Truth in the Time of Toxins: What 'Bad Science' Warns Us About

In a world where a celebrity’s juice cleanse gets more airtime than a peer-reviewed study, Bad Science by Ben Goldacre is both sword and shield. With biting humor and analytical rigor, Goldacre aims not just to entertain—but to arm the public against misinformation dressed in lab coats.

Deconstructing Hype: The Core Messages of Bad Science

When its apparently an age where clickbait cures and “breakthroughs" are endorsed by celebrities, the book Bad Science by Ben Goldacre slashes through the noise. It reveals how science can be twisted—or ignored—to sell ideas, products, and agendas.

The book, originally published in the UK in 2008, primarily focuses on examples from the UK and Western media, especially in the context of health journalism, education, and pharmaceutical practices. However, it does touch on global implications of pseudoscience and misinformation—including how misleading health claims can affect developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia.

Pseudoscience Wears a Lab Coat

Goldacre shows that “science-sounding” jargon and anecdote can mask empty claims. He exposes:

• Homeopathy’s absurd dilutions presented as potent medicine
• Brain Gym exercises billed as neurological cures
• Detox footpads and ear candles marketed with pseudo-anatomical mumbo-jumbo

These examples illustrate how easy it is to dress nonsense in scientific language—and how few people question the rules of biology it violates.

The Media’s Amplification Machine

Headlines trade nuance for drama, and The common men pays the price. Goldacre dissects:

• Sensational reporting of preliminary or weak studies
• Inflated links between vaccines and autism during the MMR scare
• Misuse of relative risk to make tiny effects look earth-shattering

By following the press’s temptation to oversimplify, he warns us that every catchy headline may hide half-truths.

When Money Drives the Data

Scientific research isn’t immune to commercial pressures. Bad Science uncovers tactics like:

• Cherry-picking favourable trial results and burying the rest
• Presenting relative risk (e.g., “50% reduction”) without absolute figures
• Ghost-writing academic papers on behalf of pharmaceutical sponsors

Goldacre argues for open data, transparent methodologies, and independent scrutiny so that medicine serves health and not marketing.

The Curious Power of Placebos

Placebos aren’t “just sugar pills”—they reveal how expectation shapes outcomes. Goldacre highlights studies where:

Pink pills boosted concentration more than blue ones

• Higher pill counts (even inert) led to stronger symptom relief
• A doctor’s empathy and confidence significantly altered patient responses

Understanding placebo effects reminds us that context, belief, and presentation matter in every clinical encounter.

A Call to Critical Thinking

Bad Science isn’t about making everyone a lab-coat expert overnight. It’s a manifesto for:

• Asking pointed questions when faced with bold claims
• Reading beyond headlines and checking sample sizes, controls, and reporting standards
• Demanding transparency from researchers, media, and corporations

By arming ourselves with skepticism and curiosity, we become smarter consumers of information—and better guardians of our own health.

Bad Science also touch on the pharmaceutical industry but more as a warning signal than a deep dive. Goldacre critiques how drug companies can distort evidence, manipulate trial results, and influence public perception through selective data and marketing tactics.

• Clinical Trials and Data Manipulation: Pharmaceutical companies sometimes design trials to favor their products—using small sample sizes, biased endpoints, or excluding negative results. Goldacre highlights how publication bias creates a skewed picture of a drug’s effectiveness.
• Relative Risk vs. Absolute Risk: Companies use relative risk to make benefits sound bigger than they are. A “50% reduction” might only mean going from 2 in 1,000 to 1 in 1,000—not a miracle, just misleading framing.
• Ghostwriting and Sponsored Research: Some academic papers are secretly written by pharma staff and published under independent researchers' names. Goldacre critiques the blurry line between science and sales.

The Bad Science author, Goldacre, also wrote Bad Pharma, an entire exposé of the industry. It covers:

• Regulators and journals enabling bad practices
• The global consequences of hidden data
• Reforms needed to fix systemic issues

Whether you’re a student, journalist, or simply a skeptical reader, Bad Science equips you to spot red flags, decode data, and insist on evidence that truly matters.

Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages

Global Media and Information Week is organized by UNESCO every year in October to review and celebrate the progress achieved towards ‘Media and Information Literacy for All’. The book titled Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages authored by Prof Art Silverblatt Art Silverblatt, Professor Emeritus of Media Communications at WebsterUniversity, St. Louis, Missouri, Prof. Anubhuti Yadav, Professor of New Media at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, India and Dr Vedabhyas Kundu, Programme Officer at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti is a contribution towards global MIL celebrations from India. This Indian Edition was developed under The Digital International Media Literacy Education Project (DIMLE).

Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages offers a critical approach that will enable students to better understand the information, messages, ideologies and entertainment factors conveyed through the channels of mass communication—print, photography, film, radio, television, and digital media. One of the principal goals of Media Literacy is to enable students
to develop a healthy and critical independence from the influence of the media, all the while maintaining their ability to enjoy interacting with the media and to develop their abilities to create media content.

The Part I of the book presents a theoretical framework for the critical analysis of media text. Part II gives students an opportunity to apply this methodological framework to a variety of media formats: journalism, advertising, and political communications. Part III consists of a brief consideration of mass media issues (violence in the media, media and children, media and social change, and global communications), as well as a discussion of potential outcomes once people become more media literate.

Prof. Art Silverblatt, Prof Anubhuti Yadav and Dr. VEdabhyas Kudu with their rich experiences in the field of Media and Information Literacy decided to bring out this print edition when we are all surrounded with misinformation, disinformation and rumors of various kinds. During the pandemic the world has recognized the importance of Media and Information Literacy to combat infodemic. This timely initiative is steeped in the Indian Media Literacy theoretical perspective and Initiatives taken in the field of Media literacy by the government and non-government organizations in India where the focus is on the construction as well as deconstruction of media messages. The emphasis is on student’s empowerment through education. This edition includes case studies from the Indian Media Industry which is very vibrant and complex AUTHORS.

Science of Yoga To Masses As Book on "Yoga Mudras" Released in English, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu Languages

'Prana' Yoga Mudra

In an attempt to bring the Science of Yoga close to the common people, 79 years old Yoga Guru, Scholar, Teacher, Philanthropist, Dr. Aasoori Rangaraja Iyengar brought out a book, "The Essential Yoga Mudras for Healing", which the author terms as the need of the hour especially in these trying times.

Mudras is a hand gesture when used properly works as an incredible self-healing method.

An effort has been made to research and bring a book with three hundred Mudras. This book has 15 Mudras, very prominent, useful and highly effective Mudras that can heal the most common ailments.

The purpose of the book, the author says, is to highlight effective Mudras for most common problems, which the author calls Drugless, Harmless, Healing Mudras.

Each finger is impregnated with potential energies that can heal diseases of body and mind Dr. Rangarajan Iyengar writes in a 44 pager book published by Hyderabad based Saranga Publishing

English Cover

Priced at Rs 149/-, the book is in English. It is also translated into many other languages, the highlight of which is Urdu. The other languages include Telugu, Tamil. It is soon going to be published in Persian language. It is written so simply and easily to follow. Every page has a Mudra, a hand position captured in a captivating photograph and an explanation is given on the opposite page. It explains the Mudra, the hand position, the philosophy behind it, how to practice it and its benefits. On the whole 15 Mudras are presented in the book.

These 15 Mudras published in the book include 1. Jnana Mudra--Knowledge Mudra; 2. Prithvi Mudra--Mudra of Balance; 3. Apanja Mudra---Elimination and Excretion; 4. Prana Mudra--Vital Energy Mudra; 5. Vayu Mudra--The Air Mudra; 6. Akasha Mudra--The Mudra of Space; 7. Shunya Mudra --The Infinite Mudra; 8. Varuna Mudra--Mudra of Water; 9. Jalodamshaka Mudra or Jalodhar Nashak Mudra---Mudra for Water Control; 8. Apana Vayu Mudra--Mudra of Heart; 11. Dhyana Mudra--Mudra of Meditation; 12. Vyana Mudra --Circulation Mudra; 13. Linga Mudra--Thumb Mudra; 14. Shankha Mudra--The Conch Mudra and 15. Yoni Mudra--Womb Gesture

In the olden day’s health used to be in our hands. And now, it is in the hands of doctors'. The creator has given us an inbuilt sacred and secret science, our fingers. Through various postures of our fingers we can cure, heal, avoid diseases and boost our health, says the Author.

