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In common parlance of Indian employees, there are only two types of companies: a Lala company and an MNC — the former standing for the Indian family business. Here, Lalaji, the business owner, calls the shots. Drawing on his intimate study of several Lalaji-owned enterprises, Rajiv Gupta pens a hilarious sketch of small family businesses and the men running it — in the past, present and future. It talks about the men integral to smooth functioning (read the muneem), the chamchas calling the shots, Lalaji’s hardworking and not-so-hardworking kids and the self-entitled grandkids born into affluence. And then there are the professionals who try to run the business smoothly. It is this last segment that could use the book as a survival guide.

‘I’d Rather Fly A Chopper’ draws from former Air Vice Marshal Rajesh Isser’s decades of experience in flying a helicopter and all that comes with it. The stories, Isser’s personal experiences, bring out the uniqueness of the machine, the aerodynamics at play and the accidents waiting to happen. It highlights the versatility of the chopper, which is omnipresent in all crises: be it infrastructure development, political happenings, or any other event that attracts public attention. The book maintains a humourous tone, but keeps in mind the risks that a helicopter pilot’s job entails. From rescuing a kidnapped schoolboy in Shillong to humanitarian efforts in Congo, Isser’s journey makes it is a colourful read.

A chronicle of India’s journey as a sporting nation and that of the players from being amateurs to world champions, ‘75 Years of Indian Sports’ by sports journalist Chandresh Narayan is both a celebration and a critique of Indian sports in the last seven decades. From first steps in the international arena to first wins and new stars at the turn of the century, it is an exhaustive narration. The book has been published under Rupa’s ‘Journey of a Nation’ series, to coincide with the 75th anniversary of India’s freedom. Economic and political analyst Sanjaya Baru’s ‘75 Years of Indian Economy’ is another in the series. It tries to explain India’s economic transformation for the post-millenial reader and throws light on its strengths and weak spots.

Saachi Dhillon’s tryst with travel began when she was 17. And it was her dream to scale the Everest base camp in Nepal. The 130-km trek across 12 days was to be the ultimate adventure, a test of nerves marked by high altitude sickness and extreme weather conditions in the aftermath of cyclone Fani. The natural beauty — blooming rhododendron forests, gushing streams and majestic mountains — lends a surreal experience. Endorsed by renowned mountaineer Peter Hilary, son of Edmund Hilary, the thin book must be picked for its simple retelling of a city girl’s grit to venture into the unknown and “emerge lighter as your inhibitions float away into the thin air”.