The Kalam effect: my years with the President / Nair, P M. --New Delhi: HarperCollins, 2008

The author was the Secretary to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam when he was the President of India from 2002 to 2007.  The author was very close to him all these five years and he saw his myriad facets. This is not an attempt at either defining or defying him. It is only a narration of what he saw and experienced in that time.

This volume examines concrete strategies to integrate city farming into the urban landscape. Drawing on original field work in cities across the rapidly urbanizing global south, the book examines the contribution of urban agriculture and city farming to livelihoods and food security.

The Oxford handbook of film and media studies / Kolker, Robert, ed. --Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008 (Reference)

The handbook is a new reference work that provides the best available single-volume source of original scholarship on the intersection of film and media studies. The handbook features chapters that thoroughly examine topics as diverse as copyright, globalization, television programming, video game genres, the ideologies of media, and movie going in India.

Pioneering the human development revolution: an intellectual biography of Mahbub-ul-Haq / Khadija Haq,ed. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2008

This intellectual biography is a tribute to Haq's pioneering work. Mahbub ul Haq, the father of human development, shaped development philosophy and practice in the four decades from the 1960s to the 1990s. He shifted the development discourse to people and their well-being, monitoring its progress through the human development index. This volume traces the evolution of his ideas, especially the links he established between economic growth, people's well-being, and poverty alleviation.

Ecosystems

Payment for ecosystem services / Pushpam Kumar. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2009

Ecosystems provide services that sustain, strengthen, and enrich various constituents of human well-being. The unique feature of most of these services is that they are unaccounted and unpriced, and therefore remain outside the domain of the market. For this reason, the use of innovative instruments of transactions between provider and beneficiaries of environmental services-known as payment for ecosystem services (PES)-has become a promising response option.

Education

Three cups of tea: one man's extraordinary journey to promote peace...one school at a time / Mortenson, Greg England: Penguin, 2007

The inspiring account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti-American reaches of Asia. In 1993 Greg Mortenson was the exhausted survivor of a failed attempt to ascend Karakoram, an American climbing bum wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya. After he was taken in and nursed back to health by the people of an impoverished Pakistani village, Mortenson promised to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time-Greg Mortenson's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.

History

Mutiny Memoirs: being personal reminiscences of the great Sepoy revolt of 1857 / Mackenzie, A.R.D. New Delhi: Niyogi Books, 2008

The author analyses the representations of 1857 in Mackenzie's text, incorporating in his analyses the insights of Jawaharlal Nehru who contextualised 1857 in the light of latter day anti-colonial movements in Asia and Africa, differentiating Nehru's frame of analysis from that of other chroniclers-British and Indian- of 1857.

A Social history of the Deccan, 1300-1761: eight Indian lives / Eaton, Richard M.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008

The author recounts the history of Southern India's Deccan plateau from the early fourteenth century to the rise of European colonialism in the eighteenth. He does narrating the lives of eight Indians who lived at different times during this period, and whose careers illustrate particular social processes of the region's history.

International Relations

India's nuclear diplomacy after Pokhran II / Rai, Ajai K. --Delhi: Pearson Longman, 2009

The book presents an analytical, perspectival and narrative exposition of the facts and issues involved in international nuclear gamesmanship, taking every care to maintain objectivity and balance. This book unravels the intricacies and technicalities of the post-Pokhran II diplomacy. India's nuclear diplomacy-after Pokhran II-commenced in a fundamentally changed context and with a considerably new orientation, culminating in the much-discussed Indo-US nuclear deal.

Rabindranath Tagore: the singer and his song / Som, Reba. --New Delhi: Penguin, 2009

This is a biography of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) with music as its leitmotif. It maps out chronologically the musical journey of the poet with anecdotes and allusions, and includes translations of some of Tagore's most evocative songs. It analyses his thoughts on music, examines their origin and evolution, relates them to important events of his life.

Management

The Breakthrough imperative: how the best managers get outstanding results / Gottfredson, Mark.New York: Harper Collins: 2008

This book clearly outlines the fundamentals of necessary to survive and thrive in today's fast moving global economy. The four laws are invaluable for managers who need to make the right strategic decisions to win.

