Tata: The Global Corporation that Built Indian Capitalism by Mircea Raianu. HarperCollins. Pages 292. Rs699

The story of Tata is also the story of the making of a modern India. After getting their start in the cotton and opium trades, the Tatas, a Parsi family from Navsari, Gujarat, ascended to commanding heights in the Indian economy by the time of independence. Over the course of its 150-year history, it spun textiles, forged steel, generated hydroelectric power, and took to the skies. It also faced challenges from restive workers fighting for their rights and political leaders who sought to curb its power. While there have been several books on Tata recently, this one is touted to be its first study ‘by a professional historian’, Mircea Raianu.

An Ordinary Life: portrait of an indian generation by Ashok Lavasa. HarperCollins. Pages 316. Rs499

The world is mainly inhabited by ordinary people leading simple lives. Their stories remain unheard, preserved in households, narrated in families as tales of inspiration, as vindication of certain lasting values that survive in every society and keep us connected with the unseen forces that govern us. ‘In An Ordinary Life’, former Election Commissioner of India Ashok Lavasa tells one such warm story, that of his father, Udai Singh, who served as the moral compass in his life. The genesis of this book lies in a diary that his father had begun writing four years before his death. The book is imbued with the wisdom of an earlier Indian generation and its way of life, which is both unique and universal at the same time.

His Lila by Surindra Lal. Authors Press. Pages 101. Rs295

After penning books on physics for most part of his life, Surindra Lal, a former principal of Multani Mal Modi College in Patiala, has now ventured into poetry. ‘His Lila’ is a collection of 62 poems that celebrate the devotion to the Divine in myriad ways. ‘Love-Laughter’ is a compilation of 71 poems, showcasing various aspects of love. The language is simple, as is the thought process. In an attempt to stick to rhyme and metre, quality and creativity seem to have taken a backseat. But then Lal admits in ‘Author’s Note’ that he is hardly aware of the nuances of English language and least about forms and norms of poetry and these poems are an emotional upsurge.

What is My Identity? by Apoorva Kinra and Pareena Singh. Shreeram Law House. Pages 216. Rs373

It has been three years since Section 377 was termed ‘unconstitutional’ by the Supreme Court, but the LGBTQIA+ community is still fighting for acceptance. ‘What is My Identity?’, written by two law students from Panjab University, aims at developing and enhancing people’s understanding of the community. Starting with basic issues like understanding sexuality, the authors attempt to bring the lives and plight of the members of the community, especially in the Indian society, into the general conversation of the masses. They also want readers to wrap their minds around the correct terminology when communicating with the LGBTQIA+ people.