The clean-up act

Intended to promote a national movement on civility, it lacks a clean raison d’être

Avoid excessive use of hand gestures as it can cause stress to others” reads an instructional nugget, part of a chapter called Day to Day Decency in a book on etiquette and hygiene by former cop Kiran Bedi. The book, Broom & Groom, has been co-authored by Pavan Choudary, who calls himself a wisdom educator.

Let’s face it: Indians aren’t known to have the most evolved standards of social etiquette and personal hygiene. But is a guidebook—one that fashions itself as a nation-building exercise, no less—an answer to that? Will people who make revolting guttural noises to cough up phlegm divorce their long-standing morning ritual after they read: “Be aware if you get phlegm and get treated for it.”

Bedi is the winner of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize. She has authored books in the past and hosts a popular television show, Aap ki Kachehri. Choudary has authored several books and also hosts a television show on Doordarshan called Hum Aise Kyon Hain.

Full report here Mint 

Bharat darshan

Brilliant colours and images attract you the moment you look at the book. Then you flip through it, and find more, and more, reflecting the many facets of Indian life, rituals, traditions, modernity, democratic processes, including elections, people and their festivals—all find representation in this volume.

India for a Billion Reasons 
Ed. Amit Dasgupta
Wisdom Tree; Pp 222. Rs 3,495

No, it is not yet another coffee table book on India. What helps India for a Billion Reasons carve out its own identity is a substantial body of text. The editor has wisely allowed many expert voices to reflect on slices of the Indian experience, yet the introduction by this diplomat writer, whose book Indian by Choice had been reviewed in these columns two years ago, serves its purpose by explaining the format of the book, and introducing the essays that together make the book. While many of them are young minds, some are young at heart, together they lure us to add substance to the attractive colour pages and draw us to the text.

Any picture book on India has to negotiate clich`E9s, so does this, often quite successfully? Atri Bhattacharya contends that the "downside of the Indian experience is that it leaves us a little jaded for the rest of the world". Anita Ratnam is seeped in the dance tradition, and it shows in her article. Anjum Katyal tackles the difficult subject of art from India, while Ritu Sethi writes on the unbroken tradition of the living crafts.

Full review here Tribune

India, cinerama

This coffee-table offering is a well-timed reminder of the country’s diversity.

I recall meeting Amit Dasgupta, the editor of India for a Billion Reasons, during a visit to Berlin to represent India at the International Tourism Bourse. Amit was a knowledgeable guide, crafty phrasemaker and passionate both in prose and in pursuit of success in the challenging tasks assigned to a foreign service officer of a dynamic and transforming India in a complex world. Amit’s passion is reflected in India for a Billion Reasons.

It is often said that India’s size, diversity and countless cultures make a journey through the country a continuous cinerama. Writers have described India as an expression of joy, freedom, colour, innovation, and of life itself. Much of India’s charm has been in the fact that it is at once a young nation and an ancient civilisation. The winds of change have never led to radical rupture in India — traditions have adapted to technology and continuity has blended with change.

India for a Billion Reasons is targeted at young Indians — especially the non-resident professionals about whom Adam Osborne, co-founder of Apple Computers, once said, “Indians represent the most affluent minority in America, ahead of Jewish-Americans and Japanese-Americans. Indians swarm all over Silicon Valley. They are recognised throughout America as technology-superior.” On account of the economic slowdown many of these expatriate Indians are now relocating to India. They are exploring the new India and its implications for the old India they loved. The book release is perfectly timed, coming before the Commonwealth Games — when, for good or bad, India will have a visible presence.

Full review here Business Standard

India captured in a billion shades

At a time when there has been a dramatic surge of interest in India, here comes a coffee table book that captures the country in all its colourful glory, chronicling its culture, heritage, plurality, ethos and its multi-dimensional progress.

Compiled by diplomat Amit Dasgupta, India For a Billion Reasons (Wisdom Tree), is driven by the growing interest in India globally, driven primarily by the prediction that by 2040 it would become the third largest economy after the US and China.

"While across the globe major economies struggled with low growth rates and continued predictions of sluggish economic performance, the Indian economy defied all expectations and consistently clocked eight percent growth with credible forecasts that a 10 percent growth rate was all within reach," says Dasgupta.

"Indian companies moved on to make Western acquisition and bit by bit, the image of India underwent a positive change."

He attributes the "newfound" interest in India "to Thomas Friedman's bestselling book The World is Flat and his popular television series, To Catch a Predator.
Dasgupta says his book "is meant for those who do not believe in tailor-made coffee table books on India".

