Books published by Speaking Tiger Publishing Private Limited

'This is an inspiring book by an inspiring man and deserves to be widely read…A must-read for all those interested in Dalit politics and caste change.'-Hugo Gorringe, author of Untouchable CitizensEknath Awad was a rare Dalit Mang activist from the Marathwada region of Maharastra, who fought for the rights of all underprivileged communities, irrespective of their caste or religion. In his compelling autobiography, Awad describes his rage against the humiliation of the Mangs by the upper castes; and his struggle to overcome caste prejudices as well as extreme poverty to get an education. He revisits his heady days of activism: rejecting caste-based labour and religious practices by cutting the Potraj's dreadlocks; joining the Dalit Panthers; being at the forefront of the Land Rights Movement; battling to rename Marathwada University after Dr Ambedkar; and working with an NGO in Thane that helped free Adivasis from bonded labour. He writes about his decision to return to Marathwada, where he continued to fight against caste-based discrimination until his death. Awad doesn't shy away from admitting his shortcomings, such as his tendency to resort to violence to settle disputes. He also recounts the casteism he faced from other Mangs, and his pain and disillusionment after some of them attempted to kill him.Originally published in Marathi as Jag Badal Ghaluni Ghaav, Jerry Pinto's remarkable translation makes this inspiring book available in English for the first time.

'This book is a must-read for everything you ever wanted to know about wild tigers in India.'-Valmik Thapar In this seminal book about the Indian tiger, Raghu Chundawat, a renowned conservation biologist, shares his findings from the only long-term ecological research project on tigers undertaken in India till date. Chundawat closely studied the Panna tigers and their prey, from 1996 to 2006-meticulously recording their space use, movements, feeding and reproductive behaviours-in the dry tropical forests of Madhya Pradesh. With support from the national park management, he oversaw a spectacular revival of Panna's tiger population. However, by 2002-03, the fortunes of Panna's tigers, and Chundawat's research, nosedived when the park management changed. Monitoring privileges and access to the park were curtailed, and subsequently, poaching and poisoning of tigers spiked. When Chundawat blew the whistle on the alarming decline, he faced immense backlash from the state wildlife authorities. Despite the systemic opposition, Chundawat continued the fight to save Panna's tigers, collecting data and petitioning the government to intervene. In this immensely informative work, Chundawat presents not just his research, but also an insider's account of the politics and administrative apathy plaguing Indian wildlife conservation. He discusses the larger threats to Indian wildlife-and the possible solutions. Filled with stunning photographs, The Rise and Fall of the Emerald Tigers is a must-read for all wildlife enthusiasts and researchers across the world.

DescriptionIn this extraordinary memoir, Nandita Haksar uses memories and ideas offood to ask fundamental questions about what we eat, who we eat with, whostarves and who feasts, which foods are forbidden or denigrated-and whatall this says about our country. Starting with her childhood in the 1950s,Haksar takes us on a fascinating journey through India, from wedding feastsin her Kashmiri Pandit family settled in Old Delhi and Lucknow, to humanrightsactivism on behalf of Nagas in Manipur; from listening to testimonies ofwomen working in Kerala's fisheries, to witnessing the impact of a globalizedfood industry on livelihoods in Goa. She examines how our tastes andattitudes to food are shaped by caste, class, religion, race and gender, and sheaddresses the recent controversies over beef-eating, and 'Hindu' vs 'Muslim'food. Scattered through the book are brilliant anecdotes-by turns startling,amusing and moving-about culinary rituals and curiosities, and memorablerecipes from the many people Haksar has eaten with.And always at the heart of the narrative is a fundamental question: How can apeople who won't eat together, as equals, stay united?

Watch out as mischiefs and mischief-makers of all shapes and sizes come tumbling out in this hilarious collection of stories.Is your school a hotspot for jokes? Do your family members regularly fall victim to pranks? Do ghosts and spooks get you into trouble? Find every kind of funny, crazy, impossible mischief in this book. Here you will find the girl who turned into a sloth just for her mother, the horse who went to the library and ate up some classics, the substitute teacher who saw dead people, the play where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and many more amazing tales of pranks and troublemaking!Selected by Ruskin Bond and Jerry Pinto, these stories have been written by some of the best children's writers of the country, including Sukumar Ray, R.K. Narayan, Ranjit Lal, Subhadra Sen Gupta, Paro Anand, Bulbul Sharma and many more. As an added bonus, watch out for brand new stories by Ruskin Bond and Jerry Pinto, too. Prankenstein is a delicious treasure trove of trouble and will have every mischief-maker plotting that perfect prank!

