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<keyword id="20528925" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amish-Tripathi" source="keywords">Amish Tripathi</keyword>, the celebrated author behind the best-selling <keyword id="22444346" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiva-trilogy" source="keywords">Shiva Trilogy</keyword> and Ram Chandra series, has made headlines once again for his recent acquisition in Mumbai’s elite <keyword id="22444347" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Upper-Worli-district" source="keywords">Upper Worli district</keyword>. The author, known for his retelling of Indian myths, has invested a staggering Rs 13.65 crore in a luxurious apartment located within the prestigious <keyword id="22444348" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-One-project" source="keywords">World One project</keyword> by the <keyword id="20178245" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lodha-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Lodha Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Lodha Group">Lodha Group</keyword>. Situated in one of Mumbai's most coveted locales, Tripathi's new abode spans approximately 251 square metres of sheer opulence. Boasting interiors designed by the renowned <keyword id="22444349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Armani/Casa" source="keywords">Armani/Casa</keyword>, the residence offers a blend of sophistication and comfort. Further, Lodha’s World One project, renowned for its exclusivity and panoramic views of the Arabian Sea, boasts some of the tallest residential buildings in India. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111582880" title="How did Delhi-NCR and Mumbai housing prices surge by nearly 50% in five years?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Nestled in the heart of <keyword id="20161525" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Mumbai" source="keywords">South Mumbai</keyword>, Worli boasts a vibrant mix of cultural attractions and recreational avenues. Some notable destinations include the picturesque <keyword id="22444350" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Worli-Sea-Face" source="keywords">Worli Sea Face</keyword>, a favourite among joggers and evening strollers, to the iconic Bandra-Worli Sea Link, which connects the island city to its northern suburbs. Moreover, the area's upscale dining establishments, boutique shops, and cultural venues ensure that residents are never far from the pulse of Mumbai's dynamic lifestyle. Worli in South Mumbai has long also been a magnet for celebrities and prominent personalities seeking luxury and convenience. Known for its stunning sea views and proximity to Mumbai's business districts, Worli counts several Bollywood stars, industrialists, and sports icons among its residents. Notable personalities that reside here include Shahid Kapoor, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, <keyword id="6354486" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="virat-kohli" source="Orion">Virat Kohli</keyword>, Anushka Sharma, Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111663953" title="Is the cost of rent finally going down in Bengaluru&amp;#39;s IT corridors like Koramangala and Whitefield?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Even with 7 million books sold worldwide, Tripathi continues to expand his creative horizons. In collaboration with Immortal Studios, Wakaoo Films, and Casa Media, the author has ventured into film production, aiming to bring his novel Legend of Suheldev: The King Who Saved India to life on screen. His latest documentary, Ram Janmabhoomi: Return of a Splendid Sun, delves into the historical and cultural facets of Ram Janmabhoomi and the life of Lord Ram.

Shiva trilogy author Amish Tripathi buys Mumbai apartment worth Rs 13.65 crores in one of India’s tallest towers