The book is a compilation of essays interspersed with lavish amd evocative photographs contributed by writers like Atri Bhattacharya, Anita Ratnam, Anjum Katyal, Meenakshi Shedde, Harpal Singh Bedi, Rohan Mukherjee, Bibek Debroy, Tarun Basu, L.K. Sharma and several others on socio-cultural aspects of India like "Indian identity", hospitality, dances of India, music, art, craft, cinema, literature, food, sports, politics, economy, press and the trasition from tradition to modernity.

Full report here Hindustan Times

What's your recipe?

The steady flow of cookery books and food columns suggests that cooking is not just a fad with a generation which loves to experiment

Hollywood hottie Gwyneth Paltrow has recently authored a cookbook titled My Father's Daughter in memory of her late dad. The actor's father Bruce Paltrow died in 2002 from pneumonia after battling throat cancer and she launched the book because she feels close to him when she is making new dishes. Sydney Morning Herald recently quoted the Oscar-award winning actor as saying “Health food was never really on the agenda, it was about fun and deliciousness and togetherness. The most striking aspect about his cooking was how much joy he derived from feeding the people he loved. I mean, genuine, bursting happiness….”

Well, one doesn't always need such stimuli to write a cookbook. At least, that doesn't seem to be the case with the Indian cookbooks the monsoon season is showering us with.

Lasting success
Wisdom Tree, Roli Books, Rupa and Co. have been courting this genre for a long time. One of the publishers attributes the success of this genre to the exposure a well-heeled Indian is getting these days. Availability of varied cuisines at home and the world contributes to the cause.

Full report here Hindu

Matriarchy, patriarchy, lumenarchy...age of light dawns

After matriarchy and patriarchy, the world is gradually moving towards an age of light or 'lumenarchy', says noted Polish philosopher and Indophile Henryk Skolimowski, who considers himself "more Indian", in his new book Let There Be Light: The Mysterious Journey of Cosmic Creativity.

“If we go back 7,000 years ago in time, the society was dictated by god's essential laws - justice and compassion. But there has been gross violation of the law by patriarchal societies. All patriarchal religions are ungodly and inhuman. Matriarchy was symbiotic. The motto of matriarchy was 'live and let live', but the motto of patriarchy was 'I have to live'. We cannot live with patriarchy any longer and neither can we return to a matriarchal set-up. Where do we go from here?” the 80-year-old philosopher asked rhetorically.

“Mankind has to transcend matriarchy, patriarchy and anarchy to treat light as the great cosmic mother - the source of all energy and nourishment," Skolimowski told IANS. His new book was released in the capital Thursday.

Full report here Little About

Book on saris to be released in London

National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad is happy to announce the first and international release of its latest publication, Indian Saris: Traditions – Perspective – Design authored by Vijai Singh Katiyar, Senior Faculty, NID. The book launch is scheduled at the Nehru Center, London on 20th April 2009. The event coincides with the ‘London Book fair’ where India is the theme country this year.

The book is co-published by NID and the Wisdom Tree, New Delhi. It celebrates the meaningful engagement of contemporary Indian design with the traditional handloom industry of India. This visually delightful book rediscovers the handwoven sari, an iconic traditional product of India for its conceptual strengths that are relevant to the contemporary scenario. The book is the culmination of the author’s extensive experience of nearly two decades.

The book will be released at the hands of The Baroness Flather of Windsor and Maidenhead, JP DL FRSA during the above mentioned function at the Nehru Center, London. The event is aimed to motivate the international design fraternity to further the cause of the handlooms and the contemporary Indian design. The event is also expected to be attended by NID’s partner institutions from U.K. and pave the ways for much closer future ties between the design fraternities of India and UK.

The release of the book is scheduled at 7pm on 20th April 2009. Coinciding with the event, a panel discussion is also being organised on the theme, ‘Design for Indian Textiles & Fashion: Tradition to Modernity — a UK - India deliberation’. Six eminent design experts from U.K. and India will offer their views on the subject.

Panelists from UK are Dr Eiluned Edwards, London College of Fashion/Victoria & Albert Museum’s Senior Research Fellow; Sophie Roet, Consultant Designer - Textile & Fashion, Clockwork Studios, London; Karen Spurgin, Consultant Designer - textile & fashion; Co-founder, ao textiles, London; and Prof. Jimmy Stephen-Cran, Head of Department – Textiles, The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow.

Wisdom Tree hope to make a splash in London

Wisdom Tree is exhibiting at the London Book fair and have organised book launches of Indian by Choice on 19th April at the Indian High Commissioner's residence and Indian Saris and Indian Birds in Focus on 20th April at the Nehru Centre.

The Indian Saris launch will also see a panel discussion where scholars from UK would participate, the invite is attached for reference. Wisdom Tree has also placed an advertisement in the prestigious Bookseller magazine.