A sensational debut collection of poems by a fresh new voice'In these whimsical, deeply affectionate poems, New Delhi is both context and protagonist, alive in its dust, smog and everydayness, in the vibrant colour of the first lychees of the season, in the mysteries that lie between "city and sprawl". The city finds an ardent archivist in Michael Creighton-one who stoutly keeps the faith that "warm rains" will always "come to clear the dust". Suffused by rare tenderness, these poems return through the welter of streets and residences to an address that remains at the abiding centre of this book-the place that the poet terms "the place I imagine my heart to be".'-Arundhathi Subramaniam'New Delhi Love Songs is a collection abounding with shakarkandiwalas, jasmine-sellers, FM radios and cyclists, the Ghaziabad flower market and Moolchand flyover; the Delhi all around us, the Delhi of "your flesh, your seeds, / your skin", of "sweat and soil / mixed with clover, sun and wind". Unusual, deeply affecting in their attentiveness to life that seldom makes headlines, these poems reinforce the skeins of humanity that sustain us. They are tender and droll-two qualities we desperately need, in the capital but also elsewhere-yet steadfast in their eschewal of easy sentimentality and facile observations. New Delhi Love Songs makes the heart ache; but also sing, from time to time, for this is where "even a dead river looks lovely".' -Karthika Nair

A timeless tale of friendship and adventure.When Peter Pan and his friend Tinker Bell come to visit Wendy, John and Michael, the three children are whisked away from their ordinary lives to the magical and hidden island Neverland. In Neverland they meet the Lost Boys, the ticking crocodile, and Tiger Lily the Princess. With Peter Pan they have many adventures, including a final, thrilling showdown with Peter's enemy, the cruel Captain Hook.Funny, thought-provoking, and filled with action and adventure, the story of Peter Pan has been adapted for stage and film for over a century. In this original novel, he appears as he was first written-naughty, free spirited, the boy who never grew up. Introduced by Ruskin Bond, this classic edition will bewitch and enthrall readers all over again.

A selection of the most thrilling detective stories ever written by the master storyteller.Sherlock Holmes, the world's cleverest detective, sets forth in this collection of six extraordinary stories to solve some of the most intriguing cases of his career. What was the mysterious 'speckled band' that a woman referred to with her dying breath? What do the dancing men signify and why do they bring death in their wake? Is there really a league of red-headed men, or is it a conspiracy so audacious that only Holmes can sense it? Will Sherlock Holmes meet his end at the hands of the evil Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls?The cases of Sherlock Holmes have held readers spellbound ever since they were first published. In 1927, the stories in this volume were chosen by the author himself as some of the best he had written. Introduced here by Ruskin Bond, The Very Best of Sherlock Holmes presents the great detective in all his brilliant glory for a new generation of readers.

The classic fictionalized story of a little boy who lived to be perhaps the greatest king this world has ever seen.Long before he entered history books as Emperor Akbar, the Great Mughal, Prince Akbar was a brave young boy, growing up alone while his father Humayun was far away, fighting to win back the throne of Hindustan. But he had his faithful companions, a fierce black sheepdog and a clever snow-white cat, to protect him from demons and other dangers. Join him in The Adventures of Prince Akbar as he gets entangled in conspiracies and battles, foils his wicked uncle's attempts to kidnap him and playfully chases a bear over the snow, into a hidden green valley. A timeless classic read by children across the years and countries, The Adventures of Prince Akbar comes now with an introduction by Ruskin Bond and will be a book to treasure for a lifetime.