Urdu Cover

Did you know when you touch the tip of your index finger with your thumb it reduces anger and heals headaches?

Did you know when you touch the tip of the middle finger with a ring finger, it controls vomiting?

Did you know when you touch the tip of the ring finger with a little finger, it removes leg cramps?

Linga Mudra

These and many more magic tips of touching fingertips revealed in a just-released book Yoga Mudras.

Mudras are called “Drugless-Healing". But, unfortunately, these Yoga Mudras are long forgotten and are not taught or practised in recent times.

The book is available for order online on www.sarangapublishing.com. It is also available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Essential-Yoga-Mudras-Healing/dp/8195067301, Flipkart: https://bit.ly/33u0TIg

India's Digital Transformation Story - A Growth Paradox?

Winning in The Digital Age - Authored by Nitin Seth, CEO, Incedo Inc

‘Winning in the Digital Age: Seven Building Blocks of Successful Digital Transformation’, authored by Nitin Seth, has already become an Amazon Best Seller. A power packed panel of business leaders and industry experts like, Raman Roy, Chairman & MD, Quattro; (Former Chairman, NASSCOM), Leo Puri, Finance Sector Leader, Puneet Chandok, President, AWS India & South Asia and Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman & CEO, One Championship, got together today debating India’s future potential to be the world’s leading Digital Powerhouse.

According to the author, “We are in the early stages of the Digital Age – which is the mega-trend of our times and it presents an unprecedented opportunity for society at large, enterprises and courageous individuals. You can win big or lose uncoverable ground – as Digital-natives like Tesla, Amazon and Zoom have already emerged as winners by applying the New Rules of Business in the Digital Age.

For India, the Digital Age could be the epoch for its progression to global leadership leveraging its unique advantages. With 2.8 million engineers graduating every year, the lowest cost of broadband access, widespread mobile devices, and crucially- democratized information- knowledge can flow to disadvantaged millions providing them opportunities that were not possible.”

He also expounded that India is currently facing a unique paradox as growth has stalled despite having all the right fundamentals in place. While COVID impacted overall economic growth, regulatory bottlenecks, inadequate infrastructure, lack of preparedness at the organizational level and unrealized gains from Digital Transformation opportunities still exist. By applying the principles in the book, India can unleash the entrepreneurial energy and emerge as a decisive winner in the VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous). The book also recommends 8 New Rules of Business that any enterprise must adopt along with Two-Speed Execution to emerge as a winner in the Digital Age.

Referring to the desired skillsets for leaders and professionals, in his book, Nitin has highlighted the need to master duality to deal with the constant paradoxes around Growth vs. Profitability, Short-term vs. Long-term, Strategy vs. Execution and so on to lead through the VUCA world.

On this note, his guidance on two-speed implementation approach to manage complex and contradictory objectives gets extremely relevant and pragmatic. The two-speed approach refers to simultaneously achieving short-term focused results and in long-term driving fundamental shifts that will help achieve the strategic objectives.

The book, available on Amazon and Flipkart, has drawn reviews and testimonials from industry experts and key influencers across the globe. One key thing which is highlighted by many is that this is Practitioner’s Handbook on the complex topic of Digital Transformation.

Highlighting this aspect, veteran industry leader Raman Roy, Chairman & MD, Quattro, added “Nitin Seth, from his experience spanning over two decades, has provided a practitioners’ perspective to bring clarity to the complex topic of Digital Transformation by introducing the Seven Building Blocks of Successful Digital Transformation, helpful for both seasoned business leaders and young professionals.”

Leo Puri, Finance Sector Leader endorsed the view as well, “Nitin has meticulously crafted an invaluable handbook for those who wish to structure their thinking and action on a Digital Transformation program. These could be business leaders, civil servants, students, entrepreneurs, or curious general readers. The entire expanse of the digital journey across strategy, technology, organization and leadership are explored, and lessons shared in a usable manner.”

Speaking on the importance and relevance of cloud in the digital age, Puneet Chandok, President, AWS India & South Asia said, “We are indeed living in the Digital Age, with technology transforming businesses, experiences, and our lives. Cloud is one of the most critical enablers for driving successful Digital Transformation. The book provides a comprehensive framework to play offense when it comes to Digital Transformation, as it connects the dots beautifully and is able to differentiate the true signals from all the noise around us.”

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman & CEO, One Championship shared his perspective that One Championship is the case study of Principles applied as suggested by Nitin Seth in his book ‘Winning in the Digital Age’. To his advice to young entrepreneurs on the relevance of the book, Chatri said, “This book is a must-read for any world-class business leader who demands nothing but excellence. Digital disruption is the single greatest opportunity and threat for every company on this planet. Without equivocation, I can say that ‘Winning in the Digital Age’ is the roadmap for success. The seven winning mantras for young professionals have been well articulated in the book and highlights the importance of moving away from the comfort zone to take risks and persist in search of excellence.”

Summing up, Nitin opined, “Digital has become an all-pervasive mega-trend, dramatically changing the lives of individuals, business models of enterprises, and the economy of India. “Winning in the Digital Age” inspires today’s leaders and tomorrow’s visionaries to embrace the VUCA world, unleash entrepreneurial energy, Master Duality, and help progress India to being a global leader for the Digital Age.”

Holistic Lifestyle Coach Luke Coutinho Launches a Free E-book - a New Way of Living, to Help Readers Discover the Wellness Route

• A wellness-focused virtual read aiming to bring the body in harmony with nature
• An insightful and inspiring read to modify your lifestyle in accordance with the circadian rhythm
• Second-in-line as a free book to the world emphasizing on holistic health and wellness
   

Luke Coutinho, a globally renowned Holistic Lifestyle Coach and an expert in Integrative Medicine has recently launched his second e-book ‘A New Way of Living’ as a free gift to India and the world. Being authored by the wellness aficionado himself, this book emphasizes the intelligence of our bodies in connection with nature.

Luke’s previous e-book ‘The Magic Immunity Pill – Lifestyle’ with Shilpa Shetty, that was also a free gift to the readers, has crossed 60k+ downloads since its launch and is a huge success across India and overseas. Joining the bandwagon of books on healthy lifestyle is - A New Way of Living, an e-book- that has already garnered over 50K+ downloads from all across the globe within the first hour of its release.

The goal of the book is to highlight the importance of syncing your body's internal clock - the circadian rhythm and also mentions guidelines to be followed for being in harmony with nature. This virtual read is insightful and inspiring as it has positive stories and feedbacks from people who have embraced this way of living and seen phenomenal changes in their health and well-being. The book gives you an insight on each of these guidelines, along with scientific explanations. Adding a non-fictional touch to the book is a chapter dedicated to night-shift workers who due to their jobs, struggle to live according to the circadian cycle.

Through years of experience as a holistic lifestyle coach, Luke’s proficiency as a wellness leader has provided him with transformational tools to assist people in making the necessary lifestyle modifications. A New Way of Living emphasizes on the significance of having a strong immunity and uses it as a catalyst to make lifestyle changes for living within the boundaries and laws of nature. Through this book, Luke encourages readers to make an effort to sync back the body that has been operating outside the laws of the nature.

Luke’s backend coaching complements each chapter of the book thus aiding the readers with transformational tools that will change their life.

According to Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Integrative Medicine, “Through the launch of A New Way of Living, we aim to help masses regain their health in the most effortless ways by operating within the laws of nature. The outside environment that controls our inner setting is the body’s intelligence that exists in the trillions of cells present in our body. During and post-pandemic times, the way forward is to live according to the ‘new way of living’- circadian rhythm. This book is all about bringing our health and lifestyle in tandem with nature. We need to align all that we do, according to the circadian rhythm to help restore, regain and reset our health in a massive way.’’

Don't Let Books Be Judged by Their Cover Anymore, with Live Books by Qwerty Thoughts

Ever imagined a world where there are no books and libraries? One would never know the past beyond 3–4 generations.
 
