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Across the Line
A tale of borders and beliefs shaped by the games people play 1947 New Delhi. Cyril Radcliffe's hands are clammy, partly from the heat but mostly from the enormity of the task assigned. Mopping the sweat off his brow, he picks up his pen, draws a deep breath--and a dark line. Rawalpindi. A barbaric frenzy of rioters fills the streets, disrupting a game of pithoo between Toshi and her brother, Tarlok, shattering their lives unimaginably. 2008 Rawalpindi. Cricket-crazy Inaya is sneaking out behind her father's back for net practice when she discovers that she is not the only one in her family keeping a secret. New Delhi. Jai accidentally stumbles upon an old, hidden away diary in his kitchen. The date of its last entry: 17 August 1947. As Jai and Inaya's unlikely worlds collide, another story unfolds. A story that started with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives.
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Best Loved Indian Stories II
An anthology that reveals the immense diversity of Indian literature. The rich and varied body of writing in the Indian languages has grown immeasurably in the last hundred years. This collection of short stories brings together some perennial favoritess from this vast treasure trove, written by acknowledgement masters of the art and sensitively translated. The twenty-three stories included here deal with themes central to modern India: caste, gender politics and emerging changes in the traditional family structure. These are striking vignettes from all parts of the country, evocative of different lifestyles yet reflective of common problems and issues with which we can all identify.
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The Last Victory
It is October 1910 and the lovers Kim and Parvati are fleeing across India, escaping forces beyond their control. They know that great changes are afoot the Mahatma's ideas are gaining ground and the Indian National Congress is about to change remarkably with the entrance of Jawaharlal Nehru. Ahead lie turbulent times that will reveal the ruthlessness of the Empire and give rise to the promise of independence. Kim and Parvati's lives criss-cross those of many known and unknown Indians who believe in the Indian nation, and they too are swept into the very centre of the struggle for independence, where they must confront their terrifying tormentors. Taking off from The Imperial Agent, where Timeri Murari masterfully recreated Kipling's free-spirited and idealistic hero, Kimball O'Hara, The Last Victory is a thrilling account of Kim's life from the uncertainty of youth to an illuminating maturity mirrored only by the brilliance of a new India.
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Savaging The Civilized
This evocative and beautifully written book brings to life one of the most remarkable figures of twentieth-century India. Verrier Elwin (1902-64) was an anthropologist, poet, Gandhian, hedonist, Englishman, and Indian. Savaging the Civilized reveals a many-sided man, a friend of the elite who was at home with the impoverished and the destitute; a charismatic charmer of women who was comfortable with intellectuals such as Arthur Koestler and Jawaharlal Nehru; an anthropologist who lived with and loved the tribes yet who wrote literary essays and monographs for the learned. Savaging the Civilized is both biography and history, an exploration through Elwin's life of some of the great debates of our times, such as the impact of economic development, and cultural pluralism versus cultural homogeneity. For this new edition, Ramachandra Guha has updated the epilogue to take account of the growing influence of Naxalites in Adivasi areas. He has also added a fresh introduction, stressing the relevance of Elwin's life and work to current debates on Indian democracy and pluralism.
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Uncommon Ground
"Uncommon Ground" brings together titans of industry and leaders of civil society to explore eight themes that are highly relevant for our future development. Based on Rohini Nilekani's 2008 show on NDTV, the conversations explore the middle ground between the ideological divisions that often polarise the business and voluntary sectors. In course of these rare dialogues between leaders who have sometimes been adversaries, a number of common concerns emerge. The author, uniquely placed to moderate these discussions as she traverses both sides herself, demonstrates that the relationship between business, society and state need not be necessarily confrontational. Rich in insights, "Uncommon Ground" highlights the critical importance of dialogue in our democracy to create a shared vision of the future. It is a significant contribution to the ongoing debate on development and equitable growth in India.
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Building A happy Family
You can't have a happy family unless you're happy yourself. Raageshwari Loomba, an award-winning speaker on mindfulness, shows us how to create an excellent atmosphere for the entire family to thrive in. Her relateable style is coupled with real-life examples, such as that of Albert Einstein, who couldn't speak till the age of four and was a poor student. His parents encouraged him with love and allowed him to learn at his own pace. This, she shows, is the way to bring up your own little genius. Building a Happy Family brings to you 11 simple mindfulness philosophies that will enrich and strengthen your and your children's inner world. Through scientific research and her own intimate story of heartbreak and facial paralysis, Raageshwari emphasises how our thoughts can manifest further struggles or glory, and how teaching children early that our inner world attracts our outer world is key. Parents are taught to encourage their children's original expressions, creativity and joy, and not lose sight of it in their own lives too. This is the secret to a happy family.