<ul><li><ul><li>Cultural diplomat and author <keyword id="182794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amish-Tripathi" source="Orion">Amish Tripathi</keyword>’s new book <keyword id="14079627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="War-of-Lanka" source="Orion">War of Lanka</keyword> sold six and a half million copies within two weeks of launch. </li><li>War of Lanka also saw India’s first Metaverse launch for a book, where an augmented reality filter was uploaded on Instagram for users. </li><li>India has become wealthier post 1991 and the emergence of ‘real’ India is inspiring films based on myths, says Tripathi. </li></ul> </li></ul>From the time he left his banking job to become a full-time writer in 2011, Amish Tripathi has attempted to give Indian deities human-like attributes through his take on myths. In his books, deities get angry, make human mistakes and even poke fun at each other. Director Shekhar Kapur, who is making a web series on Tripathi’s <keyword id="810431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiva-Trilogy" source="Orion">Shiva trilogy</keyword>, called him ‘India’s literary popstar’. Tripathi’s first trilogy on deity Shiva became the fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history. His most recent book ‘War of Lanka’ has already sold six and a half million copies and is currently under reprint. What makes his books popular is not just the content but also his marketing hooks. He roped in marketing agency Think WhyNot to launch an augmented reality filter on Instagram for the ‘War of Lanka’. Custom merchandise or making the first music album in Indian publishing history for ‘The Oath of the Vayuputras’ – the third book in his Shiva Trilogy – are some other marketing examples. The author of seven books encapsulating the stories of Ram, Raavan, Sita and Shiva, Tripathi talks to Business Insider India about topics ranging from the importance of myths to the impact of the pandemic on the publishing industry. Currently serving as a cultural diplomat as head of the Nehru Center in London, Tripathi also shares his take on the real India. <keyword id="14491960" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UK-Prime-Minister-Rishi-Sunak" source="Orion">UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak</keyword> invited you to 10 Downing Street, how was the experience? Oh, it was very nice. It was a small get-together in 10 Downing Street, a celebration of Diwali. He had got people from the local Swami Chinmaya Mission to read a prayer. We did a proper lighting of the lamp with traditional rituals. It was also very nice to see so many native White British and other communities in attendance, celebrating a Hindu/Jain/Sikh festival with warmth and happiness. It's been almost a month since War of Lanka has been released. How has the response been? I will be honest. Prior to the launch of the book, I was a little nervous, quite nervous, actually, for various reasons. One, it was a completely new publisher and a new relationship. Secondly, Harper just had a few months post the contract signing to get the book out in the market. To bring the book out in just three-four months is difficult… I thought they did a very good job. Third was the pandemic, which had hit the publishing industry badly, and many bookstores and publishing houses had shut down. Since the distribution itself was shrinking, sales would be difficult. Lastly, since I also have a diplomatic job in the UK, I did not have that much time for the book tour. Normally, my book tour would spread out over three-four months, but now I only had three-four weeks; and I had to cover 14 cities across India in that time. But despite these constraints, War of Lanka is breaking records. It is selling even faster than Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta. And all my previous book sales have also shot up. I can’t thank my readers enough for their consistent love and support. I am curious to know why you haven't written about Hanuman, a Shiva incarnation, especially after having dedicated separate books to Ram, Ravan and Sita? I might take that up actually. Lord Hanuman is a very fascinating character and represents loyalty, having a code and staying true to it, no matter what. That's what makes him worth respecting and worshiping. There is a separate spin-off story in mind that I have for Lord Hanuman. And one I hope to take up after some time. There will also be a story on Guru Vashishta and Guru Vishwamitra and how their relationship turned from friendship to enmity. People say youngsters don’t read as different forms of medium are competing for attention. Why do you think your book has struck a chord with the readers? Is it because of your standout marketing techniques as with a metaverse launch of the book? The metaverse campaign was very innovative, yes. And I am very grateful to Sangram Surve and his Think WhyNot agency for putting this together in association with Meta. Also, I think this assumption that the youth don't read is, frankly, a judgmental approach. The idea that today’s youth have low IQ, low attention spans, and only want to entertain themselves with flaky things is just plain silly. One person can have different tastes. I like thought-provoking movies like Schindler’s List or Inception, but I also like the suspension-of-brains movies of Salman Khan. The youth are like that as well. By the way, a vast majority of my readers are young. Second when it comes to marketing, social media has made word of mouth very powerful. The opinion of critics matters little now as compared to a decade ago. There are movies that are very well marketed that have been super flops. And a movie that had almost minimal marketing spends, like Kantara, was a massive hit. At the heart of it all, it has to be a good product, be it a movie or a book. If it's not a good product, no matter how much marketing you do, it's not going to work. If there is no depth in the movie or the book, if there's nothing to talk about, then word-of-mouth will be poor. A cult book has to be thought-provoking and initiate conversations. I myself tried the AR filters on Instagram and I came out to be on Raavan’s army. It would interest you to know that while many modern Indians think Raavan is Tamilian or Lankan, this may not necessarily match up to ancient texts. When you study ancient texts or folk traditions, it is revealed Raavan was born close to Delhi, a little ahead of Noida. One of the oldest temples of Raavan is situated there. He was not the original ruler of Lanka. The original ruler was Kubaer. Raavan deposed Kubaer and took over Lanka. Will you be venturing into writing about any other epic like Mahabharat? I do have various ideas. Let's see where life takes