Rupa’s offerings in May will give you much to ponder over

New Delhi: Roadblocks in police reforms, what lies ahead for Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370, toned-down thoughts and toothless opinions from a deliberately jumbled-up comedian, boosting immunity to beat whatever the universe throws at us, incredibly effective practices to help women unlock the secrets to a fulfilling life, a perspective on the polarized debate on conflicting notions of secularism – Rupa gives you plenty to ponder over this May to tide over the rising mercury.

The Struggle For Police Reforms In India – Ruler’s Police to People’s Police. By Prakash Singh

The police should be people-friendly and should inspire confidence among all sections of people as the protector of their lives, property and honour. Unfortunately, we continue to be saddled with a ‘politically useful’ police which was created by the British essentially to uphold their imperial interests.

The author, a former head of the BSF, took upon himself the task of reforming the police and, in 1996, filed a public suit in the Supreme Court for this. It took him 10 years to get a favourable judgment; surprisingly and disappointingly, it has already taken another 15 years to get the judicial directions implemented – and the end is not in sight!

This book documents the efforts made to bring about police reforms in the country. Giving a historical background to the origin of the Indian Police, the book traces its evolution during British rule and subsequently since Independence. Capturing the struggles of diverse sections of people and groups, it focuses essentially on the author’s efforts to bring about transformational changes in the Indian police.

Valley Of Red Snow – Kashmir Beyond 370. By Jitendra Dixit

On August 5, 2019, Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status, was abrogated. Jammu and Kashmir is now a union territory.

This landmark event in the history of Kashmir was preceded by a series of political and social events over the seven decades since Independence. What forces led to the abrogation? What were its consequences on the people of Jammu and Kashmir? What was their reaction to it? And most importantly, what does the future hold?

Written by veteran journalist Jitendra Dixit, “Valley Of Red Snow” seeks to answer these questions and presents an unprejudiced, non-judgmental and comprehensive story of how Kashmir is changing after one of the biggest government decisions in the history of independent India. This book narrates the events from the years preceding the historic event, the immediate situation in Kashmir at the time of the abrogation and presents voices of various stakeholders in the Valley with extensive interviews. It chronicles the momentous events in the Valley in the last decade as witnessed by the author from ground zero and others insights on the ‘New Kashmir’. A must-read for those interested in the future of Jammu and Kashmir.

Vote For Pant – But, Don’t. By Sorabh Pant

Do not vote for comedian Sorabh Pant. He is irrelevant, insignificant and has no knowledge or insights about politics and issues that matter. Also, he’s never going to run for elections but that’s another story. Either way, Pant is still going to talk about those issues, or at least the ones he’s allowed to talk about. In this book of toned-down thoughts and toothless opinions, he attempts to answer the important questions: Can motivational speakers solve unemployment? Is politics mainly about not paying tax? Should India give a haircut to Mallya? Can we use our population for direct profit? What is the correct price to buy news? Did ‘someone’ important plagiarize Pant’s stand-up set? Should the prime minister personally thank people for paying income tax? What makes China so cute? Is nepotism not really Bollywood’s problem? Should the punishment for fake news be more fake news? And, if Pant hosted Mann ki Baat, who would watch that?

The Immunity Diet – Fight off Infections and Live Your Best Life. By Kavita Devgan

Immunity is the ability of our bodies and minds to withstand the stresses of our daily life and to cope with imbalances and diseases. It is the strength of our immune system which decides who gets sick and who doesn’t, who catches the newest bug in town and who stays fit. In this book, acclaimed nutritionist and bestselling author Kavita Devgan has put together an extensive set of habits that can help us boost our immunity, empower this amazingly intelligent system further, and give us an edge to beat whatever the universe throws at us from everyday injuries, burns viral and bacterial infections, inflammatory disorders to new and unfamiliar adversaries, such as Covid-19.

Unfetter – Heal Your Mind, Body and Spirit. By Tanuja Sodhi

Tanuja Sodhi, author of such acclaimed books as “Parenting in the Age of McDonald’s” and “Raising a True Winner” returns with yet another priceless handbook, this time for women.

“Unfetter” is a powerful handbook packed with simple yet incredibly effective practices which will help you unlock the secrets to a much healthier, happier and a more fulfilling life.

Some of the enlightening insights covered in this trailblazing book are: mindfulness-based interventions for the well-being of your mind, body and spirit; smart nutrition protocols to help you maintain a clean and wholesome diet; super-effective fitness ideas to keep you feeling energetic all day; a systematic approach to realizing your life’s gratifying soul goals; natural ways to balance out-of-whack female hormones; and inspiring personal stories of courage of real women that can serve as beacons of hope.

So, gear up to breathe life into your existence by feeling energetic, radiating happiness, and experiencing a sense of calm and fulfilment. Add this book to your inspirational book collection now!

Unmasking Indian Secularism – Why We Need a New Hindu-Muslim Deal. By Hasan Suroor

In a bold attempt to help break the impasse in Hindu-Muslim relation, this book brings a much-needed perspective to a polarized debate on conflicting notions of secularism. It calls for de-hyphenating the so-called ‘Muslim Question’ (place of Muslims in a Hindu-majority India) from the wider debate on secularism and advocates a new Hindu-Muslim deal based around the centuries-old common cultural heritage skirting religious differences.

In a refreshing break from liberal orthodoxy, the book explores the idea of a secular Hindu state which will recognize Hinduism as the official religion but guarantee equal rights to all its citizens, irrespective of their faith: a version of Britain’s secular Christian state. An incisive analysis of why secularism failed and the rise of majoritarian Hindu nationalism, it underlines the urgent need for a new road map to restore communal harmony before it’s too late for course correction.

–IANS

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