Literary Legacies of Lagoons

Lagoons throughout the world are threatened by the capitalistic ambitions of states and international territorial disputes, yet literature on them is missing an intimate portrayal akin to Nan Shepherd’s work on mountains or Roger Deakin’s portrayal of the British Isles.

Traversing the Margins

As a nature writer, Arati Kumar-Rao employs an evocative and lyrical tone, even when she is describing the grim statistics of pollution or climate change. She has an acute sensitivity for the subtle nuances of imperiled landscapes, their brittle beauty and seasonal rhythms.  The text is illuminated with the author’s own artwork, which presents haunting black and white images of the places she visits.

A Story of Survival

Author Zai Whitaker assumes no stand. She narrates with dispassion and sagacity, apportioning neither praise nor blame. It is for the reader to glean the canniness of the protagonists, the inherent wisdom that keeps them alive through the drastically changing circumstances in the story.

Jury Citation for Anchoring Change

Editors: Vikram Singh Mehta, Jayapadma RV and Neelima KhetanPublisher: HarperCollins India “Anchoring Change attempts to showcase 24 successful social organizations from across India, spanning seventy-five years since independence. It shifts the conversation from India’s failures to successes and distils from these successes relevant design principles that might have wide relevance to create an alternative, grassroots-based, sustainable development model.” JURY  …

Jury Citation for Urban Green Space, Health Economics and Air Pollution in Delhi

Authors: Swati Rajput, Kavita Arora and Rachna MathurPublisher: Routledge India “This book looks at the ecological stress on cities and engages with the challenges of reducing vulnerabilities and risks of pollution on the health, well-being and livelihoods of people living in developing countries. With an emphasis on the environmental issues facing the city of Delhi, the book focuses on steps…

Jury Citation for A Green Economy

Author: N R KrishnanPublisher: Notion Press “This book traces the global and national process of gradual change in the integration of development and environment and, in a deeper sense the ethics of the relationship between humans and nature. The book is a veritable treasure of knowledge that shows how to live today for a common future in which no one…

Jury Citation for Searching for the Songbird

Author: Ravina AggarwalPublisher: Young Zubaan “A motley group of school friends investigating a crime and a mysterious disappearance in the Himalayan foothills… if it sounds familiar, you’re not mistaken. But the beauty of Ravina Aggarwal’s Searching for the Songbird lies in how effortlessly it ties together various provocative themes and, quite literally, draws young readers into the music of the Doon Valley.…