For over 5000 years, books are being used as a medium to carry forward whatever experiences humanity has discovered to future generations.
 
Most people would agree on the fact that the biggest currency human beings can earn in their lives is ‘Experiences’. One reads books to gain experiences, perspectives, entertainment, or knowledge.
 
But the experiences and knowledge that is gained by every reader are very exclusive. No one knows what the other person learned from a book. Thus, knowledge sharing and collective learning is the key to shorten the learning curve.
  
“Learn from the wisdom of others. You can’t live long enough to experience everything yourself.” – Jasleen Khurana, Co-Founder & Creative Head, Qwerty Thoughts
 
Qwerty Thoughts has launched a one-of-its-kind social reading, experience-sharing and self-publishing platform for books, where people from any part of the world can connect with like-minded readers and read books together, as well as discuss and share their experiences inside books, all in real-time.
 
It is a complete digital ecosystem for the book industry, where readers, authors, publishers, and book clubs are all inter-connected and engaged on the same platform.
 
It is built to reform the online publishing and learning space to shorten the learning curve and enhance the knowledge that people derive from books using the power of community reading and collective learning.
 
“Technological innovation in the book industry is still at a very nascent stage and is slowly picking up momentum. We are here to catalyse this shift and redefine the way people read books.” – Prateek Gupta, Co-founder and CTO, Qwerty Thoughts
 
On QwertyThoughts.com, anyone can create their own online book community, start virtual reading rooms, find like-minded readers and connect over the books that they want to discuss.

Live chat and discussions can happen on every paragraph, where readers can share their perspectives and learn what others have to say. They can also share paragraphs from a book on social media or embed them anywhere on the internet, just like people share quotes from their favorite books.
 
This creates multiple entry points for a book, eventually increasing its discoverability and also bringing credibility to the shared content as clicking on the paragraph brings inside the book, at that very page of the paragraph.
 
In times of “social distancing” due to Covid, "social reading" through this platform is helping people connect over the love for books without moving an inch.

Here is how it works-
 

• Start your online book club, for free.
• Create your own virtual reading rooms and schedule events after choosing the books that one wants to connect over and discuss.
• Share your experiences, reading journey, learn with others, all while live-reading and discussing inside books, together with people having similar reading interests.

 
“The book will never be judged by its cover anymore, but by its content.”
 
Authors and publishers can connect directly with their readers to get detailed feedback and insights of what people are talking about inside their books, which is more relevant than just getting a review or rating.
 
Authors can share their writing journey and work-in-progress right from the day they start writing, and update their “writing stages” status as they move ahead. This helps the reading community keep up with the writing journey of their favourite authors, potentially creating a buzz before their next book is released, resulting in an upsurge in book sales numbers.
  
Qwerty Thoughts is focused on changing the way people perceive books and revolutionize how they are discovered, discussed, shared and experienced.

On The Move - a Story of Relentless Entrepreneur by Hari Khemka, Chairman CP Plus

Hari Khemka - Chairman CP Plus

About the Book
Hari Khemka said, “Our Entry Into the Security Business Was Driven by Chance and a Very Strong Instinct for Survival by the Mid 2000s, Competition Had Skyrocketed in the Information Technology Peripherals Sector and Margins Had Dipped. After This Epiphany, We Knew We Had to Diversify, but in Which Sector? Our Quest Ended at the Security Sector.”

Genre: Business, Autobiography, Entrepreneurship
Format: Hardback
Price: INR 599
Page Extent: 256

The book entails the journey of Hari Khemka’s life and how he went on to become a serial entrepreneur with flagship brand in security and surveillance CP PLUS; with popular tagline “Uparwala sab dekh raha hai”; making surveillance a synonym with it.

Every entrepreneur’s story is different; each follows a unique path to success. Even so, Hari Khemka stands out, because of the expansive spectrum of his entrepreneurship. From textiles and paper to household goods, metals, steel, IT (hardware and software), real estate, sound technology, education and, finally, surveillance solutions, he has been there and done its best in the respective categories.

Born into a traditional Marwari family from Churu, Rajasthan and growing up in Chandni Chowk, Hari followed the established script—respect your elders, marry young, learn Mundi (the script exclusive to Marwari traders) and join the family business, but a split in the family business compelled the young lad, newly married and de facto head of the family, to step on an off-beaten path. Catapulted into the rough and tumble of the business world with no one to guide him, Hari Khemka let his instincts take over and mastered the craft of every business, he moved into.

Today he commands the field of security and surveillance through his flagship brand, CP Plus, which is the youngest and fastest brand to enter the club of Top four security brands in the world.

On The Move, his autobiography, captures the journey of Hari as a relentless entrepreneur, sprinkled with incredible anecdotes of his business challenges and triumphs.

About the Author

A determined, dedicated and immensely disciplined man, a philanthropist by tradition; Hari Khemka is an example of sheer perseverance. Hari has a reputation for starting businesses from scratch and building them into formidable entities. His incredible journey as an entrepreneur began when he was barely nineteen years old.

Today, decades into his entrepreneurial journey, Hari Khemka led Aditya Group has more than 30 MNC tie-ups, 40+ branch offices spanning across India, and 11 offices across the globe; whose products and solutions are assisting and serving people across 60 countries worldwide. He is an inspiration to everyone at Aditya Group/CP Plus for his humility and magnanimity, despite his extraordinary achievements.  

• Joining his business at the age of nineteen, Hari Khemka’s achievement will resonate with every aspiring Indian.
• His brand CP Plus is the youngest and fastest surveillance brand to enter the club of Top 4 security companies in the world and the Top 2 in Asia.

 

'Future of Homes' First-of-its-kind e-book in HOME Category Formally Unveiled

• 20 industry stalwarts shared their rich wisdom through authored articles


• Vowels of the new Voyage were identified for the next normal

Everyone is getting used to the NEW NORMAL. What does it mean if you are a home manufacturer, marketer, retailer, designer or technologist associated with this beautiful category called "HOME".

Mr. Mahesh M. CEO - Creaticity and Convenor - Home & Home plus Conclave 2020 (top left) convenor of the Digital conclave announcing the launch of the e-book titled #Future of Homes

A Digital conclave consisting of top panellists and contributing authors participated recently which was convened by Mr. Mahesh M. CEO - Creaticity and Convenor - Home & Home plus Conclave 2020.

At this digital homeconclave, a first-of-its-kind e-book titled #ea, Pepperfry was unveiled by Industry captains whose thoughts and contributions have been shared through their authored articles. Diverse topics have been covered through the collective wisdom of all leading Industry leaders.

Contributing authors included veteran leaders from Godrej Interio to Ikea, Pepperfry to @home, Ashley Furniture to Marshalls, Maspar to Skipper furnishings to name a few. Industry watchers and senior retail consultants provided further food for thought. The full list of contributing authors include:

• Anil Mathur Mahesh M


• Ankur Bisen Mahesh Shah


• Ashish Shah Manish Parekh


• Asim Dalal Mona Sharma Menon


• C.K. Nair Nitin Bahl


• Dr. Gibson Vedamani Pratap Jadhav


• Govind Shrikhande Rajesh Mahajan


• Karan Jethwani Robin Lim


• Kavitha Krishna Rao Samir Patel


• Kirit Joshi Tanay Agarwal

"While we are all coming to terms with living life in a new way, we are strongly realising that HOME is where our heart is. We believe that it is important to gather such valuable thoughts and insights from Industry leaders and share these with the stakeholders of the community in a meaningful manner. As knowledge leaders,we are dedicated to the art, science and heart of making homes and this is an innovative way to contribute towards useful knowledge dissemination," says Mahesh. M, CEO - Creaticity & Convenor of the conclave, while inviting all stakeholders to draw some inspiration from the thoughts curated in the e-book.Creaticity is arguably India's first, largest and finest destination for all things home.

The contributing industry leaders shared extracts from their articles in the e-book and an interesting takeaway was "Vowels of the new Voyage'' namely #adapt #empathise #innovate #own #understand.

These are action words that everyone needs to practise as we embrace the next normal.

The digital conclave series was attended by over 1000 delegates from across India which largely focussed on the future of home business post COVID-19 and trends that are likely to determine the progress of the HOME category.