Painting

Marvels of Indian painting: rise and demise of company school / Nevile, Pran. --Gurgaon: Nevile Books, 2007 (Reference)

This book is a effort to explore and study the creative genius of those forgotten Indian artists who produced remarkable painting for their British patrons, Defined as the 'Company School' art, these beautiful pictures reveal a lively fusion of Eastern warmth with Western objectivity. The author highlights how Western ideas and artistic techniques were absorbed in the Indian tradition by these artists without losing the essential Indianness.

Weapon: a visual history of arms and armour / Holmes, Richard. --London: Dorling Kindersley, 2008 (Reference)

The book explores the technological developments in arms and armour, chronicling their use in warfare, hunting, and crime to provide a complete visual record of humankind's tools of combat.

Political Science

The Idea of justice / Sen, Amartya. --England: Allen Lane, 2009

The book gives us a political philosophy that is dedicated to the reduction of injustice on earth rather than to the creation of ideally just castles in the air. The author presents an alternative approach to mainstream theories of justice and also shows how concern about the principles of justice in the modern world must avoid parochialism and, further address questions of global injustice.

Listening to grasshoppers: field notes on democracy / Roy, Arundhati. --New Delhi: Penguin, 2009

The author takes a look at the underbelly of the world's largest democracy, and shows how the journey that Hindu nationalism and neo-liberal economic reforms began together in the 1990s in unraveling in dangerous ways. Beginning with the state-backed killing of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, she writes about how progress and genocide have historically gone hand in hand; about the murky investigations into the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. The collection ends with an account of the August 2008 uprising in Kashmir and an analysis of the November 2008 attacks on Mumbai.

Religion

The Open road, the global journey of the fourteenth Dalai Lama / Iyer, Pico. --New Delhi: Penguin, 2008

The author has been engaged in conversation with the Dalai Lama (a friend of his father's) for the last three decades-an ongoing exploration of his message and its effectiveness. The author captures the paradoxes of the Dalai Lama's position: though he has brought the ideas of Tibet to world attention, Tibet itself is being remade as a Chinese province; though he was born in one of the remotest, least developed places on earth, he has become a champion of globalism and technology.

Science

A Short history of nearly everything / Bryson, Bill. --London: Black Swan, 2003

The book is author's quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big bang to the rise of civilization-how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us.

Social Sciences

Muslims and media images: news versus views  / Faruouqi, Ather, ed. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2009

This volume discusses the massive reach and influence of media commentary on events like 9/11, the 2005 terrorist attack on the London underground, the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, and the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and make discussion on popular representations of Muslims universally topical and relevant.

Transportation

Making choices about hydrogen: transport issues for developing countries / Mytelka, Lynn K., ed. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 2008

The current debate highlights the uncertainties involved in making choices about hydrogen and fuel cells in transportation planning. Whether a hydrogen-based transportation system becomes viable sooner (by 2020) or later (2050 or beyond) is a key issue in their attempts to plan national energy, environment, and transportation policies.

Travel

Journeys of a lifetime: 500 of the world's greatest trips.-- Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2007 (Reference)

For more than a century, National Geographic has journeyed the World, bringing back intriguing stories of faraway places. The book cover most fabulous journeys and each chapter showcases a different mode of transport or type of trip. More than 20 top ten lists in categories ranging from Sailing Cruises to City Trolleys, from underground walks to long distance cycle routes.

New Additions in Authors’ Corner
(For reference only)

Assistive technologies: towards home-based elder care / Bhatia, Sugan, ed. --Ambala: Associated Book Service, 2009

The term assistive technology has been variously defined, described and prescribed as a concept, a utility device, and a product or service sought to be standardized under appropriate tools or standards. The use of assistive technologies is gradually gaining recognition as part of the home-based elder care and community-based elder care movement. It is being recognized that the home or the family could once again re-emerge as the key health care station in regard to the elderly population provided the community makes it contribution through voluntary and para-professional respite care for the members of the family involved in elder care.