me. There is a fifth book that will join the Shiva Trilogy and the Ramachandra series called the <keyword id="15501176" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rise-of-Meluha" source="Orion">Rise of Meluha</keyword>. But that will be released many years later. Is there a reason why Sita was portrayed as aggressive and militant in your book Sita-Warrior of Mithila? Was this because it has been written from a male perspective? There is a difference between being militant and being strong. Goddess Durga is not militant but she is strong. The image of Goddess Sita in the minds of modern urban Indians is largely inspired from a 1980s television series. In the original Valmiki Ramayana, Sita is portrayed in a much stronger form. And in the Adbhut Ramayan, also credited to Valmiki ji, Sita Maa is the one who kills the elder, more powerful Raavan. In ancient times, Indian women were seen as powerful with their own agency. We had women who ruled large empires like Rani Prabhavatigupta and Rani Rudramadevi. We had women Rishis (roughly the equivalent of Abrahamic prophets and messiahs). We even had women who founded universities. Frankly, our ancestors would be disappointed at how badly we, in modern India, treat women. We have been hearing about the Shiva trilogy for quite some time now. Is it expected soon? These are early days as we just started work on it. So let's see how it comes out. But we'll make announcements in the future. Coming to Indian cinema, there has been a shift in the portrayal of stories. Films are being inspired by myths like in Adipurush, Thank God, Ram Sethu, Ponniyan Selvan. Why do you think there is such a shift? Post 1991 India has become wealthier and the emergence of the real India is inspiring the demand for such stories. There is a real India that was always there, just that they didn't have money to form a big market. That is the India outside of the elite areas of our big cities. This is an India that is very deeply rooted in our ancient traditions and culture. And now, there are many citizens from the real India who have now risen because of economic growth over the last 30 years. A recent IMF report had said over 450 million Indians have been pulled out of poverty just in the last 10 years. And economic growth is creating a new consumer class. Smaller budget movies are making more money than big Hindi film movies because I think in many ways, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil movies are more rooted in the real India. This is something perhaps the Hindi film industry will pick up overtime. A Hindi film producer told me an interesting analysis. He felt that perhaps the Hindi film industry had become too elitist – he used the term ‘focused on Pali Hill, and South Mumbai and also perhaps, London &amp; New York’. He said that we should forget that there is a real India outside of Pali Hill and South Mumbai. And that is the main market for Indian movies. What does real India mean to you? Perhaps those who are more comfortable in Mangalore or Varanasi than in London, I think that's the real India. So, someone like you or me… My family’s roots are in Kashi and I was born in Mumbai; so I know English, Hindi, and some Marathi. But I can go to a Lord Shiva temple in Thrissur, Kerala. And I’ve been there actually, four-five years ago. I don’t understand Malayalam, but my books, by God's grace, do well in Malayalam. There were many out there who recognized me because many of them had read my books. But we couldn’t communicate well with each other because most of them there didn’t know English or Hindi, and I didn’t know Malayalam. And yet, when we started chanting and praying to Lord Shiva, we felt connected. I felt at home. That to me is the real India. Where we feel at home. Now, we may also get along with Western people, but essentially, where is home for us? For me, the real India is home. You began your journey as a writer in 2010. How has the scene of Indian publishing and marketing changed since then? This is the best and worst of times. Earlier the definition of bestseller was selling 5,000 to 10,000 books. Today a bestseller should sell at least 40,000 to 50,000 copies. There are some authors whose books sell in the hundreds of thousands. And few, such as Chetan and me, who are lucky enough for our books to sell in the millions. But on the negative side, GST has really hit the industry. I have myself appealed often to the government if they could give some relief on this, because we are a very tiny industry. Books have a positive impact culturally but in terms of revenue, we are very small. Second, piracy is hurting us a great deal. Many bookstores are suffering hard times as well because rental costs have shot up and piracy has hit them. Books in terms of price to space ratio are not as high as compared to jewelry or mobile phones, so high rental costs often make bookstore unviable. How do you think mythology is relevant in today's society? Indians often confuse myth with mithya or untruth. The Indian word for it would be Itihas or Kavya or Purana. The English word myth comes from the Greek word mythos, which means a story hiding a philosophical truth. I try to explore philosophies that I think are worth learning. Rather than making it a pedantic nonfiction philosophy textbook, if you try and bring it across through a story, you might have a greater chance of having an impact. There are various philosophies from our ancients that are worth learning. There is a line which I love, Ati Sarvatra Varjayet i.e. extremism of any kind should be avoided. But if you see the western approach, it is almost like extremism should be followed, always. For example, in the West, fighting for women’s rights gets translated into hatred for men. How's that good for society? I try to explore many of these philosophies through my books. What are the choices that we make? You will find that cultures which celebrate myths tend to be much more wise and liberal, intuitively liberal. You have celebrated devotees of both Vishnu and Shiva in your books. How do you strike a balance between the two? This so-called competition between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu is relatively modern. The Indian way is we are comfortable with multiple truths and we realise that the source is unity. One of the thousand names of Lord Vishnu listed in Vishnu Shahasranaam, which is chanted by many Vaishnavas (devotees of Lord Vishnu) regularly, is Shiva. On the other hand, many Shaivites (devotees of Lord Shiva) know the 1008 names of Lord Shiva that are listed in many of the found in the Shaivite puranas. And one of the names listed for Lord Shiva is Vishnu. So they are One and the Same. This competition is more between unwise devotees and should be avoided.