The thoughts have been well articulated through a compilation of in this book called the #Future of Homes and is available on bit.ly/3f5vSOT where you can download your complimentary copy.

Nitin Gadkari Unveiled the FLO Compendium of 100 Stories of Women in MSME

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises e-unveiled FLO Compendium of 100 successful women Entrepreneurs in MSME organised by Ficci Ladies Organisation ( FLO ) today in the capital.

[caption id="attachment_144960" align="aligncenter" width="662"] FLO Compendium of 100 successful women Entrepreneurs in MSME[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_144961" align="alignleft" width="214"] Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways[/caption]

While unveiling the Compendium, Shri Gadkari said, "In these hard times, you all are striving hard to work and overcome the situation, my best wishes to all of you. Keep moving forward with this positive attitude and strong will, we will soon overcome Corona War as well economic crisis war and India will become super economic power. However, the priority is to wine over the Corona war."

The situation is very bad and challenging but there is a blessing in disguise for India. Japan, US, Germany and all the European countries wants to withdraw from China and it is a golden opportunity for India to take up this position. This is a time for conversion of knowledge into wealth. Innovation, R&D, Technology, joint ventures and most importantly entrepreneurship is required to covert the knowledge into wealth. He also stressed on taking initiatives in converting waste to wealth, giving examples of how it's been done under his Ministry's initiatives and suggestions.

The government has announced various relief packages and support for the industry and is soon announcing few more to help the MSME industry overcome the situation. We should resume the operations slowly and gradually keeping in mind all the guidelines issued by the government.

During the International Womens Entrepreneurial Challenge Foundation, IWEC Awards hosted by FLO in November 2019, Shri Nitin Gadkari, announced to launch a compendium of 100 successful women entrepreneurs in MSME. Being the only pan-India business chambers of women, FLO was entrusted with this responsibility by the MSME Ministry.

This compendium is a ready reckoner of 100 inspirational stories of women in MSME, who have ideated, innovated and worked tirelessly to create a niche and successfully contribute to the economy of the nation.

This book is another milestone in the illustrious journey of FLO as it is for the first time in the history of FLO that the Ministry of MSME has supported a publication with its logo, adding great significance to the Compendium.

[caption id="attachment_144962" align="alignleft" width="300"] Harjinder Kaur Talwar, FLO President[/caption]

FLO President, Harjinder Kaur Talwar said, "As the FLO President, I got an opportunity to passionately work on this dream project of highlighting success stories of women entrepreneurs. After 5 months of dedicated time frame and support from the MSME Ministry, my dream has been transformed to reality now and I have never been so happy!"

She added, "It is highly encouraging to see that we have a huge repertoire of women entrepreneurs in our country. No success is complete without documenting it. This is an attempt to collectively showcase the success stories of women in MSME, documented and recorded as inspirations for the next generation of women entrepreneurs."

"This compendium will encourage many more women entrepreneurs and I want FLO to work towards empowering rural women entrepreneurs. He also urged the members to invest in industrial clusters being developed along the National Highways in order to decongest the cities and decentralise the industry," added the MInister

During the Q&A session, he suggested to work on another book which could list the new ideas, and businesses, women can take up. He also welcomed FLO's idea of having this compendium translated in different regional languages for far reach and also creating a platform where the new business ideas can be propagated, formal training sessions can be conducted and adequate technical and financial help can be given to women entrepreneurs to start their ventures.

~ Newsvoir

Nitin Gadkari Unveiled the FLO Compendium of 100 Stories of Women in MSME

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises e-unveiled FLO Compendium of 100 successful women Entrepreneurs in MSME organised by Ficci Ladies Organisation ( FLO ) today in the capital.

[caption id="attachment_144960" align="aligncenter" width="662"] FLO Compendium of 100 successful women Entrepreneurs in MSME[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_144961" align="alignleft" width="214"] Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways[/caption]

While unveiling the Compendium, Shri Gadkari said, "In these hard times, you all are striving hard to work and overcome the situation, my best wishes to all of you. Keep moving forward with this positive attitude and strong will, we will soon overcome Corona War as well economic crisis war and India will become super economic power. However, the priority is to wine over the Corona war."

The situation is very bad and challenging but there is a blessing in disguise for India. Japan, US, Germany and all the European countries wants to withdraw from China and it is a golden opportunity for India to take up this position. This is a time for conversion of knowledge into wealth. Innovation, R&D, Technology, joint ventures and most importantly entrepreneurship is required to covert the knowledge into wealth. He also stressed on taking initiatives in converting waste to wealth, giving examples of how it's been done under his Ministry's initiatives and suggestions.

The government has announced various relief packages and support for the industry and is soon announcing few more to help the MSME industry overcome the situation. We should resume the operations slowly and gradually keeping in mind all the guidelines issued by the government.

During the International Womens Entrepreneurial Challenge Foundation, IWEC Awards hosted by FLO in November 2019, Shri Nitin Gadkari, announced to launch a compendium of 100 successful women entrepreneurs in MSME. Being the only pan-India business chambers of women, FLO was entrusted with this responsibility by the MSME Ministry.

This compendium is a ready reckoner of 100 inspirational stories of women in MSME, who have ideated, innovated and worked tirelessly to create a niche and successfully contribute to the economy of the nation.

This book is another milestone in the illustrious journey of FLO as it is for the first time in the history of FLO that the Ministry of MSME has supported a publication with its logo, adding great significance to the Compendium.

[caption id="attachment_144962" align="alignleft" width="300"] Harjinder Kaur Talwar, FLO President[/caption]

FLO President, Harjinder Kaur Talwar said, "As the FLO President, I got an opportunity to passionately work on this dream project of highlighting success stories of women entrepreneurs. After 5 months of dedicated time frame and support from the MSME Ministry, my dream has been transformed to reality now and I have never been so happy!"

She added, "It is highly encouraging to see that we have a huge repertoire of women entrepreneurs in our country. No success is complete without documenting it. This is an attempt to collectively showcase the success stories of women in MSME, documented and recorded as inspirations for the next generation of women entrepreneurs."

"This compendium will encourage many more women entrepreneurs and I want FLO to work towards empowering rural women entrepreneurs. He also urged the members to invest in industrial clusters being developed along the National Highways in order to decongest the cities and decentralise the industry," added the MInister

During the Q&A session, he suggested to work on another book which could list the new ideas, and businesses, women can take up. He also welcomed FLO's idea of having this compendium translated in different regional languages for far reach and also creating a platform where the new business ideas can be propagated, formal training sessions can be conducted and adequate technical and financial help can be given to women entrepreneurs to start their ventures.

~ Newsvoir

IIT Roorkee Incubated Startup offers Free Interactive Books during the Current Lockdown

• Aim to entertain kids and sharpen their linguistic abilities


• The comics are available in Hindi, English, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, Marathi

A TIDES, IIT Roorkee-incubated startup TBS Planet Comics Studio is offering interactive comics free of cost to entertain kids during the quarantine period in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The comics are available in six vernacular languages namely Hindi, English, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, Marathi thereby aiding kids to hone their linguistic skills. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the shutdown of educational institutions and children are staying at home. They should utilize this time in reading which will not only entertain them but also hone their linguistic skills and supplement classroom learning. This initiative is in line with our commitment to offering curated experiences to our readers. It will keep kids engaged while their parents work from home,” said Mr. Rajeev Tamhankar, Founder &CEO, TBS Planet Comics Studio. 

The interactive comics enables kids to play games where they can choose to play as a character and shape the adventure according to the choices they make in the story. It is available on accessing the link https://www.tbsplanet.com/en/read and caters to six genres- Action superheroes, Comedy, Horror, Mythology, History, and Moral Stories. 

“It is commendable that one of our students has come forward so that the children are engaged during the present lockdown. This initiative will encourage more kids to embrace reading during their leisure hours,” said Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee.

The comics are centered on six superheroes- Ved, Varun, Karma, Yug, Takshak, and Rudra. Ved is a Delhi- based detective who uses his wit and intellect to solve cases. He was brought up by magician Anand. The character is truly Indian and was also among #1 bestseller on Amazon in the Indian comics’ category. Deriving from the Indian mythology, Varun came into existence underwater after Dwarka submerged. The comics portray the adventures of water-based superhuman Varun. Karma is among the most intriguing characters of the comics' superhero universe. Karma punishes criminal to the extent of crime.

