Books and Authors - Current Affairs for August, 2016

Vice President of India Hamid Ansari on 24th August 2016 released a book Patriots, Poets and Prisoners : Selections from Ramanand Chatterjee’s The Modern Review 1907-1947.

• This book has been edited by Shri Anikendra Sen, Shri Devangshu Datta and Ms. Nilanjana S Roy.
• The founder editor is Ramananda Chatterjee.
• Vice President said contents of the volume testify to the intellectual stature of the contributors and of their times
• This book includes a debate on Ahimsa between Mahatma Gandhi and Lala Lajpat Rai
• It also comprises an essay on nationalism by Rabindranath Tagore
• There is a classic short story by Munshi Premchand
• The book also contains a piece on Jawaharlal Nehru by Chanakya

Sanjeev Sanyal authored a book entitled The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History on 10th August 2016

• Book narrated the history of the Indian Ocean which stretches across East Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to SE Asia and Australia.
• The book narrates a fascinating tale about earliest human migrations out of Africa and greatest cities of Angkor, Vijayanagar, medieval Arab empires and Chinese treasure fleets, rivalries of European colonialists and the coming dawn.
• The book offers exciting revelation while exploring remote archaeological sites, ancient inscriptions, maritime trading networks and half-forgotten oral histories.
• He is an Indian economist, writer and theorist and led Deutsch bank as its MD.
• He was named Young Global Leader 2010 by WEF at Davos.
• Other books he has written include The Indian Renaissance: India's Rise after a Thousand Years of Decline, Land of the Seven Rivers: A Brief History of India's Geography and The Incredible History of India's Geography.
• Legendary journalist George E Curry passed away on 20th August in Maryland US.
• He was considered the dean of African American press columnists.
• Curry reported on racism, poverty and national politics for newspapers.

A took titled R.D.Burman: Pancham Memoirs authored by Chaitanya Padukone was released in July 2016.

• Book elucidates the life of legendary musician RD. Burman.
• The book is a exclusive tribute to Panchamda from well known performers like Amitabh Bachchan, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Zeenat Aman.
• Padukone is a senior showbiz journalist honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee received a copy of the book Grassroots Innovation authored by Prof. Anil K Gupta (IIM-A) who is also Vice Chairman National Innovation Foundation.

• The book details how entrepreneurs and thinkers are contributing to the innovation movement for the economic development and advancement of society.
• President Mukherjee also said that innovation at grassroots level should be supported.

This book by Ravi Velour chronicles the nation’s journey before PM Modi took the reigns of the nation.

• Book was released in April 2016 by Singapore ESM Goh Chok TOng.
• Book captures significant events of the year under former Indian PM Manmohan Singh and examine how the country handles the issue.
• Ravi Velloor is associate editor of Singapore newspaper The Strait Times.

Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar and Union Minister of HRD Shri Prakash Javadekar have released three books on the life of former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on July 27, 2016.

• The books entitled Prerna Nu Zamu: Dr Abdul Kalam (in Gujarati) “ Dr. Kalam: Prerna Ki Udaan” (in Hindi) and “Do You Know Dr APJ Abdul Kalam” (in English).
• Shri Parrikar held that Dr. Kalam was known for “thinking big to dream and putting energy to achieve that dream.”