Monographs of Charu Mazumdar, RK Laxman feature in ‘Pioneers of Modern India’ book series

The new series, which claims to discover hidden insights into the leading personalities who have shaped public life in India, are “concise, well-researched biographies of women and men who have contributed to different aspects of Indian life”, including politics, science, public health and human rights.

While “Charu Mazumdar: The Dreamer Rebel” traces his life as he incited a burning fire of revolution into young minds that reshaped the political journey of modern India, the “RK Laxman: Back with a Punch” analyses the influences that led Laxman to become a much-loved cartoonist, such as the impact of the city of Mumbai on his life and work.

“The book (on Mazumdar) unearths the birth of Naxalism in Bengal and traces its journey through different parts of India. It witnesses the uprising of radical leftism in the Indian political scenario and explores the reasons for the unthinkable popularity of Majumdar among the educated young mass,” said the publishers in a statement.

Majumdar, the founder and architect of the Naxalite movement that had begun at Naxalbari, a village in the Siliguri district of West Bengal, in 1967, died in police custody in July 1972 at the age of 53.

Laxman, who was known for his cartoon creation ‘The Common Man‘, chronicled Indian social-political history and regaled millions of readers daily in publications where he worked for nearly seven decades. He died in January 2015 in Pune at the age of 93.

Another monograph in the series, “Heisnam Sabitri: The Way of Thamoi”, offers a genuine insight to the world of Manipuri theatre, beautifully illustrated with images of Sabitri in action, on stage.

“It is an invaluable addition to theatre and performance studies. It delineates the first-hand perspective of Heisnam Sabitri, as well as her husband, Heisnam Kanhailal — two great legendary innovators of 20th-century Indian theatre. It views the different aspects of theatre in the light of ‘thamoi’ — a Meitei specific concept,” it added.

Born in 1946, noted Manipuri theatre personality Sabitri, who has also acted in the critically acclaimed short film “Scribbles on Akka” (2000), is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Padma Shri.

The upcoming titles in the series include “Jamini Roy: A Painter who revisited the Roots”, “Muthulakshmi Reddy: A trailblazer in Surgery and Women’s Rights”, “Rani Gaidinliu: Legendary freedom fighter from the North East”, and “Sarada Devi: Holiness, Charisma and Iconic Motherhood”.

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