Raavan was born in Delhi, a little ahead of Noida: Amish Tripathi

When <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> launched its new-generation Kindle Paperwhite e-book reader with greatly enhanced features such as better display and navigation, and sold them through 250 top tech outlets in India last month, it was a strong indicator that the e-book market in India is growing fast and with every other book being e-published. And why not? In a country where dynamic technologies and smart gadgets like mobiles are prevalent, e-book readers may soon make foray into average households. 
 
According to a survey carried out in October last year, India had around 55.48 crore mobile users and 14.32 crore Internet users, and mobile penetration stood at a whopping 70.96% in the country. In a nutshell, an average Indian is open to experimenting with technology and e-books could be a gadget of choice in the near future. 
 Some of the publishing houses, which predicted that it would be a decade-long <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> for e-books to become a part of the Indian psyche, are now forced to retract their statements. Things are changing rapidly and top publishing houses, which have a bigger stake in marketing/distribution of books, are relooking at their strategy even as e-books are turning into reality faster than it was anticipated. 
 “We thought e-books would take about 10 years to become a norm in India, compared to the west. The west opened up to e-readers and simply integrated it into its lifestyle, but we thought India would not change that fast. Even now, digital publishing and e-book readers are not the norm here. But in two years or less, things will surely change,” says an <keyword id="14961" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="editor">editor</keyword> working with HarperCollins India. 
 Yes. Even the statistics confirm that e-books are yet to become a rage in India. <keyword id="66728" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="PricewaterhouseCoopers">PricewaterhouseCoopers</keyword>’ study of e-book trends showed a staggering 9% growth in the western markets, which is projected to grow to 22% by 2017. In India, however, the market is a mere 1%, with projections still unclear. On the flip side, it also means that the e-reader market is quite huge here and its growth potential is still untracked in India. 
 
With big players such as M&amp;B, HarperCollins, Swiftbox, Random House, Penguin, Rupa and others having made India their major destination, the e-books trend is surely catching up and catching up faster. 
 
The reason is simple. Most contemporary Indian authors are now tech-savvy and realise the possibilities of technology-aided reach, which could be better than traditional publishing and distribution. Moreover, in spite of signing formal contracts with publishing houses, many authors have now realised that self-publishing an e-book ensures better reach-out to target audience and of course, bigger royalties. 
 India is the third biggest market for English books. Also, some of the top downloads across the spectrum are of Indian books. Indian mythology books by <keyword id="160324" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Devdutt-Pattanaik">Devdutt Pattanaik</keyword>, <keyword id="182794" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Amish-Tripathi">Amish Tripathi</keyword> or Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni dominate the e-listings websites. Be it development, <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword>, <keyword id="25455" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="finance">finance</keyword> or fiction, Indian authors are moving ahead in every genre with confidence. 
 The ‘early bird’ syndrome is another emerging trend in the Indian market. The pecking order has changed and the first-time <keyword id="842" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="author">author</keyword>s, who used to make a beeline for publishing houses, are now opting to self-publish their books on the Internet, thus getting a clear picture of their book sales. Now, it is the turn of conventional publishing houses to woo them back into their fold, with increased royalty or added advantages. But even then, an author may opt for self-publishing it on Amazon or any other suitable platform. 
 
With e-publishing in place, the market players are realising the full potential of regional languages and their popularity. Most of the NRI population is still loyal to their native literature. So self-publishing in regional languages could be an equally profitable proposition. 
 Some time ago, first-time author <keyword id="2101117" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rasana-Atreya">Rasana Atreya</keyword> said in a media interview that self-publishing her book was the best decision she had ever made, although she got an offer from a publishing agency. Today, a year after she e-published her book using Amazon’s <keyword id="2101116" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Kindle-Direct-Publishing-Service">Kindle Direct Publishing Service</keyword>, it is still being downloaded across the globe. Her story, set in South India and featuring the lives of two sisters, has touched the hearts of those hailing from totally different cultures that have no resemblance to what she has depicted in her novel. Rasana is surprised to find that her readers write to her from places like <keyword id="3746" type="COUNTRY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Mexico">Mexico</keyword> and say her book has come close to their lives too! 
 
What’s more, she has 70% of the royalty coming her way, as against 5-10% offered by publishing companies. So clearly, a self-publishing revolution is in the offing, making writers richer as well.

As E-books Entice
Indians, Writers Leverage Tech-aided Self-publishing

Long before computers and the Internet started dominating our life, these handheld compact devices with wafer-thin pages transported people from one world to another in a jiffy. They were highly portable and could accompany you anywhere (<keyword id="51958" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="YES">yes</keyword>, even to the washroom), and came with all kinds of pricing. Those who embraced them underwent a metamorphosis that changed them for the better. And the effect was for life. Yes, we are talking about books here. 
 
Below are the top 10 books that every Indian should read. The list is an eclectic mix of world literature, visionary writing with Indian perspective and a historical yet contemporary chronicle of this country that is waiting to grow in leaps and bounds. But a list is a list after all, and it does not indicate or dictate the order of preference. 
 
