the book unravels the life, career and persona of Dilip Shangvi, and will be perhaps one of best biographies that you will read this year. My heartiest congratulations to Soma Das for her passion, commitment and persistence, and for writing this precious book.’

Soma Das has been a business journalist for over a decade with publications like The Economic Times and The Financial Express. Pharmaceuticals is one of her areas of specialization. Before entering journalism, she worked as a lecturer in Delhi University and also authored a bestselling work of fiction

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About Penguin Random House India

Penguin Random House India is the largest English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, publishing over 250 new titles every year and with an active backlist of over 3000 titles. With a strong fiction and non-fiction list, it publishes across every segment including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle, cookery, health and fitness, sports and leisure, visual books and children’s books. The children’s titles are published under the Puffin imprint.

Penguin Random House India’s illustrious list includes Booker Prize-winning novels and winners of virtually every major literary prize, including the Nobel Prize, the Magsaysay Award, the Jnanpith Award, the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Several of PRHI’s authors are also recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian honours.

Penguin Random House India is also the exclusive distribution partner for several leading local and international publishing houses in India and the sub-continent.

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MEDIA CONTACT-

Pallavi Narayan

pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in

+91 97118 64445