The best works by the greatest writer in the English language, retold in simple prose for young readers.Over 400 years ago, William Shakespeare wrote many memorable and beautiful plays and sonnets. These works have inspired generations of readers and writers, and continue to be read and performed even today. They have been recreated quite often but rarely for children. Keeping this in mind, in 1907, beloved children's author E. Nesbit, rewrote twenty of Shakespeare's most popular plays in simple, lively prose-from the comedies like Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew and the ever-popular Midsummer Night's Dream to the tragedies of Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Nesbit's vivid retellings of these plays and her selection of Shakespeare's famous quotes-along with an introduction by Ruskin Bond-are a perfect stepping stone for young readers into these great works of world literature.

Heartfelt poems and engaging stories for and about children by one of the greatest writers of Indian literature.In The Crescent Moon, Rabindranath Tagore brings alive the world of a child-in some poems he describes the simple joys of children at play, while in others, he feels the bonds of affection between mother and child, and in yet others, he expresses wonder at the earthly beauty all around us. Also included here are some of his most thought-provoking stories with themes that are relevant for children. In 'The Kabuliwalla' little Minnie becomes friendly with a burly Afghan man, but will she remember him when he returns after many years? 'The Parrot's Tale' is an allegory about the perils of the modern system of education, and 'The Kingdom of Cards', set in a fantasy land of cards, is a powerful statement against the stifling of freedom of any kind.Playful, innocent and full of tender love, with themes that will resonate with readers who are young and old, The Crescent Moon-with a thoughtful introduction by Ruskin Bond-is truly an enduring classic.

'There is nothing to keep me here,Only these mountains of silenceAnd the gentle reserve of shepherds and woodmenWho know me as one whoWalks among trees.' One of India's finest and most popular writers, Ruskin Bond is loved as much for the lyricism of his verses as for his classic stories. Tender and unsparing, understated but powerful, his poems reveal a deep connection with nature and appreciation for a surprising range of human emotions. This definitive collection of his poems, written over a lifetime, brings together themes as diverse as love, nostalgia, humour, family and friends, solitude and, of course, the joys to be found in spending time with nature. A timeless classic to enjoy or share, I Was the Wind Last Night: New and Collected Poems is a treasured addition to every poetry lover's bookshelf.

'Your story has left me gasping. Though I did not remember the ferocious details, I had a fairly strong recollection of the incandescent feelings expressed in it. But I wasn't prepared for the full burst of passion shown by the lovers, and the fitting, though brutal, end. […] When did you write it? No, don't tell me. I know you wrote it soon after I left India. But let me assure you, dearest Maya, that the passion still abides with me… or shall I say, with us…'Almost forty years after the end of their passionate affair in New Delhi of the late 1970s, Kevin, a vicar devoted to the political struggle for Scottish independence, and Maya, a reputed author of Hindi literary works, re-establish contact-this time over email. As they slowly re-weave the delicate tapestry of their connection with each missive, they share the stories of their histories, interests, desires and despairs with each other. Ultimately, Kevin and Maya must realize, each on their own, whether the strength of their remembered passion can match the four decades of quotidian life they have both since accrued.Written with grace and sensitivity, The Last Email is a moving account of two lives lived with passionate intensity, and steeped equally in love and in memory.

A collection of writings by an incandescent and gloriously eclectic intellectual of contemporary India.For over four decades, Shanta Gokhale has entertained, informed and challenged us with her insightful, witty and forthright writing in both English and Marathi. With rare objectivity and consistency, Gokhale has tried to decode our unique social etiquette while subtly exposing our hypocrisies, and celebrated tradition-defying women while forcefully criticizing the patriarchal and misogynistic structures of society. Her essays on theatre not only illustrate its evolution in India, but also provide arresting portraits of theatre personalities such as Satyadev Dubey, Vijay Tendulkar and Veenapani Chawla. And her detailed yet accessible articles on Indian classical music are a delight to read.In her short stories, she shapeshifts effortlessly from old men to teenage boys and college students. And finally, her two takes on Shakespeare show us how the Bard's ideas continue to remain relevant and, more importantly, how little attention he paid to his women characters.Candid, intense and often humorous, The Engaged Observer is also an invaluable record of the social, political and cultural changes that have taken place in Bombay, Mumbai and beyond.

