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Modi's North East Story
India’s northeastern states bore the brunt of the horribly miscalculated 1962 war with China, which resulted in many problems. While losing territory to China was one of them, the deep-rooted emotional scars and alienation of the northeastern states due to repeated neglect by successive central governments was tougher to heal. After Prime Minister (PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had made an earnest attempt to bridge the divide between the Northeast and the rest of India during his tenure, PM Narendra Modi was the first to take the task of uplifting the Northeast with a rare visionary zeal with his Act East Policy. Ten years later, the results are all too visible.
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Pranab My Father-A Daughter Remembers
The 13th President of India, who served as India’s External Affairs, Defence, Finance and Commerce Minister at different times; a Parliamentarian with the unique distinction of being the leader of both Houses; and a member of the Congress Working Committee for 23 years, Pranab Mukherjee was a scholar par excellence, powerful orator and one of India’s most towering statesmen. But to his daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee, he was Baba, the workaholic; the history teacher who narrated events in the spirit of adda at dinner time; and the devoutly religious man who never imposed his faith on his daughter. In public and private, Pranab was always larger than life. In Pranab, My Father: A Daughter Remembers, Sharmistha offers a fascinating glimpse into the illustrious life of Pranab Mukherjee. She invites us into her family’s private world that was peopled by the Gandhis—Indira, Rajiv, Sonia and Rahul; Prime Ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Dr Manmohan Singh and, more recently, Narendra Modi. She uncovers new, hitherto unknown facets of Pranab’s political life—his unfulfilled ambition of becoming India’s prime minister arising out of his inability to emerge as the ‘number one person’ to earn Sonia’s trust, the personality cult around the Nehru–Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi’s lack of charisma and political understanding, Mamata Banerjee’s opposition to Pranab’s nomination as the presidential candidate (which sealed the deal in his favour) and his advice to PM Modi to acknowledge the contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
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Never Out Of Print-The Rupa Story
Rupa began on a Calcutta pavement in 1936, when D. Mehra, an impecunious but driven salesman, decided to try his hand at selling books. Within a generation, he had established Rupa as a major purveyor of imported books. Successive generations would make the firm the country's leading distributor of English-language trade books, representing some of the world's most important publishers, including Penguin, HarperCollins, Faber and many more. As the company grew, it began publishing its own titles. Legendary film-maker Satyajit Ray designed the publishing house's first colophon and became one of its earliest patrons. Other notables on the Rupa list included sportsmen like Sunil Gavaskar, whose memoir, Sunny Days, gave it one of its bestsellers; Chetan Bhagat, who would go on to become India's largest-selling author within a few years; and Ruskin Bond, the country's most beloved writer. Over the decades, as the Indian publishing milieu was reshaped by new entrants from around the world, Rupa continued to maintain its position as a fiercely independent publisher of important books, at the forefront of the Indian publishing scene.
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Institutions That Shaped Modern India ISRO
The end of colonial rule was an important milestone worth celebrating, but what lay ahead was a long journey towards the making of modern India. The narrative of ‘modern India’ would be incomplete without the stories of institutions that helped shape India as we know it today. This volume, part of a series on institutions that shaped modern India, gives an in-depth introduction to one such institution—the Indian space research organisation (ISRO). it tells the story of ISRO from its inception to present times. Capturing its history and its evolution, dotted with several achievements and some setbacks, and offering deep insights into isro’s key projects—past, present and futures book is an ode to an institution that has been at the steering wheel of India’s journey into space and has played a seminal role in nation-building.
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Institutions That Shaped Modern India DRDO
The end of colonial rule was an important milestone worth celebrating, but what lay ahead was a long journey towards the making of modern India. The narrative of ‘modern India’ would be incomplete without the stories of institutions that helped shape India as we know it today. This volume, part of a series on institutions that shaped modern India, gives an in-depth introduction to one such institution—the defence research and development organisation (Dr do). it engagingly tells the story of Dr do from its inception to present times. Capturing its history and its evolution, dotted with several remarkable achievements and some equally critical challenges, and offering thought-provoking suggestions too, this book is an ode to an institution that has been a crucial contributor to India’s defence needs, equipping it with state-of-the-art indigenous defence technologies, and has played a seminal role in nation-building.
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Chandrayaan-3 : India on the Moon
On 23 August 2023, India scripted history as Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the Moon’s South Pole. India became the first and only country to reach this remote lunar region, a milestone that has elevated India to the ranks of the United States (US), Russia and China—the only three other nations that have reached the moon. But these were not the only records Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made that day; it also garnered over 8 million concurrent views of the live moon landing on YouTube, highest ever in the history of the platform. This book offers an overview of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and covers the evolution of India’s Moon programme. It traces India’s journey to the Moon, starting from its inception during the early 2000s.