Yug is an immortal warrior who has been saved by King of Devpur for a mission of eliminating evil from the planet. Based in antiquity, this superhero indulges in interesting adventures. Takshak is the Snake-man superhero of the TBS Planet Comics universe. He is currently banned from the snake world and is living in Mumbai to explore the pearl of time, also known as “Kaal-Moti”. His story includes many adventures while he tries to comprehend the human world.  Rudra is the son of Vayu and the blessing of Shiva. He is among the most fierce and powerful characters of the TBS Planet Comics Universe. As Veer, he works as a tourist guide in Haridwar.

TBS Planet Comics Studio is supported under the Technology Incubation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (TIEDS) of IIT Roorkee. To promote innovation and entrepreneurship, TIEDS facilitates incubation of new enterprises with innovative technologies by admitting them at its Incubator, TIDES, and rendering physical, technical, financial and networking expertise.

About IIT Roorkee (https://www.iitr.ac.in/)

IIT Roorkee is an institute of national importance imparting higher education in engineering, sciences, management, architecture and planning, and humanities and social sciences. Since its establishment in 1847, the Institute has played a vital role in providing technical human resources and know-how to the country. In the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2019, the institute has been ranked 3rd among the IITs, while on the citations criterion, it has been ranked 1st among all the Institutes in India.

Leading Woman Achiever, Savita Chhabra, Chairperson, HRIPL Authors her Debut Book 'Legacy of Learning' to Guide and Inspire the Youth

Drawing inspiration and inner-strength from the Holy Scriptures throughout her personal and professional journey, award-winning businesswoman, Savita Chhabra, Chairperson, HRIPL has launched her debut book, called 'Legacy of Learning'; which offers simplistic and relatable interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita in an attempt to connect the youth of India to the age-old, but relevant scriptures.

[caption id="attachment_143251" align="alignleft" width="296"] Legacy of Learning - Book Cover[/caption]

Empathising with the stressful lives that today's generation of millennials and zillennials lead, the book offers fictional stories woven around chosen verses. A role model for the aspiring youth, Savita Chhabra's journey is not limited to massive financial leaps, but also the many lessons she learned along the way and how she imbibed them into her life.

At the age of thirty-nine, she lost her husband to cardiac arrest and within five days of his passing, she had to step into his shoes. A period of intense struggle followed, but she successfully transformed HRIPL into the multi-crore company that it is today. She felt the urge to turn within and rediscover herself and it was then that she decided to study Vedanta. Nearly eight years ago, she began reading the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, making note of words that resonated with her most. These were the seeds that birthed the 'Legacy of Learning'.

Savita Chhabra, Chairperson, HRIPL, said, "When I started writing interpretations for the verses, the different phases of my life started coming back to me. So many questions that I had buried deep inside me began getting answered of their own accord. I believe that everyone has divine knowledge inside them, and sometimes we have to find the way in through the outside world. I want this book to guide young readers towards inner knowledge. Being married at the age of nineteen and widowed at thirty-nine, I have had to rediscover myself several times, and the absence of a guiding light was always disheartening."

In today's fast-paced, globalised environment, the questioning generation of woke adults, need a guiding light the most. Education has always been a priority, right from her early years, and she feels deeply about empowering the youth. A role model in many respects, under Savita Chhabra's leadership, HRIPL has undertaken charitable projects like conducting skill development workshops for tribal youth and bringing educational reforms to underprivileged schools, among many other social initiatives.

The book introduces readers to the importance of performing good karma and nudges them to be conscious about the purpose of their lives in every decision they make. Savita believes that life becomes easier when you have some of the answers, and the youth, who have their entire lives in front of them, need it the most.

For more information, write to info.legacyoflearning@gmail.com.

About Savita Chhabra

Savita Chhabra is an award-winning businesswoman and Chairperson of Hygienic Research Institute Private Limited (HRIPL), a leading cosmetics brand of India. Her achievements have been recognised with a 'Special Award for Women Entrepreneurs' by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2007 and 'National Award for Business Excellence' by Hon'ble Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr. Pradeep Jain in 2010. She is also a doting mother and grandmother.

For twenty years, Savita Chhabra's world revolved around her home and family, comprising her husband and two sons. Until fate dealt her a cruel hand - a cardiac arrest suddenly claimed her husband's life. Within five days of his passing, this homemaker had to step into her husband's shoes. A period of intense struggle and immense learning followed, but she (along with her sons who joined the business after completing their education) has been instrumental in transforming Hygienic Research Institute into the successful multi-crore venture that it is today.

'Pay it forward' is the life philosophy she abides by, and it is reflected in the philanthropic work she undertakes. Her organisation is involved in conducting skill development workshops for tribal youth, bringing educational reforms to underprivileged schools, organising health care camps and extending aid to victims of natural disasters, among many other social initiatives.

She seeks guidance and strength in the Holy Scriptures and wants to reach the ever-evolving, fast-paced young generation of the country to help them draw the much-needed inspiration from her interpretations so they can move beyond problematic situations in life. Legacy of Learning is her debut book.

About Hygienic Research Institute

Established in 1957, Hygienic Research Institute (HRI) is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company and one of the fastest growing cosmetic companies in India. Best suited for Indian consumers, every beauty product of HRI is prepared with the help of cutting-edge technology. All the products are manufactured, tested and approved by quality assurance as per Indian BIS specifications and adhere to the stringent international norms of countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka FDA (Food & Drug Administration).

Marico Innovation Foundation Unveils the 7 Sutras of Innovation for Indian Entrepreneurs

Latest book, a follow up to its first bestseller released in 2009 Stories of inspiring and scaled innovations like Agastya International Foundation, The Better India, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), St. Jude India, Goonj, Rivigo, Tonbo Imaging and Forus Health featured in the book.

Founded with an aim to nurture innovations in the country, Marico Innovation Foundation launched its second book – ‘7 Sutras of Innovation’ with Mr. Harsh Mariwala unveiled the book at a launch event in Mumbai. The book follows the journeys of select past ‘Innovation for India’ Awardees that have made a mark in their respective fields and also managed to build scale along the way. What makes this book a unique read are the 7 sutras culled out strategically from these stories that are practical and applicable not only for entrepreneurs but also for professionals, corporates, students and institutions alike.

The event also addressed a thought-provoking fireside chat between Mr. R Gopalkrishnan (Author, Corporate Advisor & GC member of Marico Innovation Foundation) in conversation with K Chandrasekhar (Founder & CEO, Forus Health Pvt. Ltd.) & Anshu Gupta (Founder of Goonj) around how innovation has helped them to drive their vision ahead.

Written by Nikhil Inamdar, the book covers 8 past 'Innovation for India' Awardees; each one dramatically different from the other in terms of their scope of operations, product profile, sector or business model. But irrespective of this diversity, or the fact that each of them have had their individual journeys and milestones that aren't necessarily analogous with one another, it has been possible to distill 7 clear and applicable SUTRAS that they have all abided by, while also eliminating behaviors that could have posed as serious impediments to development in their formative years.

For entrepreneurs, starting a business is really like having a baby; and the journey between start-up and scale-up is quite akin to the treacherous ride between childhood and adulthood. The book beautifully brings out why scaling up a business is not quite the same thing as starting one.

Covering defining shifts in their entrepreneurial journey, the innovators share their learnings on leveraging and overcoming failures, identifying market threats and building strategies to deal with competition. The stories are enablers for entrepreneurs aspiring to scale-up their innovations and amplify the impact by cross-pollinating these learnings.

The prominent Indian publisher Jaico Publications has provided editorial and distribution support for the book and A.T. Kearney has been the knowledge partner for designing the frameworks of interactions and prioritizing content for this book.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Founder of Marico Innovation Foundation and Chairman of Marico Limited said,

With start-ups becoming a buzzword in today’s time, it is easy to believe that the road for entrepreneurship is smooth. However that is hardly ever the case, and in my personal experience, entrepreneurship is peppered with ample failures and some astounding moments of joy. What keeps an entrepreneur going is his belief in his idea, his innovation; and the impact that it will likely create in the face of all the challenges that emerge while scaling for success. These stories are testimony to the gumption and faith that innovators must hold steadfastly in order to bear witness to the impact their innovation can create.

