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RAJINIKANTH
Superstar Rajinikanth defies all conventional analyses—no one has reigned Supreme for as long as he has in the world of Indian cinema. With over 150 films under his belt, many of them blockbusters, he still plays the hero at seventy, and the devotion of his legions of fans has not waned during the forty-odd years of his stardom. In a state that saw the Dravidian self-respect movement propagate atheism, fans worship his cut-outs and bathe them with milk and beer, as if he were their God. In a society famous for its pride in its language, It is curious that a Kannadiga whose family hails from Maharashtra, an outsider, should emerge as a ‘thalaivar’, or leader. With the death of the charismatic J. Jayalalithaa, a former actor, and M. Karunanidhi, who was a scriptwriter for films—leaders of the AIADMK and DMK respectively (The two main Dravidian political parties that have been ruling Tamil Nadu for more than sixty years)—rajinikanth’s fans believed there was a political vacuum that only he could fill. While the actor has been dabbling in politics, by making pronouncements on certain issues, including jayalalithaa’s policies, the Cauvery water sharing problem between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, bomb attacks in the state and so on, it was only in 2017 that he promised to form his own party and contest all 234 seats in the 2021 assembly elections. For decades, his fans had been awaiting this moment, believing that he could solve all their problems and give them a life free from strife and governance free of corruption. His fan clubs went into high gear to turn themselves into the foundation of their thalaivar’s political party, attracting more members and working on the ground all over the state. For three years, every utterance of rajinikanth’s was analysed and debated even more vociferously than anything he has said in the past. Political opponents questioned his experience and pointed out that (even after forty years) he was an outsider who did not understand the undercurrents of Tamil Nadu politics; his detractors criticized the lack of a clear ideology behind his promise of ‘spiritual politics’; political analysts who saw that rajini was close to the BJP anticipated that he might enter into an alliance with them, allowing the right-wing party a foothold in the state. Ultimately, however, the seventy-year-old superstar withdrew from the political arena citing health concerns. The fans were hugely disappointed but understanding. With their continuing support and excitement for the next rajini-starrer, he remains a giant in the field of entertainment. Rajinikanth: a life is the best account yet of the man who was born Shivaji Rao gaekwad—once a Coolie and a bus conductor in Bangalore and now virtually a God in Tamil Nadu.
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The Bomber Mafia-A Story Set in War
The Bomber Mafia is a case study in how dreams go awry. When some shiny new idea drops from the heavens, it does not land softly in our laps. It lands hard, on the ground, and shatters.' In the years before the Second World War, in a sleepy air force base in central Alabama, a small group of renegade pilots put forth a radical idea. What if we made bombing so accurate that wars could be fought entirely from the air? What if we could make the brutal clashes between armies on the ground a thing of the past? This book tells the story of what happened when that dream was put to the test. The Bomber Mafia follows the stories of a reclusive Dutch genius and his homemade computer, Winston Churchill's forbidding best friend, a team of pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard, a brilliant pilot who sang vaudeville tunes to his crew, and the bomber commander, Curtis Emerson LeMay, who would order the bloodiest attack of the Second World War. In this tale of innovation and obsession, Gladwell asks: what happens when technology and best intentions collide in the heat of war? And what is the price of progress?
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Sooley
ONE MAN Seventeen-year-old Samuel Sooleyman comes from a village in South Sudan, a war-torn country where one third of the population is a refugee. His great love is basketball: his prodigious leap and lightning speed make him an exceptional player. And it may also bring him his big chance: he has been noticed by a coach taking a youth team to the United States. ONE HOPE If he gets through the tournament, Samuel's life will change beyond recognition. But it's the longest of long shots. His talent is raw and uncoached. There are hundreds of better-known players ahead of him. And he must leave his family behind, at least at the beginning. ONE CHANCE As American success beckons, devastating news reaches Samuel from home. Caught between his dream and the nightmare unfolding thousands of miles away, 'Sooley', as he's nicknamed by his classmates, must make hard choices about his future. This quiet, dedicated boy must do what no other player has achieved in the history of his chosen game: become a legend in twelve short months. Global bestseller John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in this gripping and incredibly moving novel that showcases his storytelling powers in an entirely new light.