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A Day With Exceptional Visionaries
Do you know who created the cartoons you love or the person who founded Microsoft? A Day With series features fascinating lives of some of the world's most influential personalities. Books in this series will take you back in time to meet inspiring individuals and discover how these trailblazers made a lasting impact on the world and continue to inspire generations today.
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My Illegitimate Son
Relationships are achingly complex, even more so when it’s a father and his accidental love child. Two strangers meet serendipitously. One is an irrepressible, mischievous brat and the other a brooding platitudinous bore. Their contrasting individual paths that portend a star-crossed disaster suddenly find a shared future. Fate brings them under the same roof, and soon, the insolent child’s wild, roller-coaster, mind-numbing life takes centre stage in a moody family’s wacky, dysfunctional abode. What follows is a fantastical journey, and that is putting it mildly. Enter an unexpected visitor, and soon their lives are completely disarranged. The vicissitudes of life are on full display as the father-son duo confront a new reality. The family struggles to grapple with the new power dynamic as circumstances start spiralling beyond everyone’s control, with grievous consequences. In this exceptional slice-of-life book, Sanjay Jha tells us a heart-rending account of love and loss, happiness and grief, regret and redemption. ‘Grief, once it checks in, is a permanent guest’, says the tiny protagonist. Is atonement and forgiveness at all possible, or is it just a desperate human urge for finding inner peace? Is time, eventually, the only true healer? Can we really move on? In My Illegitimate Son, Sanjay Jha narrates a stirringly poignant story, which has both riotous laughter and abundant sorrow, that might just find an echo with your own.
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Charlers Sobhraj
Charles Sobhraj: Inside the Heart of the Bikini Killer provides glimpses of Charles Sobhraj—the notorious serial killer—without the glitz and trappings lent to his image by media reports. It is not the cold, calculated ‘Bikini Killer’ we find here, but a balding man worried about his failing health; a man who requests the doctor to put off his surgery for a few days because he is afraid; a frail man who bursts into tears when he learns the operation has only a slim chance of success.Candidly narrated by the doctor who had initially refused to treat a criminal like Charles, this book explores the ethical dilemmas and the choices we have to make to remain true to ourselves
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Rajinis Punchtantra --Business And Life Management
ABOUT THE BOOK Coolie to CEO, small-time entrepreneur to business magnate, teenage student to retired grandparent-Rajinikanth's punchlines hold a special place in the hearts of a wide spectrum of people. The memorable dialogues of Rajini have, in fact, acquired cult status among his fans as sayings that encapsulate many significant universal truths. And so, in this book, P.C. Balasubramanian and Raja Krishnamoorthy attempt to interpret some of Rajinikanth's most famous punchlines and demonstrate how each of them can be adapted as a motto for any business organization or in any life situation. A management guide with an innovative twist, Rajini's Punchtantra gives you a unique perspective on thirty of the most fundamental and effective mantras for both business and life management.Key Features Highlights the relevance of Rajini’s punchlines in areas such as governance, leadership, motivation, reputation-building, responsibility, commitment etc. Instructive and edifying, while entertaining at the same time. Simple yet insightful, these lines can be used by anyone to communicate his or her views in a forthright and effective manner. A delightful and distinctive handbook for everyone.
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Chanakya Neeti: Verses of Wisdom
Chanakya Neeti is a compilation of the belief system of Kautilya, an Indian theorist, teacher, philosopher, economist and renowned mentor to Chandragupta between 350–275 BC. His role was foundational for the creation of the Mauryan Empire. He was one of the pioneers in the field of economics and political science in India and his work is acknowledged as an important precursor to classical economics. This text lays out his primary ideas first in Sanskrit, followed by the transliteration and translation in English for better comprehension. This is a treatise on the archetypal Indian way of life. He also developed Sutras (aphorisms) which talk about how people should build their personality. These Sutras were fundamental for grooming Chandragupta and other chosen disciples in the art of ruling a kingdom successfully.