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Physics Impossible
A fascinating exploration of the science of the impossible—from death rays and force fields to invisibility cloaks—revealing to what extent such technologies might be achievable decades or millennia into the future. One hundred years ago, scientists would have said that lasers, televisions, and the atomic bomb were beyond the realm of physical possibility. In Physics of the Impossible, the renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores to what extent the technologies and devices of science fiction that are deemed equally impossible today might well become commonplace in the future. From teleportation to telekinesis, Kaku uses the world of science fiction to explore the fundamentals—and the limits—of the laws of physics as we know them today. He ranks the impossible technologies by categories—Class I, II, and III, depending on when they might be achieved, within the next century, millennia, or perhaps never. In a compelling and thought-provoking narrative, he explains: · How the science of optics and electromagnetism may one day enable us to bend light around an object, like a stream flowing around a boulder, making the object invisible to observers “downstream” · How ramjet rockets, laser sails, antimatter engines, and nanorockets may one day take us to the nearby stars · How telepathy and psychokinesis, once considered pseudoscience, may one day be possible using advances in MRI, computers, superconductivity, and nanotechnology · Why a time machine is apparently consistent with the known laws of quantum physics, although it would take an unbelievably advanced civilization to actually build one Kaku uses his discussion of each technology as a jumping-off point to explain the science behind it. An extraordinary scientific adventure, Physics of the Impossible takes readers on an unforgettable, mesmerizing journey into the world of science that both enlightens and entertains.
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Manhunt..
James Patterson’s BookShots. Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment. Michael Bennett, be grateful you're alive. Someone attacked the Thanksgiving Day Parade directly in front of Michael Bennett and his family. The television news called it 'holiday terror' – Michael Bennett calls it personal. The hunt is on...
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Nautch Girls of the Raj
‘The life and times of the notch girl evoked by Nevile are an eye-opener’ —The Times of India ‘To see her is to fall in love and to drink a cup of wine from the flask of her lustrous eyes is to be transported to the coziest corner of Heaven. To be with her even for a moment is to taste immortality.’ The much-celebrated notch girl, extravagantly adored for both her beauty and her virtuosity, belonged to a unique class of courtesans who played a significant role in the social and cultural life of India in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The notch girl, it may be said, was no ordinary woman of pleasure—she had refined manners, a ready wit and poetry in her blood. She embodied a splendid synthesis of different cultures and dance forms—the classical and the popular—and catered to the sophisticated tastes of the elite who had the time, resources and inclination to enjoy her accomplishments. Over the centuries female dancers have appeared in various incarnations, frequently as temple dancers dedicated to the gods, for dance is believed to have divine approval. However, historians, sociologists, novelists and chroniclers have not always done justice to the notch girl, depicting her as either a vamp or as a showgirl bought by the wealthy for festive occasions. This book highlights the emergence of the quintessential notch girl in the Mughal era when she reached the zenith of her talent and charisma. Her mystique continued to reign supreme during the Raj and her popularity and status among the English sahibs and the Indian aristocracy flourished during this period. Illustrated with reproductions and drawings obtained from collections all over the world this book offers a vivid glimpse of the seductive allure and dazzling grace of notch in its days of glory. ‘The notch girl may be no more…but she lives through the pages of Pran Nevile’s book…they bring to life vital periods of our recent history for which we have no record.’— The Hindustan Times
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Playing With Fire- The Autobiography
Nasser Hussain was acclaimed as England's best cricket captain since Mike Brearley. Under his leadership, a side more famous for its batting collapses and ability to seize defeat from the jaws of victory discovered its backbone. With coach Duncan Fletcher he put some steel into the side; they became a difficult team to beat. Hussain wore his heart on his sleeve: railing against complacency, defying critics of his place in the batting line-up and making a principled stand at the last World Cup when the ECB seemed incapable of it. Expect passion, integrity, insight and candour in his eagerly awaited autobiography.
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Asimov's New Guide To Science
Asimov tells the stories behind the science: the men and women who made the important discoveries and how they did it. Ranging from Galilei, Achimedes, Newton and Einstein, he takes the most complex concepts and explains it in such a way that a first-time reader on the subject feels confident on his/her understanding.
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Service with a Smile
The description of his ancestral seat as an earthly Paradise would, at present, have struck its proprietor as ironical. Full as it was with unwanted and troublesome inhabitants. What Lord Emsworth needed above all was a rugged ally at his side toremove from Blandings its superflous guests, leaving him in peace to tend his beloved pig, Empress of Blandings. Fortunately, it was just the sort of situation that brought out the best in a certain earl whose speciality was spreading sweetness and light. However (as Pongo Twistleton will readily confirm), when Lord Ickenham is on a sweetness-and-light-spreading expedition, there's always apt to be trouble...
