non-fiction books by Indian authors July 2019

July is a great month to dive into non-fiction as some of India’s finest minds are releasing books that are going to give you food for thought. While Justice Katju will tell you what is needed for India to successfully transition into a modern economy, T. R. Raghunandan will help you understand the hell that is Indian bureaucracy. Suraj Yengde’s book deconstructs caste in present-day India and Sandhya Mulchandani’s work delves into the Bhakti Movement. All this and more awaits you in July!

01

The Shape Of Things To Come: An Impassioned View

Markandey Katju

India is still transitioning from a feudal agrarian society to a modern, industrial one and Justice Katju believes that in order for the transition to be successful, India needs to first let go of the old ways. However, he is sceptical of this happening because of increasing incidents of communalism and corruption as well as caste and poverty-related issues. He argues that it may take another 20 or so years for this transition to be complete. In The Shape Of Things To Come, Justice Katju suggests that “a scientific mission for national reconstruction” is required for India to become a developed and egalitarian society.

Releasing on July 10, 2019. Buy it here.

02

Peerless Minds: An Arc Of Achievement

Pritish Nandy & Tapan Chaki (Eds.)

This stunning book collects interviews, conducted by leading journalists and authors, of some of the finest minds of our time. In Peerless Minds you’ll find Aatish Taseer’s interview of Salman Rushdie; Pritish Nandy in conversation with Ratan Tata; and Shireen Bhan interviewing Satya Nadella, amongst many others. You’ll also get an opportunity to read what is perhaps the last interview ever given by V.S. Naipaul. This collection of long-form interviews distils the thoughts and ideas of people who are bringing change to the world.

Releasing on July 10, 2019. Buy it here.

03

Gay Icons Of India

Hoshang Merchant & Akshaya K. Rath

In September 2018, the Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality in India, ushering in a new era for those who identify as gay. In Gay Icons Of India, the authors profile 22 Indian personalities from the queer community who have succeeded both professionally and personally and fought for their rights. These gay icons hail from all walks of life: they are dancers, poets, designers, painters, and social servants. This book not only celebrates their lives but is also an homage to these inspirational personalities.

Releasing on July 10, 2019. Buy it here.

04

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Bureaucracy But Were Afraid To Ask

T.R. Raghunandan

If the very thought of getting your passport renewed or having to deal with any sort of Indian bureaucracy makes you want to curl up in a ball, this book is perfect for you. In Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Bureaucracy, Raghunandan tries to explain how bureaucracy works in a way that even laypersons can understand it. Funny and irreverent, this book will help you navigate Indian red-tapeism.

Releasing on July 15, 2019. Buy it here.

05

Gandhi@150

Rajan Welukar (Ed.)

2019 marks the 150th birth anniversary of M.K. Gandhi and this book discusses whether he is still relevant today and explores how his philosophy has impacted various areas like education, health, development, and science. Featuring pieces from the likes of Rohini Hattangadi, Justice Chavan, Ela Gandhi, Radhakrishnan Pillai, and Brenda Gourley, Gandhi@150 is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn how to apply certain Gandhian concepts for the development of India.

Releasing on July 16, 2019. Buy it here.

06

The Rise Of Goliath: Twelve Disruptions That Changed India

A.K. Bhattacharya

A look back at India’s journey since Independence shows that our history is marked by major disruptions. From the Partition to the Emergency, each disruption has shaped India into what it is today. For example, the balance-of-payments crisis of 1990 led us into a decade of economic reforms while reservation changed Indian politics. In recent years, demonetisation and GST have been equally disruptive. In The Rise Of Goliath, Bhattacharya highlights 12 such disruptions that changed India and also gives us a glimpse into the kind of disruptions we could face in the coming years.

Releasing on July 17, 2019. Buy it here.

07

Democracy, Interrupted: The Emergency 1975-77

Various

The Emergency challenged Indian democracy and can safely be considered a turning point in independent India’s history. Democracy, Interrupted presents a collection of essays by Prashant Bhushan, Gyan Prakash, Coomi Kapoor, Ajoy Bose and John Dayal, who share five different perspectives on the Emergency. While Bhushan provides a legal perspective by recreating the case that led to the Emergency, Kapoor gives a more personal account as she details her experience when her husband was arrested. This illuminating book will help you understand the impact of Emergency and what really happened while it was in effect.

Releasing on July 20, 2019. Buy it here.

08

For The Love Of God: Women Poet Saints Of The Bhakti Movement

Sandhya Mulchandani

Written between third centuries B.C. and A.D., Sangam literature is a collection of thousands of verses written in Tamil. These poems were expressed as devotional love between a female devotee and God and gave women a way to express themselves through bhakti. They often saw God as a lover, friend, husband, or even a son, and this self-expression refused to be drowned by patriarchy. In For The Love Of God, Mulchandani discusses the historical accounts of the women poet-saints of the Bhakti Movement.

Releasing on July 20, 2019. Buy it here.

09

Caste Matters

Suraj Yengde

Suraj Yengde is a first-generation Dalit scholar and a post-doctoral fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. In Caste Matters, he talks about his experiences growing up in a Dalit basti and highlights how Dalits are treated on a daily basis. He exposes the glass ceiling for Dalits in various areas like politics and bureaucracy. Interestingly, he also discusses divisions within caste and how many elite Dalits behave. In this path-breaking book, Yengde shows us how similar caste oppression is to other forms of discrimination like gender and race. Caste Matters is likely to not only challenge how you view caste but also encourage you to do something about it.

Releasing on July 22, 2019. Buy it here.

Disclaimer: Some of these books were previously available on Kindle or as international editions which were available for import. This list features Indian editions of these books, which tend to be more affordable. The information featured here is accurate as of June 26, 2019.