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The Girl On The Train
‘I thought of running away with Kamla. When I mentioned it to her, her eyes lit up. She thought it would be great fun. Women in love can be more reckless than men! But I had read too many stories about runaway marriages ending in disaster, and I lacked the courage to go through with such an adventure. I must have known instinctively that it would not work. Where would we go, and how would we live? There would be no home to crawl back to, for either of us.’ Seldom do we come across a person who leaves behind an impression on our very being. Call it being enamoured or moved, the memories we shared with them can catch us unawares even years down the line. It is not for the world to decipher what bond we shared and nurtured with them, or how real or surreal it was. This is our secret alone, meant to be kept close to the heart. In The Girl on the Train, we see tales of longing and lost bonds being traced again in Ruskin Bond’s simplistic narration. With these stories, you might once again walk down the memory lane of all those cherished moments gone by.
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Inked In India-Fountain Pens and a Story of Make a
The exchange of the reed pen for the fountain pen is part of India’s economic transition and is reflected in the attitudes of these two great leaders, Gandhi and Ambedkar.’ In the early 1900s, a Bengali doctor created the first Indian fountain pen in Varanasi. Despite this early start, foreign-made pens dominate the Indian market, with no notable Indian brand available to customers. Inked in India traces this journey of make and unmake, from a pre-Independence India with a strong manufacturing base for pens, nibs and ink, to the post-Independence economic policies which eroded that competitive advantage and led to economic churn and the exit of foreign firms from the country. Going beyond the nostalgia and lost sheen of fountain pens, it tackles economic transition and the impact of policy on local enterprise. Just as there has been exit, post-liberalization, there has been entry too, in what is often perceived to be a sunset sector. The book takes stock of what it will take to transform the unmake in India to make in India, so that Indian fountain pens have a global presence. The first-ever documentation of all known fountain pen, nib and ink manufacturers, Inked in India will be of great interest to fountain pen aficionados and economic enthusiasts alike.
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Teen Machine
Why did everything seem so demanding, all of a sudden? And why did it seem to be easy for everyone else? Those Shark people were actually laughing at the difficulty level of the test. Was I even made for this? The 1 per cent that I was trying to fit into, how would I ever get there? I could finally feel the dread catching up. The dread that had been following me all throughout tenth grade, and I’d ignored it throughout. The dreadful feeling of knowing that I wasn’t actually smart. Avani, a tenth-grade student, has been living in a bubble—she gets top grades at school, loves to read and spends way too much time on her laptop, despite her mother’s disapproving glares. Her life seems perfect—until she is faced with the consequences of a life-altering decision: she decides to prepare for one of the most competitive entrance exams in the world. Thrust into the cut-throat world of IIT JEE coaching in eleventh grade, she is determined to disprove her mother’s doubts about her abilities, live up to her father’s expectations of being a ‘smart kid’ and be on a par with her peers or even better. Will Avani be able to balance exam stress, her interests, new and old friendships, crushes, her parents’ expectations andstill be the ‘best’?
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The Path-Breakers
We seem to notice only to types of success. Those achieved by people who have attained demi God status and others from the West, who we blindly try to emulate. How many times do we look at people, close home, who are much like us? People living a life like one we live, with dreams like the ones we have, facing challenges like the ones we do. These people no different from us, are yet, far ahead of us. They have lived a life, which although very similar, is quite different from ours. This book is a collection of real life stories of some extraordinary achievers. They come from all walks of life, from every corner of India, cutting across all age groups. They dared to defy the trend and refused to join the rat race. They have moved away and walked ahead. They have path breakers. Their life and work should serve as an assurance and source of motivation to those who desire to follow their instinct and take the road less travelled.
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Not Just A Nightwatchman - My Innings In The BCCI
‘It is a great honour for me to have been chosen by the Supreme Court. I see my role in the BCCI only as a nightwatchman.’ When Vinod Rai humbly commented about his appointment as the head of the Supreme Court-mandated Committee of Administrators (CoA) on national television on 30 January 2017, little did he know that he would stay at the crease for 33 months! In the next few days, the CoA came to grips with their onerous responsibility—that of overseeing the administration of one of the richest sports bodies in the world, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Notwithstanding his ardent support for the game, Rai refused to be blind to the flaws in its governance. And so the nightwatchman decided to play on the front foot; a characteristic style that he carries forward as he describes his innings in Not Just a Nightwatchman.
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The Making of The Greatest : Sony
Innovation has been the cornerstone of Japanese legend masaru ibuka’s business philosophy. Starting from a small radio-repair Unit in a bombed-out store in post-war Tokyo, he and his lifelong business partner akio morita built a staggering business empire straddling all seven continents. Right from its early days, Sony, as the company came to be called, continued to shock and surprise the world by coming out with one innovative product after the other: commercially successful transistor radio when even the inventors of the transistor didn't think of its use beyond creating hearing aids; a colour TV that redefined entertainment; the ‘walk man’, a new market phenomenon, that got the young generation all excited and revved up. All these in addition to a vast variety of products that became the Gold standard for the industry! Drawing on the vision of the founders, Sony has fortified their business unimaginably—with gaming PlayStation, blockbuster Hollywood movies, hit music albums and critical components for futuristic technologies, including robotics and artificial intelligence. This book is as much a tribute to the Sony founders, as it is to the dynamism and spiritedness of their successors who are proud to carry their legacy and innovations forward.
