Thursday, February 28, 2013

Chanakya's New Manifesto


TITLE: CHANAKYA’S NEW MANIFESTO

AUTHOR: PAVAN K. VARMA

PUBLISHER: ALEPH

ISBN: 978-93-82277-09-5

GENRE: NON-FICTION

PAGES: 244

SOURCE: BLOGADDA

RATING: 4/5

BACKCOVER SAYS
Chanakya’s New Manifesto proposes a comprehensive blueprint for change. We cannot continue as we are, and must gather the resolve to bring in effective governance, a true democracy, a corruption-free state, a security-conscious nation and an inclusive society. If we fail, India may never succeed. Our future is at stake.

RAUMALI SAYS
Chanakya (c. 270-380 BCE) was classical India's greatest thinker and teacher. Through his unparalleled ability to devise result-oriented military, political, and administrative strategy, he overthrew one king, crowned another and paved the way for the establishment of India's first great empire. His seminal work, the Arthashashtra, arguably the world's first comprehensive treatise on statecraft and governance, was written approximately two thousand years before Machiavelli's The Prince. 

The book is a reflection on ideas of change that the writer says is meant for youngsters - aged between 15 and 35 - to draw them into the functioning of the country and join the refrain against rot. The narrative is in the voice of one of the greatest thinkers and teachers in Indian history - Chanakya - as his response to the various crises that beset modern India. The  writer has drawn up a practical and detailed plan, modelled on the Arthashashtra, to bring about reform and change in five key areas that require urgent attention
·         Governance- The focus areas are lack of economic reforms, education, agriculture, infrastructure project, railways and inflation.
·         Democracy- It spoke about the criminalisation of politics, the entrenchment of black money in our system and acceptance of dynastic politics.
·         Corruption- The author suggests combating corruption using financial accountability of political parties using technology, bringing in transparency in dealings and judicial reforms for detterent action.
·         Security- It articulated the importance of foreign policy, defense preparedness and an intelligence gathering mechanism.
·         The building of an inclusive society- This topic brought to light the dark side of the uncaring and indifferent India that cannot be called progressive unless it includes everybody.


Whether it is laying the foundation for an independent and effective Lokpal, or decriminalizing politics and successfully weeding out the corrupt, the solutions he proposes are substantive, well within the constitutional framework, and can make all the difference between intent and action. Chanakya’s New Manifesto prescribes setting up of a five-member Governance Appraisal Panel (GAP) which will independently evaluate the performance of the government and submit annual report to the President of India. According to the suggestion in the book, the GAP should comprise a leading economist or a corporate sector personality, a distinguished journalist, a respected former bureaucrat, an academic of eminence in the field of governance, and a retired chief justice of India or a retired Supreme Court judge. And they should be picked up by a selection panel comprising Prime Minister of India, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India.

Chanakya's New Manifesto is both a call to action as well as a deeply insightful account of the challenges facing the country today. It is a book that should be attentively read by everybody with a stake in India's future.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

RIP



TITLE: RIP
AUTHOR: Mukul Deva
PUBLISHER: Westland Ltd
ISBN: 978-93-82618-19-5
GENRE: Fiction/Thriller
PAGES: 286
SOURCE: Blogadda
RATING: 4/5




Backcover says:

R.I.P. The Resurgent Indian Patriots.
Self appointed guardians of a nation seething with anger at the endless scams and scandals rocking its very foundation. Vigilantes who vow to stop corrupt politicians and colluding civil servants.
Even if it means killing them.

Colonel Krishna Athawale and his team of Special Forces officers rally to protect the country from the enemy within. They call themselves the K-Team. And no one is safe from their deadly intent.

Hellbent on stopping them is Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando, gun for hire and Krishna’s bĂȘte noir.

Caught in the crossfire is Vinod Bedi, Special Director, CBI. Reena Bhagat, a glamorous news anchor, embittered by her husband’s betrayal. And two young boys, Sachin and Azaan, torn apart by the loss of a parent.

It doesn’t get bigger.

India’s literary storm trooper, Mukul Deva delivers yet another pulse-pounding, crackerjack of a thriller. Tethered on the edge of reality, RIP will keep you turning pages late at night.

Raumali says:

As I picked up the book, I couldn’t keep it down until the last page. I was deliberate to know how and where it ended. In most books, the hero wins, the villain loses in the end. But in RIP, the hero is the villain.

Colonel Krishna Athawale lost his wife in scams and scandals that is spread all over our country. Determined to stop this corruption that rule our country, Krishna sets out with his specially trained followers, ex-army men under the name K-Team, to execute their plan-RIP, to protect the country from the enemy that hides among us.

The government, bent to stopping them, hires Vinod Bedi, Special Director CBI, and also for special security, Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando. As the story progresses we find these two cross ways in their search for RIP.

Many innocents are caught in this fire. Among them are Reena Bhagat, Raghav’s ex-wife and Krishna’s new found Love, Payal-Krishna’s widowed sister who lost her husband in one such scam, Namrata- Bedi’s wife yearning for her husband’s love and time, and two kids- Sachin and Azaan torn apart by the loss of a parent.

This book is definitely a page turner. The Writing is Lucid and simple with a fluent flow. It’s much like a bollywood movie. The security and weapon details will leave anyone gasping.

I would recommend everyone to read this book. Thank you blogadda for giving me the chance.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Reviews Program. for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!