Speaking about their journey to success, the innovations featured in the book (who are also recipients of ‘Innovation for India’ awards- India’s most prestigious platform for recognising Innovation) are Agastya International Foundation, The Better India, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), St. Jude India, Goonj, Rivigo, Tonbo Imaging and Forus Health.

Dr. R. Mashelkar, Honorary Chairman of Governing Council of Marico Innovation Foundation adds, “The book shares a deep perspective on the journey and the struggles of our innovators and how they have been able to overcome their challenges. The stories are relatable, real and most importantly aspirational. With India recognised as the 3rd largest start-up hub in the world, lessons learnt by the early starters are valuable for the innovators waiting in the wings. Through this book, we have tried to highlight the challenges faced by individuals and how they triumphed over them and hope that their stories serve as an inspiration to aspiring innovators across the nation and the world!”

The first book by Marico Innovation Foundation released in 2009 was titled Making Breakthrough Innovations Happen. It aimed to spur innovation by sharing stories of 11 Indians who have disrupted the industries they work in. Having sold more than 65,000 copies thus far, the book set a benchmark for innovation and became a bestseller in the genre.
About Marico Innovation Foundation

Born in 2003 out of the entrepreneurial zeal of founder Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Marico Innovation Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to nurture innovations in India. Through its sector agnostic programs, the Foundation works closely with innovative and impactful ventures across the business and social sectors. Their aim is to make innovation mainstream thereby adding value to India’s growth story. The Foundation is guided by a Governing Council comprising the likes of Rajeev Bakshi, Amit Chandra, Ramji Raghavan, Sam Balsara, Anu Aga to name a few. The two core programs are Scale-Up Program – a deep rooted mentoring program that tangibly impacts the scale of start-ups and Innovation for India Awards- most prestigious platform for recognising undiscovered innovations.

~ BusinessWire India

India’s 1st Academic Book on Digital Marketing Launched at World Book Fair 2020, New Delhi

Digital Marketing Bible for students to master it completely! That's how Founder & CEO of Digital Gurukul - Dr. Raj Padhiyar’s 2nd book “Fundamentals of Digital Marketing” can be aptly described. 

The books claim to be covering deep insights of Digital Marketing landscape & its implications with tools, case-studies, assignments & more to give complete 360 degree understanding of all the verticals of Digital Media - updated 2020. 

The academic book guides students & marketers to understand the changing landscape of marketing & growing importance of Digital Marketing beyond just theory or overview - Its compilation of interesting anecdotes, key statistics, case-studies, and practical tools and above all, It provides key insights on Digital Marketing industry in a multilayered & multi-faceted land with simple & lucid language. 

[gallery type="columns" link="none" columns="1" size="large" ids="140679,140680,140682"]

Some of the important topics covered in the book include SEO, Social Media, Email marketing, Website creation, Content marketing , Affiliate Marketing, Freelancing techniques, Lead generation, Influencer Marketing, E-commerce, ORM etc. 

Replete with examples of successful digital campaigns by top Indian startups/brands & their results would give useful insights to students, marketing managers. 

Speaking at the book launch at World Book Fair, New Delhi - The author, Dr. Raj Padhiyar said - “Considering the efforts of more than 1+ year behind writing this dream book -“Fundamentals of Digital Marketing” - I'm confident that it would prove to be bible for students to transform their career in Digital Media industry across the world. It has 200 pages with English & Hindi version. Considering it becoming Mainstream subject - this book would be of tremendous help for school/college professors to master students completely. It also throws light on trends & challenges in Digital Marketing in 2020 & beyond! 

The previous book by Dr. Raj Padhiyar - “Social Media & Politics in India” launched in 2018 presented insights on the role of Digital in Indian politics with intriguing case study with hard facts & unique voice. It has been highly ranked by critics. 

The 2020 Fair was inaugurated by HRD Minister Ramesh Pokkhriyal ''Nishank'', who said - “We are in the midst of the ocean of the books. This “Mahakumbh” of books is world’s biggest book fair with participation from about 20 foreign countries including China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Nepal, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the UK, and the US. 

About Dr. Raj Padhiyar 

Awarded Asia’s Best Digital Marketer of 2018- Dr. Raj Padhiyar - Founder & CEO - Digital Gurukul (Asia’s leading Edtech Company & 15+ awards), Dr. Raj Padhiyar is the only Indian to have Doctorate in Digital Marketing from USA. He is also been Awarded as "Youngest Entrepreneur of the Year" for Digital Marketing Education in the year 2017, 2018 consecutively. He has trained 7850+ Professionals across various industries & list is growing day by day. He has written several articles on Digital Marketing & his thoughts are regularly published in leading newspapers & Magazines across India including CNBC-18, Times of India, Times Now, AajTak, Deccan Herald etc.

Books - 2019 was Satisfying for Publishers, Non-Fiction Titles Dominate

For publishers in India, 2019 was a satisfying year in terms of the books they brought out and the success they had in reaching out to readers and commercially as well. The year was also gratifying for many publishing houses as it brought national and international acclaim for a number of their authors.

Summing up the year, HarperCollins India (HCI) CEO Ananth Padmanabhan says, "We continued to buck the trend and grow faster than the market. Our new books, what we call the front list, grew at a high double digit and our back list held its ground in a year when the market saw a few troughs."

HCI also had two major publishing partnerships with Juggernaut Books and Harvard University Press to exclusive represent their sales and distribution.

"HarperCollins is also uniquely positioned in India as a publisher in the education space under the Collins Learning imprint and in 2019 our growth trajectory continued as we increased our reach into schools significantly and our textbooks are now being taught in over 5000 schools," Padmanabhan told PTI.

The year saw many authors of HCI and their books win awards across fiction, nonfiction, business and children's - JCB, Atta Galatta, TATA Lit Live, Gaja Capital, Prabha Khaitan, Sushila Devi, BICW, IBBY Honours and the Gourmand Cookbook Award.

"It has also been a year of extraordinary debuts across genres - several astonishing new voices, including, amongst them, Madhuri Vijay whose 'The Far Field' was also the most celebrated fiction of the year, going on to win the JCB prize and the Tata Lit Live prize," the HCI CEO says.

Milee Ashwarya, Publisher (Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing), Penguin Random House India, says 2019 was a very eventful year in terms of politics, social issues, environment and the young India finding its voice.

"This had a direct impact on our publishing list, and we published timely, topical and new voices in fiction and non-fiction. We had the best election list, war/hero stories, lifestyle books and popular as well as literary fiction," she says.

"I would say we learnt to understand better what the readers want to read and how we can get the best books in the formats they would like to read them be it audio, ebook or physical," she adds.

Rupa Publications MD Kapish Mehra says at Rupa Aleph, they had the opportunity to publish many successful titles in the non-fiction space in 2019.

"Ranging from 'The Hindu Way' by Shashi Tharoor (Aleph), 'Reset' by Subramanian Swamy (Rupa), 'RSS for the 21st Century' (Rupa), 'Blue Lotus' (Aleph), it was a year that was dominated by non-fiction writing which was spread across the spectrum ranging from politics to philosophy to religion to self help… It was a well-rounded publishing programme," he says.

Publisher and Editor in Chief Hachette India Poulomi Chatterjee says the house had a terrific year of wonderful books and great results across the adults' and children's lists.

"In the adult non-fiction segments we've had tremendous success with the inspirational and standout autobiographies of Viswanathan Anand and India's first blade-runner Major D P Singh as well as two popular books on specific areas of India's history - Archana Garodia Gupta's 'The Women Who Ruled India' and Subhadra Sengupta's 'Mahal'," she says.

"We've kept abreast with analysis and commentary on hot-topic debates with Gautam Das's award-winning 'Jobonomics' on India's unemployment crisis, Sanjoy Chakravorty's 'The Truth about Us: Politics and Information from Manu to Modi' and Pavan Lall's incisive study of white-collar crime in 'Flawed', on the rise and fall of India's diamond mogul Nirav Modi," she says.