<ol>
	<li>
		Things Fall Apart by <keyword id="1105257" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Chinua-Achebe">Chinua Achebe</keyword></li>
</ol> Chinua Achebe, who died earlier this year, was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. And this book is considered his magnum opus. The path-breaking novel showcases the struggle of the <keyword id="6500558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indigenous">indigenous</keyword> communities against the intervention of external agents. It depicts the life of Okonkwo, a leader and local wrestling champion in Umuofia – one of a fictional group of nine villages in Nigeria, inhabited by the Ibo people during the late 19th century. A novel that truly portrays life at the grassroots. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="2">
		The Old Man and the Sea by <keyword id="823294" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Ernest">Ernest</keyword> Hemmingway</li>
</ol>
With the young outnumbering the old in a country that is bursting at the seams, this book makes for excellent reading. This small, palm-sized book is the story of an epic battle between an old, experienced fisherman and a large marlin. This is the story of Santiago, an old, unlucky man, and his young apprentice Manolin. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="3">
		The Autobiography of <keyword id="144869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Malcolm-X">Malcolm X</keyword> by <keyword id="880434" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Alex-Haley">Alex Haley</keyword></li>
</ol>
Racism is raising its ugly head in all countries, including the land of opportunities called America. In this context, the story of Malcolm X, who was assassinated when he was all of 39, tells the life’s events of an extraordinary African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="4">
		Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword></li>
</ol>
A story of Race and Inheritance by second term American President Barack Obama. Published in 1995 as he was preparing to launch his political career in a campaign for an Illinois office, this book effectively upholds the trials and tribulations of a young man who went on to dream big and realise the dreams of his forefathers. 
 
 
<ol>
	<li value="5">
		The Immortals of Meluha by <keyword id="182794" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Amish-Tripathi">Amish Tripathi</keyword></li>
</ol>
After a brief lull on mythological stories with contemporary perspectives, this book is something fresh and new. This is the story of Shiva (considered the Destroyer), woven to suit the modern palette. Needless to say, the book helped many return to their reading after many years. And set the stage for more such attempts to be made by young corporate writers. None like this one! 
 
<ol>
	<li value="6">
		The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni</li>
</ol>
She is a well-known name among NRI readers since long. After Irawati Karve’s classic study of Draupadi (the female protagonists of Mahabharata) in her book Yuganta (end of an epoch), Palace is another milestone. It is about reimagining the world famous Indian epic, this time told from the point of view of the amazing woman – Draupadi. It is quite relevant from today’s perspective, with a heady mix of history and mythology and rooted in Indian tradition. You will find a totally new interpretation of Panchaali’s life, manipulated by the turns of fate. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="7">
		Malgudi Days by <keyword id="1727179" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="R-K-Narayan">R. K. Narayan</keyword></li>
</ol>
This collection of 19 short stories published in 1943 continues to be the favourite of many owing to its flavoursome language. Set in a tiny village in Southern India, this book is a capturing narrative of the innocence of people against the changing values of the society. When the book was published, <keyword id="187229" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="the-New-York-Times">The New York Times</keyword> said: Everyone in the book seems to have a capacity for responding to the quality of his particular hour. It’s an art we need to study and revive. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="8">
		The Discovery of India by Pandit <keyword id="6360386" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru">Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword></li>
</ol>
Political leaders today come from a different genre altogether and intellectual mastery is not a compulsory parameter of that ecosystem. But this book written by the first Prime Minister of independent India shows the country in a new light. Starting from the Indus Valley Civilisation, it goes on to trace the arrival of the Aryans and finally the rule of the British Empire. India of the past was filled with harmony and peace, but the evils of society slowly corrupted the people. It’s an analytical take, probing deep into the life, culture and philosophy of the country. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="9">
		Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation by <keyword id="44604" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Nandan-Nilekani">Nandan Nilekani</keyword></li>
</ol>
When the corporate guru-turned-bureaucrat, who is spearheading one of the most controversial projects of disbursing a Unique Identification (UID) number to every Indian citizen, shares his insight, you better sit down and listen. In his book, Nilekani elaborates on the ideas that shaped India’s past and present. And like a true visionary, he asks the key question about the future: How will India, as a global power, avoid the mistakes of earlier development models? Read it for a better understanding of the economic success story in the making. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="10">
		The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity by <keyword id="9663" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Amartya-Sen">Amartya Sen</keyword></li>
</ol> This one comes from the most elite of all as economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen reflects on the contemporary India. In this book, he speaks of an immensely diverse country that is standing at the crossroads. In a <keyword id="678332" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Subtle">subtle</keyword> manner, the book celebrates India’s cultural achievements, success of democracy, secular politics and attempts to remove cultural and gender inequalities while pursuing peaceful existence within its sub-continent.

10 Books Every Indian Should Read

<ul><li>Incidence of <keyword id="6359018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diabetes" source="Orion">diabetes</keyword> was higher in men as compared to women, the report says. </li><li>The major reason behind a massive surge in diabeties patients is an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes lack of physical activity, excessive fast food consumption etc. </li><li>Studies suggest that <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid-19" source="Orion">Covid-19</keyword> is capable of causing direct damage to the pancreas that could deteriorate sugar levels in known diabetics.</li></ul><keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has earned the dubious distinction of being the world’s diabetes capital. It ranks second in terms of most diabetics in the world, coming second only to China . While this disease is widely prevalent, its incidence is highest among people aged between 40-60 years, according to a report by Tata 1mg labs. Around 42% aged above 60 years were found to have diabetes out of the total number of samples who tested positive. The incidence slipped to 12.5% for 25-40 year olds. “Diabetes is a leading threat to public health globally, and the view is gloomier for countries like India, where the diabetes burden has risen significantly in recent decades and will continue to rise in the coming decades,” said Dr Prashant Nag, clinical head, Tata 1mg Labs. A total of 536,164 blood samples were tested for diabetes at Tata 1mg labs across the country between March-October 2022. Out of these samples, about 33% were diagnosed as positive for the disease. “As the prevalence of diabetes rises, more young adults and adolescents tend to develop diabetes, particularly if they are overweight/obese,” said Dr Nag. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Men are more diabetic than women" comment="subhead" text="Men are more diabetic than women">Men are more diabetic than women</cmsannotation> The incidence of diabetes is found to be higher in men as compared to women, the report says. Out of the samples tested, 58% were men, while 42% were women. The screening was done through the HbA1c test (or glycosylated hemoglobin test) which tells about the average level of blood sugar over the past two to three months. A value of HbA1c level ≥ 6.5% is considered to be indicative of diabetes. “Not just this, more people are now falling prey to borderline diabetes. It is a condition wherein blood sugar levels are slightly above the normal range, but not high enough to be called diabetes. A report published in 2018 estimated one in every six Indians to have borderline diabetes,” Dr Nag added. The major reason behind a massive surge in diabeties patients is an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes lack of physical activity, excessive fast-food consumption, smoking, and alcohol consumption. ‘’There is no special diet for diabetes; the whole idea is to nourish the body by taking various nutrients in the right proportion and right time. The focus should be on eating lots of seasonal colourful vegetables, consuming healthy fats and adequate protein sources. For carbs, choose a variety of whole grains,” said Chhavi Kohli, chief diabetes educator and nutritionist at Medanta the Medicity, Gurgaon. She further added, “Do not miss fruits, use them as snacks and avoid packaged and processed food items. Also, a lot of myths prevail around the right diet for diabetes. Do not fall prey to misinformation. Always consult certified nutritionists and diabetes educators for your diabetes.” New studies also suggest that Covid-19 is also capable of causing direct damage to the pancreas that could deteriorate sugar levels in known diabetics. It can even induce the onset of diabetes in non-diabetics, Dr Nag explained. Diabetes is a curable disease and can be tackled only with a balanced and healthy diet, an active lifestyle, timely intake of prescribed medications, regular health checkups, and planned doctor visits. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/raavan-was-born-in-delhi-a-little-ahead-of-noida-amish-tripathi/articleshow/95473604.cms">Raavan was born in Delhi, a little ahead of Noida: Amish Tripathi</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/healthy-gut-microbiome-helps-to-improve-cancer-treatment-study/articleshow/95471197.cms">Healthy gut microbiome helps to improve cancer treatment: Study</a>

One in every six Indians have borderline diabetes says report

Reading is a great habit, and reading books that interest you is one the best ways to spend your time productively. If you’re someone who’s just out exploring the genre of mythology, you’re on the right path. Mythological stories not only keep you involved and intrigued throughout, but also impart wisdom and knowledge. These gripping novels are usually on the top selling list so decide quicker from this list and get yourself a copy right away. <bulletContentEmbed name="8193305205" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="8193305205_head"> <div type="image" title="Must read" msid="78785121" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>8193305205</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="8193305205_body"><bulletContentRow name="8193305205_1653588978320948"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Immortal Talks</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Fantastic and magnificent, Immortal Talks by Shunya is a beautiful story of immortality, destiny and souls. It revolves around two monks who live in a forest in a tribal area in search of their higher beings and connect with the unknown. This is an enticing book and will keep you engaged completely.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="8193305205_0618763769415682"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">A perfect blend of past, present and future.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="9380658745" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="9380658745_head"> <div type="image" title="Popular Choice" msid="78785158" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>9380658745</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="9380658745_body"><bulletContentRow name="9380658745_9230038341046371"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy): 1</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Shiva trilogy is truly one of the best books to look at when considering this genre of mythology. A grasping and jaw dropping transformation of a mythic world, this book is full of surprises and consternations. It is a wonderfully written book with a simple but intriguing language. It has a good narrative and a very interesting storyline which doesn’t let the reader keep it down even for a second.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="9380658745_5458747249657006"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Surprising and interesting narration of mythological tales of India.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="0143442341" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="0143442341_head"> <div type="image" title="Editor’s pick" msid="78785221" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>0143442341</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="0143442341_body"><bulletContentRow name="0143442341_1385763626841212"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Sudha Murthy has always been known for her beautiful and inspiring works. She has an enormous contribution to Indian as well as international literature. This book is just as creative and worth reading. It puts a light on women and their pivotal role in mythology. It is an empowering journey through the pages of the past, which hold the presence of many influential and powerful ladies who took the world by turn.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="0143442341_9108185284441464"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is a highly empowering book with astounding language.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="9388754085" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="9388754085_head"> <div type="image" title="Most liked" msid="78786066" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>9388754085</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="9388754085_body"><bulletContentRow name="9388754085_0233084314058922"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta (Ram Chandra Series - Book 3)</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">One of the most controversial figures in Hindu Mythology is Raavana. This book by Amish Tripathi would push you to rethink and imagine, and develop an insight into the life of Ravana. This book is a fictional work that gives you a glimpse of Ravana’s mind in a most intriguing and enthralling way.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="9388754085_1577535987135026"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is a highly grasping book and has a superior language.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="9386224046" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="9386224046_head"> <div type="image" title="Must Have" msid="78786103" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>9386224046</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="9386224046_body"><bulletContentRow name="9386224046_5629269384093470"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">7 Secrets of Shiva</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This book by the author with a different outlook, Devdutta Pattnaik, revolves around “the destroyer of the world”. It is a mystical blend of art and history portrayed through simple and engaging words and an elegant language. It explains various conflicts, symbolisms and rituals in Hindu religion.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="9386224046_7423206566748079"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It also puts light on many other practices related to Lord Shiva in Hindu religion.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="9351950123" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="9351950123_head"> <div type="image" title="Must Buy" msid="78785326" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>9351950123</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="9351950123_body"><bulletContentRow name="9351950123_2751812222189148"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">The Gita: For Children</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Bhagwat Gita is one of the most sacred texts of Indian origin. It is considered as a source of entire knowledge, and is believed to have all the answers of past, present and future. Usually children do not get into reading this vast and complex reading. Roopa Pai came up with a beautifully written solution that attracts kids towards this, Gita for children. It has an easy language which kids can easily grasp and understand.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="9351950123_7217794365435339"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is full of beautiful pictures to keep children engaged.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed>

