Iconic Indians: 75 Extraordinary Individuals Who Inspired The Country by Sanjeev Sanyal
Sanjeev Sanyal . Rupa Publications India . English
‘…by Sanjeev Sanyal and Rajesh Singh is a fitting tribute to 75 iconic Indians, some lesser known, who have shaped modern India.’ —BIBEK DEBROY The India that we see today is the result of 75 years of effort by a large number of remarkable men and women spanning across different generations, geographies and fields of endeavour. Iconic Indians: 75 Extraordinary Individuals Who Inspired the Country celebrates 75 Indians who played an important role in transforming an impoverished former colony into an increasingly confident and rapidly growing nation. Chosen from diverse fields such as politics, sports, arts, defence, business, entertainment, science and environment, this collection of essays examines the personal journeys of these exceptional individuals, including not just their successes but also their self-doubt, failures and even their disagreements with each other. While many of them are household names, several are remarkable characters who made major contributions in their time but have faded from public memory. Through these narratives, the book simultaneously tells the wider story of how India traversed the first 75 years of Independence. An excellent primer on the stalwarts who have made the nation what it is today, this book is a must-read for every person interested in the past, present and future of India.
Categories: Fiction
About the Author
Sanjeev Sanyal is a bestselling writer, environmentalist and internationally recognized economist. Currently, he is the Principal Economic Adviser to Government of India. Prior to joining the government, he spent two decades in international financial markets and was Global Strategist and Managing Director of one of the world's largest banks. He was named "Young Global Leader 2010" by the World Economic Forum. His books "The Indian Renaissance: India's Rise After a Thousand Years of Decline", "Land of the Seven Rivers: A Brief History of India's Geography" and "The Incredible History of India's Geography", "Life Over Two Beers" and "The Ocean of Churn" were published by Penguin. His columns and articles have appeared in many of the world's leading publications. In 2014, he was given the inaugural International Indian Achievers' Award for his contributions to Literature. He has also written extensively on environmental and urban issues. In 2007, he was awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship for his work on the economics of cities and, in 2014, the Singapore government honored him at the World Cities Summit. He has also been a Senior Fellow of the World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund), an Adjunct Fellow of the Institute of Policy Studies, SIngapore, and a Visiting Scholar at Oxford University. Sanjeev Sanyal was born in Kolkata but now lives between Singapore and Delhi. He attended St Xavier's School and St James' School in Kolkata. He then studied economics at Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi before attending Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. It was at Oxford that Sanjeev developed a love for old maps and cartography, an interest that is often reflected in his writings. Podcast of book launch at London School of Economics: http://www.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=1709 Video of Singapore book launch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMxaZSJZjnk
