Page 17 - Bs Reads

Researcher in the hot seat

India desperately needs more such books about women in senior leadership roles not only to inspire girls who want to realise seemingly impossible dreams but also to prepare boys

The plague as a metaphor

Laxmibai Tilak, a contemporary writer, recounts how plague camps, where patients were quarantined, were 'kingdoms of the god of death'

Leader as 'friction fixer'

Successful friction-fixers are assured of a long-lasting functional job that is for sure

Congress talks the walk

Will the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) be able to defeat the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)?

REAL.E scary

The collaboration has worked wonderfully though the final product is not for the faint hearted as well as those who are not already following the progress of AI

Reconciling 'development' dilemmas

Accelerating India's Development is about enhancing development and growth by improving public service delivery

The enduring myth of the 'West'

Western capitals, anxious to continue their political, economic and military hegemony in the face of emerging challenges from new players, are unlikely to pay much heed to this sobering intervention

The long road to liberalisation

The return of Indira Gandhi and the subsequent takeover by Rajiv Gandhi saw one of the periods of highest economic growth initially but these and associated investments were powered by dollops of debt

Speed date with the liberal world order

The study of revolution can tell us 'how and why the world has come to be what it is today and whither it is going.'

Lajpat Rai beyond the Hindutva construct

Vanya Bhargav's book on Lajpat Rai, depicting him as someone who envisioned the nation differently at various times while always believing in inclusivity, renders it significant in today's context

The waning spirit of independent inquiry

In his latest book, N Bhaskara Rao provides a prescription to rejuvenate the social research landscape and stem the decline in its standards - something India can ignore only at its own peril

Bihar's half revolution

'Broken Promises' is a political history of Bihar, offering a meticulous account of the interplay of land, caste, crime and politics that has kept the state in perpetual poverty

Two is company

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's book portrays ordinary yet remarkable lives of the Murthys before Infosys, offering a captivating narrative of resilience and sacrifice that went into building the company

Climate change and desperate journeys

In any event, climate maps and projected patterns mainly "seed the imagination," as Lustgarten puts it, for what might transpire decades hence

Why Indian democracy is thriving

A book on the movements aimed at upholding democracy since the BJP came to power argues that the mere existence of these alliances makes it difficult to claim that democracy is under attack in India

The 'inner life' of a rational scientist

Beyond the realm of science, Jagadish Chandra Bose's legacy holds a spiritual dimension. Sudipto Das's book delves into unveiling this facet and how nationalistic impulses inspired much of his work

Two to tango in the Asian Century

India and China have long had a conflicted relationship, but in the 21st century, their shared interests far outweigh their differences, argues journalist Shastri Ramachandaran in his book

The argumentative, humanist Muslim

A more than five decades old book has become a modern classic on Muslim politics in India, and its relevance today more vital than ever

Born to be wild

Wildlife conservationist Romulus Whitaker's memoir is a captivating glimpse into his adventurous youth, brimming with a plethora of wild and unbelievable experiences

The genius in his labyrinth

Nandan Dasgupta's book dispels misconceptions surrounding Michael Madhusudan Datta, shedding light on the life and literary contributions of one of Bengal's most talented poets