Mythology books for kids and beginners

Insights reveal that mythological fiction trumps all as Amish Tripathi’s book ‘SITA - Warrior Of Mithila’ is the most awaited book across all genders and age groups, with a whopping 36.85% participants exhibiting their inclination towards his upcoming work. <keyword id="828468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supernatural">Supernatural</keyword> thrillers closely follow mythological fiction, with <keyword id="338663" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stephen-King">Stephen King</keyword>’s ‘Sleeping Beauties’ being the second most preferred book with almost 36.01 % respondents waiting with bated breath for his upcoming work. 

 

 

 <div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="58182579" title="Exclusive: Mahesh Murthy thinks that the future of investing in India isn’t the current Venture Capital Model" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Apr 14, 2017, 7:14 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div> Landmark, the entertainment and leisure retailer conducted the survey ‘Most anticipated book of 2017’. Spread across 40 cities with a sample size of 1000 respondents, aged over 15, the survey encapsulates most awaited <keyword id="5050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="books">books</keyword> this year. According to the results, thrillers take up the hot seat amongst other book genres this season as psychological thriller novelist <keyword id="2735421" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paula-Hawkins">Paula Hawkins</keyword> is the third most adored author with 34.6% respondents waiting to grab the copy of new novella ‘Into The Water’. 

 

 

 <div type="embedgroup"> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="58343343" title="Exclusive: K Ganesh&amp;#39;s Growth Story with Start-ups is Never-ending and Here’s the Next Chapter" rank="1.0" kind="RELATED" publishDate="Apr 24, 2017, 5:42 PM" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div></div> <keyword id="2537844" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Millenials">Millenials</keyword> prefer Paula Hawkins over other authors like Ken Follett, Stephen King and <keyword id="77870" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dan-Brown">Dan Brown</keyword>. The Gen X would rather ponder over <keyword id="36919" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arundhati-Roy">Arundhati Roy</keyword>’s work than the blood curdling tales by Stephen King. Arundhati Roy, whose latest book is all set to release 19 years after her first book ‘God of Small Things’ is the second most awaited book by 17.42% of la femme readers. 

 

 

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 Data reveals that Dan Brown’s soon-to-be published, ‘Origin’ has already created a buzz amongst 8% of male readers despite 5 months to the launch.

This is the most anticipated book of 2017 according to Landmark

A report has pointed out that the payment volume through e-wallets is going to increase by 100% year-on-year over the next few years and it will be a new headache for banks after bad loans, reported the Economic Times. 
 

	According to the report, 'India Payments 2015' by broking firm Motilal Oswal: "e-wallets may become a key driver for digitisation of flows that traditionally were dominated by cash such as payment to taxi drivers, domestic help, and local merchants." 
 

	Do you know how many mobile wallets are there in India? Check out these numbers. In 1981, the first credit cards were launched and later, debit cards were issued. Till date Indian banks have issued 57.4 crore debit and credit cards. That is 1.6 crore cards on an average a year. The number of mobile wallets in the country is 11.5 crore, since their launch in 2007. That comes to an average of 1.4 crore a year.
 "The growth in this space is so dramatic that everybody, banks included, are going to participate in it (e-wallets),'' Jairam Sridharan, president and head, retail lending and payments at <keyword id="6355975" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Axis-Bank">Axis Bank</keyword> told ET, adding banks can't ignore this space. 