Hachette's food narratives were in the spotlight again - Saee Koranne-Khandekar's "Pangat" on Marathi culture and food (which also won the CNT Excellence in Food Writing Award), Anoothi Vishal's "Business on a Platter", an incisive look at the restaurant business in India, and Sadaf Hussain's "Daastan-e-Dastarkhan" on Muslim cuisine from across the country - received all-round praise, Chatterjee says.

"We've always been champions of debut fiction writers and this year has been no different. In our selective and small fiction list we've had the privilege to publish Dharini Bhaskar's very accomplished 'These, Our Bodies Possessed by Light' and Varun Mathew's cutting political satire 'The Black Dwarves of the Good Little Bay'," she says.

According to Chatterjee, science fiction and fantasy is a genre Hachette has been focusing on building because there is such a massively talented pool of writers out there, and great stories for every reader to enjoy.

"We started 2019 with the hugely acclaimed 'The Gollancz Book of South Asian Science Fiction' featuring known writers in the genre and new voices as well, and followed that up with a stellar collection of fantasy stories by 14 women writers in 'Magical Women' and another volume by Hugo and Nebula award-winner S B Divya titled 'Contingency Plans for the Apocalypse'," she says.

Pan Macmillan MD Rajdeep Mukherjee says 2019 was a significant year during which it published some notable nonfiction and fiction in India and also globally.

The story of Sunanda Pushkar, biography of Flipkart, Naguib Mahfouz's unpublished stories, Simon Taufel's professional guidance and "52 Red Pills" by Eika and Siddharth Banerjee were some of the highlights of Pan Macmillan

On the international front, it came out with Jeffrey Archer's "Nothing Ventured", "Moment of Lift" by Melinda Gates, "Permanent Record" by Edward Snowden and Elton John's memoir "Me" among other books.

Juggernaut publisher Chiki Sarkar says it had a "range of big hits which included Rajat Gupta, 'Early Indians', and the new book by Nobel Prize winners Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Dufflo. We are now at break even in print. On the digital side we have a subscription number of 30,000 and our beta launch of Airtel books has been a success which we are ramping up in 2020".

Bloomsbury India says it saw significant growth in 2019.

"In trade books, we have grown 35 per cent and in academic books we have grown 30 per cent from 2018. Our major trade titles were 'The Anarchy' (William Dalrymple), 'City of Girls' (Elizabeth Gilbert) and 'Amit Shah and the March of BJP' (Anirban Ganguly and Shiwanand Dwivedi)," says Yogesh Sharma, senior VP of Bloomsbury India.

"Bloomsbury India, in fact is the only publisher which has reflected CAGR OF 25 per cent year on year. Our financial year is from March to February. Academic segment showed growth of 54 per cent and digital touched 34 per cent. The best selling segment has been drama and fashion," he says.

For Speaking Tiger, 2019 was a year of prizes and shortlists.

Writer-journalist Shanta Gokhale won the TATA Lifetime Achievement Award for her memoir "One Foot on the Ground: A Life Told Through the Body", while Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's novella "My Father's Garden" was shortlisted for the JCB Prize and his children's book "Jwala Kumar and the Gift of Fire" for the Crossword Book Award shortlist, along with another Talking Cub title - Bijal Vachirajani's "A Cloud Called Bhura", which talks about climate change.

"Prizes apart, we did some significant works in non-fiction, among the most notable were Purushottam Agrawal's 'Who is Bharat Mata? On History, Culture and the Idea of India - Writings on and by Jawaharlal Nehru', and Nandita Haksar's 'Kuknalim: Naga Armed Resistance' - both works that addressed important issues facing the country today," says Speaking Tiger Publisher Ravi Singh.

"Upamanyu Chatterjee had a new offering for his dedicated band of readers - his first collection of short stories, 'The Assassination of Indira Gandhi - Collected Works' - and we also published 'The Fate of Butterflies' by Nayantara Sahgal. And our surprise debut was classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal's first collection of short stories 'Looking for Miss Sargam'," he says.

Roli Books also said 2019 was another interesting year as it published a number of books across varied subjects from current affairs, biography, cookbooks to true crime.

"Some standout successes were 'The Mughal Feast - Recipes from the Emperor Shah Jahan', which was called 'a rare documentation' and has been a super commercial success, and 'Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer' by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury," says Priya Kapoor, editorial director at Roli Books.

"We also had some real success with selling subsidiary rights, notably AV rights for our books across the front list and back list with 10 deals signed and a number others under negotiation," she says.

Palimpsest CEO Bhaskar Roy says for the publishing house, fiction occupied as much space as non-fiction.

"There were compelling novels and equally assertive works by historians as well. Palimpsest was active on both fronts and came home with laurels. Feminist writer Selina Hossain's 'Charcoal Portrait' is about a war child, adopted by a German couple at a medical camp after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

"We ended the year with journalist Nirmalya Banerjee's 'The Buddha and the Borders', a well-researched account of the long lama trail in the eastern Himalayas. The author traces the footsteps of faith through places like Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, Kalimpong, Shillong and Tawang," he says.

2019 was full of optimism for Niyogi Books, says Trisha Niyogi.

"We brought out around 60 English and 10 Hindi books and also initiated a new project for publishing children's literature. A number of our books of perennial interest had to be reprinted. To cap it all, we sold rights of a few of our books in Japanese, Chinese and other languages," she says.

For Simon & Schuster India, 2019 was a mixed bag as non-fiction did well, as has been the case the past few years in the subcontinent, says its Senior Commissioning Editor Sayantan Ghosh. One of the top books it published was "Celestial Bodies" by Jokha Alharthi, the first Omani novel to ever win the Man Booker International Prize. PTI ZMN

Online Sale to Auction Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Books, maps and manuscripts from the twilight years of Indian ruler Tipu Sultan will be among the collection of rare books that will go under the hammer at an upcoming online sale by Mumbai-based auction house Prinseps.

The literature on Tipu Sultan will include a book titled, "A Narrative Of The Campaign In India, Which Terminated The War With Tippoo Sultan, In 1792", and two maps of the Sultan's territories, one dated 1792, and the other dated 1799.

While the book has an upper estimate of Rs 3,90,000, the maps are expected to fetch anything between Rs 90,000 - 1,20,000, each.

Scheduled to be held on September 4-5, the auction will feature a selection of books that cover a period of nearly 400 years, the oldest book being "De Vita Caesarum" (The Twelve Caesars), which dates back to 1605.

The tome that is considered to be a text of historic importance is a biographical chronicle of the Caesars of Rome. It is estimated between Rs 40,000 - 50,000.

"The lots have been primarily obtained from the collection of renowned collector Sunil Baboo, whose meticulously documented collection developed from his travels across Europe and the United States of America," the auction house said in a statement.

Also on offer will be "The Works of Sir William Jones" (1799) by Lady Anna Marie Shipley Jones, who founded The Asiatic Society of India in Bombay and Calcutta.

This first edition copy of Jones' six-volume work carries a series of engravings as well as William Jones' translations of "Hitopadesa" and Kalidasa's "Shakuntala" It is estimated at Rs 7,25,000 - 9,50,000.

Other key lots will cover the history of conquests in India, including the first edition print of "Narrative of the War on the Coast of Coromandel" (1756) by Richard Owen Cambridge that talks about the French conquests.

It is expected to fetch Rs 3,45,000 - 4,50,000.

A preview of the key highlights was held recently at the Taj Art Gallery in Mumbai. PTI TRS

Microsoft releasing Book that'll Tell some of the Biggest Stories in Tech Industry

Microsoft President Brad Smith will provide a behind-the-scene look at the multinational technology company and tell some of the biggest stories to hit the tech industry in the past decade in his new book coming out next month.

"Tools and Weapons: The Promise and The Peril of the Digital Age" will release on September 11, publishers Hachette announced.

The book comes at a time when the company finds itself in the middle of some of the thorniest emerging issues of our time. These include privacy, cybercrime and cyberwar, social media, the moral conundrums of AI, big tech's relationship to inequality and the challenges for democracy, far and near.

