Author Archives: Thebookreviewindia

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, banning children under 14 from hazardous jobs and regulating others, was passed in 1986, followed by the 1987 National Policy, which emphasized rehabilitation and education. Subsequently,

The chapters cover topics that include the study of leaves, seed germination, seed dispersion, floral structures, biodiversity in the living world, food, sensitivity, the animal kingdom, microorganisms, reproduction in plants and animals, animals’ internal organs, animal life cycles, plant nutrition, and the growth and development of both living and non-living entities.

Marketed as a real-life practical manual for teenagers, Beyond the Syllabus proves to be apt even for adults dealing with such questions.

It highlights the silting of rivers and the changing of their courses, which students would otherwise read about without really understanding the phenomena as they happened in the past, or reflecting on them through the prism of today’s disasters.

The initial couple of chapters on the protohistoric period of India, viz. the Harappan Civilization (‘Harappan Culture’, pp. 25-42) and the Rig-Vedic period (‘Society and Ideas in the Age of the Vedas’, pp. 43-48), are important in that they lay bare several myths pertaining to these ages.

From being one among many, Mihr rose to become the favourite wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, who married her in the sixth year of his reign subsequent to the demise of Ali Quli Beg. Sharing an extraordinary, sensitive relationship with his twentieth wife,

However, most Indian rulers were generally caring of their people, irrespective of their community and religion. In Cochin, Jews, Christians, and Arab Muslims were all welcome, and the first mosque in india was built there in the actual lifetime of Prophet Mohammed.

Here, fictionalizing a historical event draws young readers into the folds of India’s unique victory in overthrowing the British Empire. There is little knowledge about the salt marchers, which is appropriately covered by fictional elements. It does not distort history

Railway Chronicles of Bhopal is unusual because it takes the laying of a railway track as its starting point but then weaves its story to introduce us to the administrative skills of the Begums who were the then Nawabs of Bhopal.

Together, these two books complement each other: the first, ideal for introducing very young children to the idea that kindness, curiosity, and discipline are the building blocks of greatness;

Shivaji and His Swarajya Adventures is rich with leadership lessons. These are not buried in subtext; they are clearly highlighted, making it easy for readers to identify and reflect upon them. This approach makes the book particularly suitable for read-aloud sessions,

This remarkable person was Kundavai, daughter of the mighty ruler, Sundar Chola, who ruled over most of the Southern region of India. After his death, she continued to stay in her brother’s palace, to help and advice first her brother Rajaraja Chola 1, one of the most powerful kings of medieval India, and later his son, Rajendra.

Two key elements in the story offer a unique perspective. One is Roop’s toy: a kaleidoscope. Roop sees the world through it, blending colours together. For her, red, blue, green and purple are not separate. They merge into one. The kaleidoscope unites them. But when she sees the world outside, where colours are divided, it hurts her. The second is the river, which serves as a metaphor.

The book’s clear structure, with one chapter dedicated to each traveller, makes it an excellent resource for young history enthusiasts.

The narrative voice is engaging and deceptively simple. It’s conversational yet informative. It’s never stodgy. It never talks down to the young reader. It is well edited for clarity and consistency but it’s also got a real sparkle to it. This passage describes universal adult franchise:

The narrative naturally begins with Dr. BR Ambedkar, whose life was marked by the harsh realities of caste discrimination. Those early experiences forged in him a determination to secure dignity and justice through state action.

Significantly, as the work demonstrates, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, even before it became the nation’s anthem, was adopted by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his Indian National Army.

In travelling this ground, we also need to understand the relationship between science and technology. The most advanced technological products we use are also the products of science. Significant advances, for example, in electronics, utilize ultraviolet (UV) or extra-UV lasers to produce chips, in which the transistor size is measured in nanometres.

The writing is breezy and engrossing for mature readers who have some background knowledge of and interest in the thought paradigms of different religions and philosophies. Each chapter gives you much to learn and much to reflect on, examples chosen from ancient history and religious and spiritual traditions.

In this book, Sen takes on the challenge of presenting the Bhagavad Geeta to a young audience. Instead of approaching it as a commentary, Sen adopts a creative narrative frame: an extended dialogue between a grandfather and his two grandchildren with occasional interventions from the mother.