A fantastic collection of some of the most inspiring speeches from India, spanning over a century.In this book, brilliantly introduced by Derek O'Brien, legendary Indians speak on diverse topics that will motivate young readers: freedom and equal rights, science and sports, friendship and education, the environment and social responsibility, ambition and courage, the love of books and the burden of schoolbags. Even in this age of speed and bite-sized attention spans, these timeless words reach out across years and touch us, provoke us, make us think, and become a call to action.A.P.J. Abdul KalamAmartya SenAtal Bihari VajpayeeAzim PremjiBaba Amte B.R. AmbedkarBalgangadhar TilakJagdish Chandra BoseJaipal Singh MundaJawaharlal NehruM.K. GandhiMedha PatkarMother TeresaParo AnandR.K. NarayanRabindranath TagoreRaghuram RajanRahul DravidRajendra PrasadRuskin BondS. RadhakrishnanSarojini NaiduShashi TharoorSubhash Chandra BoseSubroto BagchiSwami Vivekananda

A delightful novel about growing up in Shillong in the 1980s by the bestselling author of Bali and the Ocean of Milk and The Case of the Secretive Sister When fourteen-year-old Debojit Dutta meets the slightly older Clint Eastwood Lyngdoh in his maths tuition classes, he is wary of his cigarette-smoking, whisky-swilling ways. Besides, Debu has only recently escaped a bunch of local ruffians who wanted him to 'go back home to Bangladesh'.But Debu is unable to resist being friends with Clint. For, in return for doing his maths homework, Clint introduces him to a completely new life: the heady charms of Kalsang, the Chinese restaurant forbidden by Debu's mother; the revolutionary sounds of Pink Floyd; and most importantly, the coolest, prettiest girl in town-Audrey Pariat. Audrey loves maths and detective stories, just like Debu, and does not make him feel awkward or exotic. Together, the three of them look set to embark on many adventures. But when tensions between the Khasi and Bengali communities boil over, Shillong becomes a battlefield-old neighbours become outsiders and the limits of friendship are challenged.With crackling energy, Nilanjan P. Choudhury immerses us in the tumultuous lives of Debu, his friends and his family, and their attempts to find love and belonging. Written with uncommon warmth, humour and a delightful evocation of place, Shillong Times is an exhilarating coming-of-age story-showing us how friendship can eclipse the hardened enmities of adulthood.

'A riveting resurrection of the city of poets, the city of history, Saif Mahmood's learned and evocative book takes us to the heart of Delhi's romance with Urdu verse and aesthetics.'-Namita GokhaleUrdu poetry rules the cultural and emotional landscape of India-especially northern India and much of the Deccan-and of Pakistan. And it was in the great, ancient city of Delhi that Urdu grew to become one of the world's most beautiful languages. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, while the Mughal Empire was in decline, Delhi became the capital of a parallel kingdom-the kingdom of Urdu poetry-producing some of the greatest, most popular poets of all time. They wrote about the pleasure and pain of love, about the splendour of God and the villainy of preachers, about the seductions of wine, and about Delhi, their beloved home. This treasure of a book documents the life and work of the finest classical Urdu poets: Sauda, Dard, Mir, Ghalib, Momin, Zafar, Zauq and Daagh. Through their biographies and poetry-including their best-known ghazals-it also paints a compelling portrait of Mughal Delhi. This is a book for anyone who has ever been touched by Urdu or Delhi, by poetry or romance.

Sparkling stories of love, longing and heartbreak in the city by Ravish Kumar, journalist, TV anchor and bestselling author of The Free VoiceA boy from Bihar living in Lajpat Nagar likes a momo-seller from the Northeast; she likes him too, but when he gifts her a token from his village, his dreams come crashing down. Samar travels with his beloved in a DTC bus in Delhi, the only space in the city where they can meet, but he's afraid to call out her name for fear it will be recognized. A couple shelters from rain underneath a flyover, hoping for a moment of seclusion, but staring eyes pour water on their dreams. And a girl lets herself into her lover's rented room, finds a bunch of letters from his past flames, and leaves him an unusual farewell note. In these crisp, powerful, micro stories, the celebrated journalist, TV anchor and writer Ravish Kumar brings alive the love, longing and heartbreak which flourish in the city's spaces. And even as lovers find the niches they need, the city itself shapes their relationships. Brilliantly translated from the bestselling Hindi original Ishq Mein Shahar Hona, A City Happens in Love is a tribute to the modern Indian city, its capaciousness, and to the power of love.