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50 Greatest Detective Stories
IT IS THE HOUR WHEN CRIME, VICE AND WICKEDNESS REIGN… The speck of dust on the carpet Half-smoked cigar Blood stains and a corpse Welcome to the crime scene and feel free to cross 50 Greatest Detective Stories is an unparalleled treasury of detective fiction that every fan will cherish. Offering the finest examples from writers across varied generations, this collection charts the detective stories, making the reader’s adrenaline rise and fall as the episodes unfold. Each story takes one into the labyrinth of the unfamiliar within the familiar. Now it is your turn to be the detective as you read on and decode the mystery. Do enter the labyrinth!
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Decoding Business Minds
This is a manifesto to change a country where a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is primarily to get a job, and not to start a business! Serial entrepreneur Ajay Gupta is the quintessential Indian businessman. He has spent more than three decades in businesses creating companies that have grown despite numerous obstacles and challenges that came from within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, but more so from a societal mindset that has origins in the British Raj. Thinking of a business as a lifelong career does not come naturally to most Indians. In fact, in Indian middle-class families, business is not seen as a secure source of income. Many of the myths surrounding business and businessmen are the reason why even those who have an innate talent for enterprise eventually suppress their dreams. This book debunks many of these myths and looks at how India can become truly aatmanirbhar and create limitless wealth for all. Decoding Business Mindsis a break from a stereotypical business book and is a practical guide to overcoming fears, creating the right attitude and working consistently towards an actionable vision. Ajay takes on the role of business coach, mentor and storyteller to look at everyday examples and real-life stories that will inspire everyone to emerge out of the herd mentality that sees business as risky, unstable and stressful. He deciphers the unique DNA of Indians that can make them world-beaters in the future. He also reveals some of the innovations, strategies and formulae that can help create wealth and scale up businesses.
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Wrist Assured An Autobiography
Wrist Assured traces the cricketing journey of wristy genius G.R. Vishwanath from the dusty by-lanes of erstwhile Bangalore to the most iconic venues in the world. It gives deep insights into the mind of a champion, and of the trials and tribulations of an international career that saw both despair and delight in his very first Test. Vishwanath followed up a first-innings duck with 137 in the second against Australia in Kanpur in 1969. The same crowd that had hurled matkas on his way back in the first innings rose as one to celebrate his century, providing him his first important lesson—nothing succeeds like success. His solid middle-class upbringing instilled in Vishwanath a clear sense of right and wrong which he harnessed throughout his 91-Test career.Wrist Assured provides a ringside view of what made Vishwanath tick and why he is one of the most adored and respected cricketers to have graced the cricketing stage.
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The Blue Umbrella
?The Umbrella was like a flower, a great blue flower that had sprung up on the dry brown hillside.' In exchange for her lucky leopard's claw pendant, Binya acquires a beautiful blue umbrella that makes her the envy of everyone in her village, especially Ram Bharosa, the shop-keeper. Ruskin Bond's short and humorous novella, set in the picturesque hills of Garhwal, perfectly captures life in a village, where both heroism and redemption can be found.
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Veer Savarkar
If India looks forward to its 75th year of Independence, it is also looking at 75 years of the country’s partition. Perhaps the biggest human tragedy of the twentieth century, it was marked by unparalleled violence that was suppressed by interested parties for their own political and ideological reasons. In the analysis of the real factors that led to Partition lies the lesson to protect India’s unity and integrity, as exemplified by the relentless but unsuccessful attempt by Veer Savarkar to prevent the birth of Pakistan. Arguably the greatest symbol of India’s national integration, Savarkar’s warnings on the threats to India’s security have come true in the past seven decades. Veer Savarkar: The Man Who Could Have Prevented Partition uncovers Savarkar, the thinker and the father of India’s national security who has shown the best possible pathway towards one nation that rises above religious, caste and regional feelings. It also proves the falsity of charges levelled against Savarkar from time to time and exposes the motives behind them. It reveals, for the first time, the manner in which the Narendra Modi-led government has implemented Savarkar’s national security and diplomatic vision.