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A Leap Within
About the book:- Did you ever had an urge to dive through yourself to explore the unfelt feelings? Did you ever wanted to enhance the basics of life? Usually we all just look at the things but never see them. To excel, one need to fathom the Elements of Human Psychology, Ways of Exploring Ourselves. Our Connection with the Society, Concept of Love. One can get more than expected from the life when he tries to understand these various realms as mentioned in this book. This book is written in colloquial language and even includes inspiring stories to help the readers understand real life experiences better. Being based on the self-experiences one can connect easily with them even by picking up any random page from the book. It has a potential to deliver much more than the little investments you will put into it. A must read for all those who love life and aspire to lead a meaningful lifestyle. Brace yourself to take ‘ A Leap Within’ Reviews Dr.RadhakrishnanPillai: (Best selling author of ‘CorporateChanakya ) -The book seems truly engrossing. Ameya have an ability to connect to people in a simple yet profound manner in your writing. Sanjay Upadhye( Executive Director of Vishwa Shanti Sangh, World Peace Centre,Alandi ,Pune, India) To provide a silver lining to this dark cloud comes a young college student, who writes a book that takes a very serious view of life. I congratulate AmeyaAgarwal from the bottom of my heart for writing this path-breaking book. ShailajakantMisra: ( IPS officer from UP cadre, Popularly known as “Supercop”) The Book is amazing and AmeyaAgrawal has done a really great job. Keep it up and may God bless you. About the author:- AmeyaAgrawal (21 years) is a student of third year engineering. He is pursuing his degree from MIT College of Engineering, Pune. He is a writer as well as a poet by passion. He has exceptional leadership skills and currently working as Secretary of Entrepreneurship Cell, MITCOE and also, as Chief Consultant for startup websit
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The Inspector Raj
In 1991, market forces were said to be unleashed but the old regime of ‘Inspector and Permit Raj’ did not crumble automatically. A decade after globalization, Ashok Atre was to realize that the nexus between Inspector Raj, big industrial houses and politicians was still powerful. The unchallenged monopoly of the state boiler department over inspection and certification worsened the situation. The dangerously powerful boiler inspectorate acted as another trade barrier and trade manipulator. On this background the fight waged by Ashok Atre becomes more relevant. In the times when industrial leadership was traditionally based on birth, wealth and family assets; entry of the technocrats like Ashok Atre heralded a challenge. A genius engineer, BE (VJTI, Mumbai), IIT post graduate (a semi IITian!!), he believed that future industrial wars will be fought with technology. With vision and innovation, he built an enterprise around core concepts of Energy and Environment Conservation (EEC) with path breaking innovations. In hardcore conservative boiler market, he sold the idea of sustainability. He created standards for what he called the ‘responsible capitalism’. A boy from Dombivali (educated in DNC School), Atre went on to be the President of Indian Boilers Manufacturers Association (IBMA). He could sense the institutional crisis and in the spirit of a true engineer; he worked on solutions. He led a nation wide movement for reforms in Boiler legislation with unprecedented vigour. In 2007, The Indian Boiler Act was amended; ending the monopoly of Inspector Raj from boiler sector. It is story of a man who dared to confront, who could transcend his battles from personal to socio-political; and make an impact.
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The Digital Professional
This book is an accurate portrayal of the impact of technology on the accounting industry. Technology has inevitably pervaded all spheres of life and the domain of accounting is no different. By depicting an old school professional trying to grapple with problems due to a technological disconnect, the writers try to convey how crucial it is for a person today to acquaint themselves with technology, in its entirety. This book is a must read for everyone. It aims to increase awareness among people in order to save time and overcome day-to-day challenges, by going ‘digital’.