Pulling the strings

♦ KARMAYOGI: A BIOGRAPHY OF E. SREEDHARAN (Penguin, Rs 250) by M.S. Ashokan is based on the life of the much-admired engineer and technocrat, E. Sreedharan. It has been translated from Malayalam by Rajesh Rajamohan. Sreedharan has won many accolades for finishing the Delhi Metro project on time and within budget in spite of constraints. In this book, the author interestingly takes into account Sreedharan's contribution in other lesser known but important projects such as the Konkan Railways and the Calcutta Metro. The book is well-researched and will inspire the readers.

♦ THE RISE OF HASTINAPUR (HarperCollins, Rs 299) by Sharath Komarraju is based on the Mahabharat. The book mainly focuses on three female characters of the epic - Amba, Kunti and Gandhari. Amba was forcefully carried away from her swayamvar by Bhishma and was to be wedded to Vichitraveerya. In a dramatic turn of events, she ended up being abandoned. Holding Bhishma responsible for her misfortune, she swore revenge. The author brings out the misery of Amba as she undertakes a severe penance, which eventually won her a boon from the god, Shiv.

Komarraju's depiction of Gandhari is commendable. It challenges the existing narrative about the queen of Hastinapur, who has been considered to be a failure in issues of statecraft. The author depicts the tough choices faced by Gandhari: she had to marry the blind prince of Hastinapur, Dhritarashtra, to save the kingdom of Gandhara. In the background, Bhishma pulls the strings, making alliances and marriages, devising new strategies to increase the might of Hastinapur. The book concentrates on the oft-overlooked contributions of the female characters of the epic.

♦ MY MYANMAR YEARS: A DIPLOMAT'S ACCOUNT OF INDIA'S RELATIONS WITH THE REGION (Sage, Rs 495) by Preet Malik focuses on the relevance of Myanmar in India's Look East policy. Myanmar has long been in "India's cultural, historical and political consciousness." In this book, Malik deals with the geostrategic importance of Myanmar and the evolving nature of the nation's bilateral relationship with India. The author also tries to address the reasons behind the mutual distrust and disenchantment that characterize the relation between the nations. The book carries authority, as Malik had served as the Indian ambassador to Myanmar between 1990 and 1992.