Indian Book Industry

Shivya Nath quit her corporate job at age twenty-three to travel the world. She gave up her home and the need for a permanent address, sold most of her possessions and embarked on a nomadic journey that has taken her everywhere from remote Himalayan villages to the Amazon rainforests of Ecuador. Along the way, she lived with an indigenous Mayan community in Guatemala, hiked alone in the Ecuadorian Andes, got mugged in Costa Rica, swam across the border from Costa Rica to Panama, slept under a meteor shower in the cracked salt desert of Gujarat and learnt to conquer her deepest fears. With its vivid descriptions, cinematic landscapes, moving encounters and uplifting adventures, The Shooting Star is a travel memoir that maps not just the world but the human spirit.

'One of the best books for 2023' Cosmopolitan Against a rising tide of fundamentalism in India, a mother and daughter lose the most important man in their lives. Shashi, fifty-something and suddenly widowed, tries to contact her only daughter, Tara, to break the news, but cannot reach her. As Shashi confronts her loss, she finds, amidst grief, unexpected new freedoms. Meanwhile, Tara, a spoiled but brilliant university student, has retreated to Dharamsala to deal with the fall out from an ill-advised relationship. Her self-imposed solitude makes contact near impossible, so by the time she learns of her loss, the funeral is already over. Without the man that bound them, Shashi and Tara struggle to reconcile. But his absence also makes them a target for an emerging religious group determined to put women in their place, and Shashi and Tara individually prepare to defend their independence. If mother and daughter are to come together, they must find a way to understand both their new world, and each other. But can you ever emerge from an eclipse unscathed? 'Lyrical throughout yet so deceptively easygoing... an extraordinary novel' André Aciman 'Powerful, evocative and accomplished – it's hard to believe The Illuminated is a debut' Alice Ryan 'Gives voice to a new generation' BBC Radio 4

"Are you interested in knowing the intricacies involved in publishing a book? Would you like to explore the diverse mind of a publishing professional working on a best-seller? Does the sight of a best-seller raise your curiosity levels as to how an idea into a book? If yes, then this is the book for you. It provides an insight into the inspiring and active working lives of 14 leading Indian publishing professionals, publishers, editors, booksellers, literary agents. We hope this book will be helpful in encouraging new entrants in the world of publishing and will be a guide to budding industry professionals. From Foreword : I am sure this book will inspire many publishers and others also to take lessons from the careers of these adventurous publishers and do still better in their own fields. Dina Nath Malhotr These are not reminiscences of the good old times but a dynamic collection of dialogues that reflect the unique character of fourteen individuals that have made and continue to make a positive change in the publishing and bookselling industry and in the culture of India. Robert E. Baensch These pieces would repay study by any world publisher. For in them there is much wisdom, a wealth of experience, and a sense of many battles fought and won. Richard Balkwill "

A Disciple describes a singular journey with a universal appeal, on the path of Perennial Wisdom. There are lessons for us all as we recognise the call from our inner spirit, our yearning for 'something other' in a materialistic world that so often leaves us dissatisfied. There is another way for us to live, and A Disciple asks important questions about faith and spirituality and connects us with the power of meditation. The author believes passionately that it is meditation that provides the foundation for a caring and compassionate future. The story is told with engaging candour, with tales from mythology, quotations from Rumi, and references to Sufi texts all adding colour to the Wisdom Teachings he is receiving. The wise ones spoke in parables and metaphor because that is the form that penetrates and transcends our defenses. We go to some deeper part of ourselves; non-linear and non-cerebral, which is what meditation is. A Disciple is a fascinating exploration about how meditation can not only awaken our latent potential to live the best lives we can, but also transform the world.

On 8 November, when the clock strikes 12, your money will be no good. Somewhere on the India-Nepal Border, a car full of passengers swerves off a highway and plunges into a valley, its trunk full of cash. In the UK, a Bollywood starlet wins Big Survivor, the most popular reality TV show in the country. In Panama, Central America, a whistle-blower at a law firm brings down billionaires across the globe. And in India, a new RBI Governor is appointed. Aditya Kesavan is dynamic, charismatic and ambitious. And he's been handed the reins of the RBI on a platter. His only job: to make sure he doesn't rock the boat. But, unknown to him, the wheels have begun to turn, as the country heads towards the biggest financial event in modern Indian history. And Governor Kesavan is about to carry out the most brazen act of his life - and, perhaps, his most foolish. Will he be able to pull himself out of the mess he has got into or will he have to surrender to the manipulative forces behind the scenes? Running desperately out of time, the Governor must set things right.