Firaq Gorakhpuri: The Poet of Pain & Esctasy


Book Description

One of contemporary India’s most prolific Urdu poets, Firaq Gorakhpuri was well known for his ghazals, nazms, rubaais and qat’aa. His magnum opus, Gul-e-Naghma, won him the Jnanpith Award (1969), India’s first highest literary honour for literature. The other awards bestowed upon him include the Sahitya Akademi Award (1960), and the Ghalib Academy Award (1981). In this personalized biography, Firaq’s nephew, Ajai Mansingh, tells the compelling tale of the poet's life, inspiration, and struggles – shedding light on the trials and tribulations of one of India’s greatest literary figures. ‘Firaq is a poet of the labyrinths of emotions, the sensuousness and transcendence of beauty, and the merging shades of pain and ecstasy. The softness and suppleness of his voice does not have a parallel in Urdu poetry.’ — Gopi Chand Narang




An Introduction to Hindustani Classical Music: A Beginners Guide


Book Description

An Introduction to Hindustani Classical Music: A Guidebook for Beginners is Vijay Singha's comprehensive guide to savour and appreciate classical music. Written in a simple and easy-to-comprehend style, this book delves into the understanding of raga sangeet, semi-classical and fusion music, raga sangeet in Hindi films, as well as the future of classical music in India.




My Crazy Tale: His Holiness


Book Description

Progress in life has to be made on both the spiritual and mundane fronts. One has to be aware of every action in daily life from drinking tea, eating food, the way one relates with other human beings and animals, to dealing with the ecological environment. Self-development is the main goal of our life.




The Untold Story of Christian Michel and AugustaWestland


Book Description

A veteran journalist, Raju Santhanam has spent over forty years in journalism in print and television. A former head of Zee News and editor of the Statesman, Raju’s forte has been investigative journalism. He ran the Statesman’s Insight Investigative team for a number of years, and was well known for some of the best investigative stories in the eighties and subsequent years. Currently, Raju is focused on research-based projects that have a global impact on international audience.




Laid to Rest: The Controversy over Subhas Chandra Bose's Death


Book Description

"Laid to Rest: The Controversy over Subhas Chandra Bose’s Death is the most comprehensive compilation of hard evidence ever presented on the still hotly-debated demise of one of the heroes of the Indian freedom movement. It pieces together a plethora of first-hand, eye-witness accounts of the plane crash at Taipei that resulted in Subhas Bose breathing his last in a Japanese military hospital, his cremation and the transfer of his ashes to Japan, where they remain till date. In a veritable tour de force, the book presents irrefutable, overwhelming testimonies from survivors of the crash, people who were at Bose’s bedside when he passed away, attendees at the cremation and couriers of the mortal remains to Tokyo and ultimately to its current resting place at Renkoji temple. Indian, Japanese and Taiwanese nationals unite to provide an unimpeachable and unanimous verdict. The publication decimates conspiracy theories; and questions successive Indian governments for ignoring the plaintive cry of Bose’s Austrian widow and economist daughter to apply closure to a needless and never ending controversy. "




A Tide in the Affairs of Men: A Public Servant Remembers


Book Description

A Tide in the Affairs of Men are reminiscences of a senior administrative officer from his working in the secretariat in the central government and in the state of Madhya Pradesh to his varied experiences during other relevant postings. From handling students’ agitation in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh in 1964 to his special posting in Bagladesh after the liberation of East Pakistan in 1971; and from his years in Manila as executive director in the ADB to working closely with Dr Manmohan Singh as revenue secretary, the narrative is a public servant’s journey that relooks at some of the important milestones with passion and candour.




The House of Scindias: A Saga of Power, Politics and Intrigue


Book Description

RASHEED KIDWAI is a journalist, author, columnist and political analyst. He is Visiting Fellow with the Observer Research Foundation, Delhi. Formerly Associate Editor at The Telegraph, Kidwai is a keen observer of government, politics, community affairs and Hindi cinema.




The Sardar of Spin: A Celebration of the Life and Art of Bishan Singh Bedi


Book Description

VENKAT SUNDARAM was a key member of the Indian cricket team between 1970–80. During his illustrious career, he has worn numerous hats – he has been its manager for the 1998 tour to Sri Lanka; Chairman for BCCI’s Ground and Wickets Committee for two terms; Chairman Ranji Trophy and U-22 selection committee for UPCA. He has also been a selector, coach, umpire, cricket commentator, sports anchor, author, and director/ producer. He is the force behind this special edition celebrating Bishan Singh Bedi’s life and times. SACHIN BAJAJ is a sports administrator and business professional. He has over two decades of experience with sports bodies like Kings XI Punjab, Cricket Club of India, England & Wales Cricket Board. He is also the proprietor of Global Cricket School and Co-founder of Niche Sports. Sachin has published eleven books and co-authored another three.




A Woven Life


Book Description

Richly layered and remarkably candid, this is anything but an ordinary memoir. Life-writing at its truthful and unapologetic best, here is a story of a textile historian, entrepreneur and collector with an eventful and adventurous life story. As a child in countryside England, Jenny had thought she would grow up to be a spy, but life had other plans. Brought to the world of Asian textiles, art and museums, she has over the last five decades travelled across Asia with a passion to document traditional, local, and nomadic weaves and handcrafted textiles. She lays bare her idyllic childhood in the aftermath of the Second World War; her aspirations of being in the arts and then as a researcher at the Victoria and Albert museum in London; the struggles of falling in and out of love and a broken marriage; of parenting; and her passion for Indian textiles, having established herself as one of the most successful British entrepreneurs working in India who co-founded the luxury brands shades of India and kashmir loom.




Narinder Singh Kapany: The Man Who Bent Light


Book Description

The father of fibre optics, Narinder Singh Kapany was far more than your typical multi-hyphenate. Inventor, art collector, sculptor, farmer, entrepreneur, teacher, and a successful businessman, Dr Kapany was what Fortune magazine in its 1999 issue called, ‘one of the seven unsung heroes of the 20th century’. An insightful and inspirational life story, this memoir chronicles his ninety remarkable years. Charming, idiosyncratic, and highly engaging, The Man Who Bent Light serves up enough variety and verve to celebrate the lives of a half dozen individuals. But there is only one Narinder Singh Kapany, and his life, illuminated in his singular memoir, is a life like no other.