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The Richest Man in Babylon
The Richest Man in Babylon is the 1# bestselling classic on personal wealth and money management. Hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on personal finance, it has helped countless readers amass wealth and success. This modern classic offers an understanding of, and a solution to, your personal financial problems. Narrated in simple everyday language, these fascinating and informative stories will tell you everything you need to know about thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. The Richest Man in Babylon brings together the famous 'Babylonian parables'. The ancient Babylonians were the first to discover the universal laws of prosperity, and now you can master them too! Through entertaining stories about the herdsmen, merchants, and tradesmen of ancient Babylon, George S. Clason provides concrete advice for creating, growing, and preserving wealth. Valuable and profound, these teachings will change your life. Through this book you will - 1. Discover the 5 Universal Laws of Wealth. These fundamental rules about keeping, earning and growing your money will help you accumulate riches and ensure that you never struggle with money again! 2. Learn how you can gain financial independence. A person with no knowledge of money is destined to fail. This book will teach you the underlying principles that rule money, and how you can use the wealth you have to create even more wealth. 3. Understand how money works. What is the difference between the rich and the successful, and everyone else? Most people only focus on earning money, not understanding it. But how can you master something you don't know? This book will teach you the very fundamentals about money. 4. Make your money grow. Learn how to make profitable investments. Your money wants to grow. It wants to be invested so that you can become rich. This book will teach you the very basics of making a sound investment so that you never lose your money, but obtain massive profits! 5. Protect your money. Life can be unpredictable, and everything you've worked so hard for can vanish in front of your eyes. The Richest Man in Babylon will teach you how you can ensure that the money you've earned is safe-guarded and is always yours to keep. Start from nothing and go on to achieve everything; fulfil your dreams and fill your purse-one page at a time! The Richest Man in Babylon holds the secret to keeping your money-and making more.
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The Unusual Billionaires
What makes a company truly outstanding? What is the secret sauce of delivering successful results year-on-year? What is common to Asian Paints, HDFC Bank, Marico, Axis Bank, Hindustan Unilever and Berger Paints? They are Unusual Companies, built by Unusual Billionaires. The Unusual Billionaires tells the story of eight, truly outstanding companies which delivered 10 per cent revenue growth over the last ten years and 15 per cent return on capital employed. In simple words, these companies defeated 5000 other public listed companies to deliver high growth while maintaining profitability year-on-year for the last decade. How did these companies do it? Why couldnt this be reciprocated by other companies? What are they doing differently? Saurabh Mukherjea, bestselling author of Gurus of Chaos, delivers an outstanding book with lessons to learn from these eight businesses. Mukherjea tells you why focusing on the core business could save a companys life or how giving control to top management could be a boon. Packed with these learnings are riveting corporate stories of how Hindustan Unilever made aggressive bids to buy Mariwalas business, but had to sell it to the same company in a few years, or how Page Industries found an exciting way to stop unionization at their manufacturing units. It also includes the turnaround of Axis Bank and the boardroom coup that led to its chairmans downfall and how Vijay Mallya lost control of Asian Paints to the Dhingra Brothers. These and many more makes this book a mandatory read for all corporate leaders to simulate and implement.
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The Indian Economy
The Indian Economy: Problems and Prospects, first published in 1992, looks at the country's economy and the resolved fiscal crisis from a historical perspective. Edited and updated with a new Introduction by Bimal Jalan, the book retains the thirteen essays written by eminent economic thinkers in 1991 and 1992 in their original form as they provide a comprehensive overview of India's economic development since Independence and answer questions on key economic issues that are as relevant today as they were at that time. Bipan Chandra conducts a historical survey of fiscal developments during the colonial period, the late V.M. Dandekar evaluates India's economic performance from 1950 to 1990, and Rakesh Mohan traces the history of industrial controls from the pre-independence era. Also included are essays by C.H. Hanumantha Rao, C. Rangarajan and Narendra Jadhav, Raja Chelliah, Sudipto Mundle and M. Govinda Rao, Jyoti and Kirit Parikh, Pravin Visaria, T.S. Papola, Pranab Bardhan and Kaushik Basu. In his revised Introduction, Bimal Jalan assesses the country's economic progress since 1991, examines crucial events and their relative significance. Exploring diverse aspects of the Indian economy as well as the political, institutional and legal implications of economic reforms, these insightful and revelatory essays will be of enormous interest to experts and the general reader alike.