[caption id="attachment_132604" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Brad Smith[/caption]

Smith, responsible for the company's corporate, external, and legal affairs and serves as the company's chief legal officer, has a simple core belief: when your technology changes the world, you bear a responsibility to help address the world you have helped create.

Bill Gates, who has written the foreword, terms the book a "clear, compelling guide to some of the most pressing debates in technology today".

Smith has co-authored the book with Carol Ann Browne, a director of communications at Microsoft. PTI ZMN

The Growth Hacking Book Launched for Startups and Entrepreneurs

‘The Growth Hacking Book: Most Guarded Growth Marketing Secrets the Silicon Valley Giants don’t want to Know’ was unveiled by the Chief Guest by Dr. Unnat Pandit, Director NITI Aayog . Present on this occasion were Deepak Jain, Director FII, Sanjiv Goyal, Financial Advisor of Supreme Court and other esteemed guests. The book challenges the traditional way of marketing and scaling startups; it introduces a new disruptive way to scale businesses faster than ever possible. It also aims to shape and develop the Growth Set (Skillset + Mindset + Toolset) of the next generation of entrepreneurs, growth strategists and innovators.

Parul Agarwal and Rohan Chaubey, founders of GrowthMedia.AI, a cutting-edge business consulting platform based in United States of America, announced July 13 as the International Growth Hacking Day.
Their book, The Growth Hacking Book challenges the existing norms and is an almanac for growth in today’s hyper-competitive business world.

Dr. Unnat Pandit, Director NITI Aayog, “Indian entrepreneur ecosystem is growing and the government’s effort towards building this ecosystem has been positive. With large human resource and entrepreneur energy, we are seeing surge of Indians Start-ups going global which is a positive sign for the entire entrepreneur system."

Curated by GrowthMedia.AI, this book features more than 35 marketing experts, trailblazing entrepreneurs, industry thought leaders and successful companies from all over the globe who share radical ideas on how you can grow your business using unconventional marketing strategies. Each chapter is a treasure trove of growth ideas that businesses in the “The Valley” try to shield from the public. It’s the first book of its kind on Growth Hacking by 35 National and International entrepreneurs, growth marketers, influencers, thought leaders and successful companies. The ground-breaking insights shared by the contributors of the book are revealing the secrets that fuel the growth of Silicon Valley start-ups.

Talking about the book, Authors, Parul Agarwal & Rohan Chaubey, “the Indian start-up ecosystem has till date taken a traditional approach towards funding, growth and marketing. We have observed that 90 percent of Indian start-ups fail within the first five years (IBM Institute for Business Value and Oxford Economics). Our growth framework and tactics are guaranteed to make start-ups have a longer run than what the report suggests. This is fail-proof as it is tried and tested in Silicon Valley; now we are bringing it to India."

[caption id="attachment_131926" align="aligncenter" width="5119"] Dr. Unnat Pandit ,Director NITI Aayog along with prominent dignitaries and authors at the book launch of Growth Hacking Book.[/caption]

The book advises the start-ups to have a growth team irrespective of their team and revenue size. Growth Hacking is conducting marketing experiments to uncover creative strategies to acquire and retain customers/users using data. A growth hacker is someone that operates at the intersection of product, marketing, and technology to methodically acquire, activate and retain users/followers/clients.

Growth hacking is about optimization as well as lead generation. Imagine your business is a bucket and your leads are water. You do not want to pour water into a leaky bucket; it is a waste of money. That is why a true growth hacker would care about customer retention.

If you are into any business today then you are using techniques on ‘growth hacking’ directly or indirectly to grow your business.

About the Lead Authors and Founders

Parul Agrawal, Founder and CEO of GrowthMedia.AI

Parul Agrawal is India's Leading Female Internet Entrepreneur, an Engineer by education and an Entrepreneur by passion. She is an International Bestselling Author, Public Speaker, Contributor to Huffington Post, BBN Times, She Owns It, Thrive Global and a Forbes Coaches Council Member

Parul grew up in a small town in India and inherited her business acumen from her father. She ventured to college in Mumbai and then moved to US through marriage.

After her graduation as an Engineer, she could have pursued a corporate job and enjoyed a stable pay-check. However, her entrepreneurial spirit called her to venture onto the risky path of online business.

Her passion for family well-being, inspired her to write a book ‘Juicing for Healthier Families’. In 2015, holding her baby in her arms “from the kitchen counter” - she published the book and ranked it as an International Bestseller and Amazon Hot New Release in multiple categories.

Today, as bestseller launch expert she has helped over 150 writers to become Bestselling Authors too! She’s been featured in major publications like the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Forbes and as a guest on ABC Arizona.

She also had the honor of being listed as one of the 30 Change-Makers of India for the Year 2018. As a business leader she combines her love for technology with the love for people. She is tough on the problem and known for her kindness and approachability.

Parul is an NRI and she lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband Ankur and their two beautiful children.

Rohan Chaubey, Founder and CMO of GrowthMedia.AI

Rohan Chaubey is one of the most followed Growth Hackers, a SaaS founder, business columnist, award-winning blogger, marketing influencer, speaker and web television host of RohanChaubey TV.

Rohan and his SaaS products have helped notable companies and organizations like UNESCO, UBER, BBN Times, RedBull, Candere by Kalyan Jewellers, Stuhrling, Congress, BJP, SoGoSurvey, Freshworks, Interesting Engineering, Quest Nutrition and many others. He has a proven track record of making content go viral on social media and off-beat digital channels.

His articles and products have been featured on top-tier media publications including HuffPost, The Next Web, Forbes, Good Men Project and many other popular blogs/publications. He also had the honor of being listed as one of the 30 change-makers in India for the year 2018.

There are 35 co-authors from eight countries uniting to share their ground-breaking growth insights that successful start-ups use to fuel their growth.

Three Lives. Five Cities. One Startup

If you wish to break free of your cubicle, this book is for you. If you dream to start a company of your own, this book is for you. If you’re already working on the next big startup idea, this book is for you. If travel makes your heart beat, this book is for you.

An inspirational story of self-discovery through travel and entrepreneurship, On theOpen Road - Three Lives. Five Cities. One Startup, is on the Amazon Bestsellers List already. Through the story of three - young, energetic, hustler, stubborn and never giving value to status quo characters, the book
shows the attitude of today’s youth towards life, the attitude of questioning everything, the desire to change, the attitude of not giving up and be like a phoenix.

The tale entails undying friendship, love and loss, happiness and depression, fear and conquest, dreaming and achieving. It tells about the hard yet empowering journey one has to take in order to startup a company. Every budding entrepreneur must read the story to be able to appreciate the importance of failure as much as the allure of success.

Book Reviews - 4.9/5 on amazon, 4.33/5 on goodreads

About the Author

[caption id="attachment_122661" align="aligncenter" width="523"]Stuti Changle[/caption]

In 2016, at twenty-three, I quit my first job with the dream of becoming a storyteller. I packed a rucksack and left Mumbai, where I worked as an Area Sales Manager, in search of my true self.

An year after my dream expedition, across India and Europe, I am back to reality with my novel, On the Open Road. I met people with extraordinary stories - the travelers, the entrepreneurs, the artists, the visionaries and the saints, who inspired me to the core and gave a new direction to my life. I felt I was meant to be a storyteller, stronger than ever.

I am currently based out of Gurugram, where I write at Starbucks and leave for the Himalayas when I struggle with the writer's block.

I have sailed to the Andamans, camped with the Indian Jawans in Arunachal Pradesh, scuba dived in the Indian Ocean, swum with the dolphins in the Mediterranean, danced to Bollywood songs on the streets of Prague, floated free for hours on the beach in the Island of Mallorca. I wish to travel the world before I die.

Every year, I spend time in the coastal village of Palolem in Goa as I feel I belong there! A minimalist at heart, with every passing day, I find myself moving farther from the never-ending quest of owning material possessions and a step closer to owning a vast ocean of experiences.

A post-graduate in management from the prestigious B-school IMI, New Delhi and a graduate in Computer Science and Technology, I have worked with corporates like HSBC and Coffee Day Beverages. On the Open Road draws inspiration from my real-life experiences and I wish to inspire my readers to listen to their heart and follow their dreams.