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BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS WEEK

A New Silk Road: India, China and the Geopolitics of Asia Kingshuk Nag In the summer of 2020, China entered into an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with India in the border areas of Ladakh. The real reason was President Xi’s ambitious plans to strengthen the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This opens a new shortened path for Chinese […]

A New Silk Road: India, China and the Geopolitics of Asia

Kingshuk Nag

In the summer of 2020, China entered into an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with India in the border areas of Ladakh. The real reason was President Xi’s ambitious plans to strengthen the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This opens a new shortened path for Chinese exports and imports that otherwise would have to go through eastern China located far away. Ladakh allows relatively easy access to both PoK and Xinjiang; thus the Chinese seek to get a toehold in Ladakh. Even as he re-examines outdated assumptions and makes path-breaking discoveries about China’s new ‘great game’, the author argues that it is imperative to understand the history and learn from it to assess current events.

The Gopichand Factor: The Rise and Rise of Indian Badminton

Abhijeet Kulkarni

Prakash Padukone and his All-England championship victory in 1980 had firmed up India’s relationship with badminton, and Pullela Gopichand’s win in the All England in 2001 cemented it. But it is the last decade that saw a definite transformation in Indian badminton—a decade in which Gopichand moved into coaching with his eponymous academy in Hyderabad. Gopichand’s band of racquet-wielding champions including Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, and B. Sai Praneeth have excelled on the world stage. Partly an investigation of the sport in India, and partly a deep dive into the coaching techniques and mental strategies that have aided its transformation, this book is the definitive history of the rise and rise of Indian badminton.

The Tale of the Horse: A History of India on Horseback

Yashaswini Chandra

In this inspired and singularly erudite debut, Yashaswini Chandra takes us on the trail of the horse into and within India. What follows is a surprising and exhilarating journey, covering caravan-trade routes originating in Central Asia and Tibet, sea routes from the Middle East, and the dominions of different sultans and Mughal emperors, the south Indian kingdoms as well as the Rajput horse-warrior states. She outlines the political symbolism of the horse, its vital function in social life, religion, sport and war, its role in shaping economies and forging crucial human bonds. We encounter fabulous horsewomen, Chand Bibi, Maratha princesses and women polo players among them.

Metaphors of Memory: Healing Through Past and Current Life Regression A Doctor’s Perspective

Dr Natwar Sharma

The book reveals the mysteries of the mind and the influence of our past and current life experiences on our present behaviour. Drawing from his years of research and practice, Dr Natwar Sharma, a paediatrician who turned to practise past-life regression therapy, describes how it is possible to access powerful subconscious patterns and unlock a curative pathway. He demystifies this powerful healing tool through detailed case studies that demonstrate the release of unhealthy patterns, beliefs and energies as a route to healing. The book offers hope to those interested in supplementing their treatment regimens with holistic therapies that go beyond the manifest and the physical.

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