Lessons in excellence from one of the world's greatest self-help gurus• Choose a career that is best suited for you.• Learn the rules of public speaking which will make you an effective communicator.• Adopt the Four Good Working Habits to keep away stress and fatigue.• Apply the eleven fundamental principles of financial planning to your life.Dale Carnegie, bestselling author and motivational speaker, has inspired millions all over the world to bring about a positive change to their lives and careers. Your Personal Guide to Big Success collects the essential principles of Dale Carnegie's teachings in a handy, accessible book which will help you in both your private and professional worlds. Each principle is illustrated by anecdotes and stories from the lives of successful businessmen and corporate leaders, as well as from the lives of great political from history. Also included here is a selection of inspirational quotes from Dale Carnegie, and the thinkers and achievers he most admired, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas A. Edison, Henry Ford and many other legends.

From the vantage point of her own personal history-a fourth-generation Indian South African of mixed lineage-indentured as well as trader class, part Hindu, part Muslim-Dala explores the nuts and bolts of being Indian in South Africa today.From 1684 till the present, the Indian diaspora in South Africa has had a long history. But in the country of their origin, they remain synonymous with three points of identity: indenture, apartheid and Mahatma Gandhi.In this series of essays, Zainab Priya Dala deftly lifts the veil on some of the many other facets of South African Indians, starting with the question: How relevant is Gandhi to them today?It is a question Dala answers with searing honesty, just as she tackles the questions of the 'new racism'-between Black Africans and Indians-and the 'new apartheid'-money; the tussle between the 'canefields' where she grew up, and the 'Casbah', or the glittering town of Durban; and what the changing patterns in the names the Indian community chooses to adopt reflect.In writing that is fluid, incisive and sensitive, she explores the new democratic South Africa that took birth long after Gandhi returned to the subcontinent, and the fight against apartheid was fought and won. In this new 'Rainbow Nation', the people of Indian origin are striving to keep their ties to Indian culture whilst building a stronger South African identity. Zainab Priya Dala describes some of the scenarios that result from this dichotomy.

'Soaked in the Bible, in Sanskrit, in mid twentieth-century English poetry and his own lifelong reading habits, Vijay Nambisan was a great Indian poet who never received his due. His magisterial later poems are of a piece with the earliest, which is rare. It is infuriating that he is unknown to most Indians. This book is a treasure and a cathedral.'-JEET THAYIL 'In Vijay's intelligent, self-aware meditations on mortality and human folly in this final and complete volume of his poems, readers will come to as close an apprehension of the nature of epiphany as is possible-to those sudden illuminations of the spirit that can, without warning, light up flares in our dull, corporeal bodies. [The] 111 poems in this slender volume written over his brief lifetime…display…a keen understanding of science and its uncompromising rationality ("radium decays a little bit at a time"), of the temporary bonds of love and desire, of waddling ducks and arching cats, of the particular genealogies of speech that Vijay came to inherit through his father, his grandparents, his mother and aunts, and of the questing history of our bipedal species… In the title poem of this volume, "These Were My Homes", Vijay tracks a path from the safe womb to the single "bed in which to breathe my last of air". I can think of few poets who have better traversed that eternal arc.' -From the Introduction by Rukmini Bhaya Nair

The adventures of two runaway baby sparrows by award-winning author Ranjit Lal.Chiddy and Gouri, two baby sparrows, are bullied mercilessly by their elder siblings. They are so traumatized that they absolutely refuse to learn how to fly. Instead, they run away, kindly assisted by Breaking Wind-a jovial breeze. But they quickly discover that the world is an unkind place; they are trapped, dyed red, caged and sold off.A kind girl frees them, but the sparrows-still red and flightless-end up on the 'hit list' of the local cat mafia. From there, how do the timid little birds become the feared ninja sparrows? Will they be able to defeat the evil Siamese cats Ping-Li and Pong-La? Will they ever be able to return to their families? And will they finally realize that being a bird means being able to fly free?In this delightful book, Ranjit Lal reveals the incredible drama that flourishes among bird and animal lives in the gardens and parks all around us. Clever, funny and full of non-stop adventure, The Little Ninja Sparrows is about finding your true place in the world-whether human or sparrow.