The difficulty of being good: on the subtle art of dharma / Das, Gurcharan. --New Delhi: Allen Lane, 2009

The author turns to the Mahabharata in order to answer the question, 'why be good?', and discovers that the epic's world of moral haziness and uncertainty is closer to our experience as ordinary human beings than the narrow and rigid positions that define most debatein this fundamentalist age of moral certainty.  The Mahabharata is obsessed with the elusive notion of dharma-in essence, doing the right thing. When a hero falters, the action stops and everyone weighs in with a different and often contradictory take on dharma. The epic's characters are flawed, but their incoherent experiences throw light on our familiar dilemmas. In the present book focus shifts from character to character.

New Additions in Delhi Documenta

A Comprehensive history of India / Indian History Congress. : People's Publishing House, 2006. Vol. 5, Pt. 1

This is the large-scale survey of the political and economic history of the country and its social, educational, artistic and religious movements. This part one is dealing with the early Sultans of Delhi, the Khaljis, the Tughlaqs, the Saiyids and Lodis.

A Comprehensive history of India / Indian History Congress. : People's Publishing House, 2000. Vol. 5, Pt. 2

This is the large-scale survey of the political and economic history of the country and its social, educational, artistic and religious movements. This part second is dealing with the various provincial kingdoms, including the Bahmani kingdom and the Vijayanagar Empire.

Delhi: adventures in a megacity / Miller, Sam. --Delhi: Penguin Books, 2008

This is a portrait of one of the world's largest cities. The author sets out to discover the real Delhi, a city he describes as being India's dream town and its purgatory. He treads the city streets, making his way through Delhi and its suburbs, visiting its less celebrated destinations.

Delhi sultanate: urbanization and social change / Siddiqui, Iqtidar Husain. --New Delhi: Viva Books, 2009

The book seeks to highlight social and cultural processes that accompanied economic changes, thereby transforming little-known trading towns into full-fledged centers of learning and culture. The author draws on a rich corpus of Persian sources to establish links between economic change and changes in language, literature, teaching, book trade and even pyrotechnics.

Forgotten Delhi: From a heritage walker's diary / Sethi, R. S. --New Delhi: Vitasta Publishing, 2009

Delhi has been often identified with the Red Fort or the India Gate but the history of this megalopolis is not restricted only to these famous monuments. The history of Delhi is like a beautifully woven tapestry, where the monuments and relics let behind by many of its rulers are so located that the past may be recreated to relive history. The author unravels the myth and stories behind many of Delhi's relics that form an inseparable part of its heritage but are sadly being forgotten today.

A Journey to remember / Delhi Metro Rail Corporation L. --New Delhi: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., 2008

The creation of Delhi Metro has ushered in a new era in travel. With the opening of the first line in 2002, the Metro has revolutionized the mass rapid transportation system of the capital. Presented here are a few facets of the making of Delhi's new pride, the Metro.

The book pieces together the story of the eight reincarnation of this historic city. This book showcases century-old telegrams, maps, plans, drawings, letters and scraps of paper; the Agreement that the chief architects-Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker-signed together; the sharp arguments the two had on key architectural issues. Exclusive pictures of the earliest stages of leveling the massive Raisina Hill are followed by the block-by-block construction of what are today the Rashtrapati Bhavan   (initially known as Council House) and North and South Block (or the Secretariat buildings).

When kings rode to Delhi / Festing, Gabrielle. --New Delhi: Lancer, 2008

The author takes us through the history of Hindustan; drawing heavily from Indian mythology, folklore, memoirs, and chronicles. Hindustan has been a land of kings and queens; saints and ascetics; valour and fidelity. During these years, Delhi had been in the center of turmoil, anointed and plundered- only to rise again from the ashes.

New Additions in Electronic Reports

World Economic and Social Survey 2009: Promoting Development, Saving the Planet. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs

The World Economic and Social Survey (WESS) provides objective analysis of pressing long-term social and economic development issues, and discusses the positive and negative impact of corresponding policies. The analyses are supported by analytical research and data included in the annex. The separation in practice of the climate change and development agendas has distorted the global debate on the two biggest policy challenges facing the international community. According to the World Economic and Social Survey 2009, an integrated approach based on the concept of sustainable development is urgently needed.

www.un.org/esa/policy/wess/wess2009files/wess09/wess2009.pdf

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