Must Read Books

Reform Nation

by Gautam Chikermane

On 24 July 2021, India completed three decades of continuing economic reforms. From P.V. Narasimha Rao to Narendra Modi, this period has seen six successive governments under five Prime Ministers across nine terms, all of whom have added to and collectively transformed the country. They have shifted the political narrative from coercive controls to economic freedom.

This book tracks India’s economic journey that got a reboot on 24 July 1991 with the unveiling of the Statement on Industrial Policy 1991 and the Union Budget 1991, and celebrates the path of India as the world’s sixth-largest economy, with all indicators pointing to it becoming the world’s third-largest within this decade. It captures and analyses each aspect of this journey, the constraints and convictions of each government as it treaded the challenging path of reforms.

Guru to the World: The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda

by Ruth Harris

From the Wolfson History Prize–winning author of The Man on Devil’s Island, the definitive biography of Vivekananda, the Indian monk who shaped the intellectual and spiritual history of both East and West.

Few thinkers have had such an enduring impact on both Eastern and Western life as Swami Vivekananda, the Indian monk who inspired the likes of Freud, Gandhi, and Tagore. Blending science, religion, and politics, Vivekananda introduced Westerners to yoga and the universalist school of Hinduism called Vedanta. His teachings fostered a more tolerant form of mainstream spirituality in Europe and North America and forever changed the Western relationship to meditation and spirituality.

Guru to the World traces Vivekananda’s transformation from son of a Calcutta-based attorney into saffron-robed ascetic. At the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, he fascinated audiences with teachings from Hinduism, Western esoteric spirituality, physics, and the sciences of the mind, in the process advocating a more inclusive conception of religion and expounding the evils of colonialism. Vivekananda won many disciples, most prominently the Irish activist Margaret Noble, who disseminated his ideas in the face of much disdain for the wisdom of a “subject race.” At home, he challenged the notion that religion was antithetical to nationalist goals, arguing that Hinduism was intimately connected with Indian identity.

Ruth Harris offers an arresting biography, showing how Vivekananda’s thought spawned a global anticolonial movement and became a touchstone of Hindu nationalist politics a century after his death. The iconic monk emerges as a counterargument to Orientalist critiques, which interpret East-West interactions as primarily instances of Western borrowing. As Vivekananda demonstrates, we must not underestimate Eastern agency in the global circulation of ideas.

by Sriram Balasubramanian

India was an economic power to reckon with until its economic decline in the 18th century. What explains this long period of prosperity? The answer might lie in a framework of social and economic thought that lies buried in our ancient heritage, says Sriram Balasubramanian, of which Kautilya’s Arthashastra is a major example. Kautilyanomics for Modern Times seeks to do three things-first, to provide a structure and a context for Kautilya’s economic thoughts; second, to examine his work’s relevance today; and third, to do it in a way that a lay reader can follow and grasp easily. Kautilya’s thought is mainly articulated through the prism of dharmic capitalism and its components-some examples include his views on global economic outlook, state-market dynamics, and sustainable growth through observance of environmental, societal and familial responsibilities.

Fathoming India’s rich economic and philosophical heritage and making use of it, Balasubramanian argues, would prove to be a great asset in India’s/the country’s/the nation’s ascent again.

History of India: A Concise Introduction to Indian History, Culture, Mythology, Religion, Gandhi, Characters, Empires, Achievements & More Throughout The Ages

by History Brought Alive

India Has a Rich History Covering Thousands of Years, Civilizations, The Rise of Religions & Empires, British Rule, Revolution, Independence and much more… In this book we explore the magnificent history of India from it’s ancient origins to its renaissance and concluding to its independence as a free nation.

While there are many books that explore India’s unique history, few are enjoyable. Most books are hopelessly dry, overly academic, and just downright difficult to follow.

Fortunately, this isn’t one of those books. In the pages that follow, you’ll find well written and accurate information without bias. This concise history will respect your time by getting right to the point and giving you what you came to learn. We strive to offer you a refreshing read with reliable, well-referenced information.

Ask the Monk: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Mind Kindle Edition

by Nityanand Charan Das

Asking questions is an important part of learning as it provides a unique framework for thinking and opens doors to unexpected revelations for us. Digging into how or why things are the way they are, paves the way for enlightenment.

On the contrary, keeping the doubts to ourselves can keep us from truth, thus depriving us from valuable opportunities life has to offer. As human beings, we must enquire and keep doing so. But what kind of enquiries are we supposed to make?

In Ask the Monk, celebrated monk Nityanand Charan Das lucidly answers over seventy frequently asked questions-by young and the old alike-on topics such as karma, religion versus spirituality, mind, God, destiny, purpose of life, suffering, rituals, religion, wars and so on. These answers are extremely crucial to help you, the reader, embark on the journey of self-discovery and self-realization.

by Suma Subramaniam Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

Discover namaste’s many meanings in a simple, lyrical text, paired with a charmingly detailed visual narrative about a little girl’s kindness.

Namaste calms your heart when things aren’t going right. Namaste is saying “You matter.” What is namaste? It’s found in a smile, a friendship, a celebration. It exists in silence; it can be said when you’re happy or when you’re feeling low. For one small girl in a bustling city, namaste (“I bow to you”) is all around her as she and her mother navigate a busy marketplace—and when she returns with a little plant and chooses to give it to an elderly neighbor, it can be seen in the caring bond between them. In a sweet, universal text, debut author Suma Subramaniam shines a light on a word with significance far beyond yoga class, while artist Sandhya Prabhat makes the concept of mindfulness come alive in delightful illustrations likely to draw children in again and again.

Super Easy Ayurvedic Cleansing: A Beginner’s Guide to Ayurveda for Natural Healing and Balance

by Kimberly Larson

Cleanse your mind and body for health and balance without deprivation or extreme measures using the traditional practice of healing Ayurveda. Cleanses can promise everything from clear skin, to zero belly fat, to increased energy, to absolute nirvana. But really—what most people need is self-care and the right nourishment, not extreme care and deprivation. Super Easy Ayurvedic Cleansing— adapted from The Simple, Healing Cleanse—is your essential guide to a traditional and accessible four-week cleanse derived from the ancient practice of Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga and an ancient medicine from India, that will restore a sense of calm to your mind and body. With 50 basic, cleansing recipes and meal-planning tips, it is easy for even those with no extra time to spend in the kitchen to commit and succeed at this 4-week cleanse. Learn how to determine your Ayurvedic type (dosha) and establish the right habits for yours; build a foundation for healthy, life-long dietary choices; bring balance to the body and mind; and cultivate vibrant health. Super Easy Ayurvedic Cleansing will guide you through simple ways to give your digestive system a break, simplify your diet without crazy, unhealthy restrictions, and find lightness, clarity, and ease in your everyday.

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