	"We don't know whether this is a passing phase or whether it will continue. The jury is still out on whether this is going to part of the payments infrastructure in the long run," he said. 
 

	Who made high street bankers wake up to the needs of the common man, who for decades was ignored for being an 'unviable' business? The refrain was, it is not profitable to service retail customers who don't provide opportunities to milk them in the name of cross-selling financial services. 
 It is <keyword id="2041058" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="CitrusPay">CitrusPay</keyword>, Oxigen, <keyword id="6357120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="PayTM">Paytm</keyword>, which had nothing much to show in terms of pedigree, except that they had the commitment to innovate. And that is forcing banks to keep launching a feature a day on phones, or for tablets. Moreover, <keyword id="6653" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="ICICI-bank">ICICI Bank</keyword> on Tuesday said it has re-launched an 'all-new mobile banking app', which provides 100 kinds of services, the highest by any bank in India. Do bank customers really need 100 services? <keyword id="6357149" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="HDFC-bank">HDFC Bank</keyword> with its launch of <keyword id="4919152" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Payzapp">PayZapp</keyword> is almost replicating a Flipkart, or Paytm. 

	State Bank of India is also in the race with its digital baby SBI Rewardz. Axis Bank is not far behind with its Pingpay, promoted by actress Deepika Padukone. Kotak Bank is experimenting with taking its social media banking towards social commerce. It offers a hefty discount to customers who buy Amish Tripathi's book through a tweet from their mobiles. 
 <keyword id="417932" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Indian-Banking">Indian banking</keyword> are challenged not only in terms of loan recovery, but also with how to generate future business. With loans growth at a decade low, there is little choice for banks other than chasing the retail customer, and lay the foundation to acquire more when the economic expansion gathers pace. 

	The boom in digital wallet transactions has been triggered by the rise in mobile commerce, emergence of cheaper internet access and increasing mobile penetration. 
 Mobile wallets also gained the upper hand after the RBI cracked down on ecommerce sites that violated the second-factor authentication requirement. Paytm and CitrusPay have stepped in to provide seamless payments to providers such as <keyword id="1042120" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Uber">Uber</keyword> and <keyword id="108722" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Meru-Cabs">Meru Cabs</keyword>. The big driver for e-wallets is that a large number of customers are unwilling to log in to their bank accounts to pay taxi fares or shop online fearing electronic fraud. 

	In fact, there are doubts whether banks are doing the right thing, or blindly aping the nimbler ones that are not even competing with them. 
 

	"Banks launching e-wallets is a really bad idea because technically when banks already had my account it already has a wallet,'' says Amrish Rau, MD and CEO of Citrus Payment, which has applied for a payments bank licence. 
 

	"They are trying to circumvent the second factor authentication by putting up a wallet. If you think of it calmly what does a wallet do? A wallet holds money, as do bank accounts. But they are enamoured by the world of wallets." 
 

	Still, banks cannot afford to be complacent. In advanced markets, technological developments are reshaping the way banking is done. 
 

	"If RBI actually looks at payments banks from the digital standpoint, we think we have a chance to compete with banks because they are coming to compete in our favourite spot of innovation and consumerled payments," says Citrus' Rau. 
 

	But Paytm, which is best positioned to topple banks from their ivory towers with its cash hoard after getting valued at nearly 23,600 crore with the latest round of investment, is downplaying its own impact on the financial landscape in India, though its top investor Alibaba shook the Chinese market. 
 

	"Paytm is a platform for transaction and banking is platform for savings,'' Amit Lakhotia, vice-president, Payments at Paytm, told the financial daily. 
 The Indian banking system was ignoring the bottom of the pyramid that for want of 'profitability.' It was this neglect that led to more than half the population live without a bank account till Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> forced banks to do so with his Jan Dhan Yojana. 

	The population may not be as wealthy as those in cities, which give a disproportionate income for services. But the sheer size of the unbanked, if costs are kept low and transactions made easy, could make banking profitable. It may be a long thin tail, but a small change could boost revenue and profits. 
 

	The final game is to convert the customer into a full-fledged bank customer, otherwise the revenue model will not be clear, said Jairam Sridharan. 

	 
	(Image: Indiatimes)

You Searched For "Amish Tripathi" and got 8 results

Shiva trilogy author Amish Tripathi buys Mumbai apartment worth Rs 13.65 crores in one of India’s tallest towers

BI India Bureau

Raavan was born in Delhi, a little ahead of Noida: Amish Tripathi

Eetika Kapoor

As E-books Entice Indians, Writers Leverage Tech-aided Self-publishing

Preetam Kaushik

10 Books Every Indian Should Read

Preetam Kaushik

One in every six Indians have borderline diabetes says report

Vaamanaa Sethi

Mythology books for kids and beginners

BI India Bureau

This is the most anticipated book of 2017 according to Landmark

Tanya Dubey

E-wallets will actually be a burden for the banks, not a boon

BI India Bureau

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