Penguin to publish 3 new titles by historian Vikram Sampath

Talking about his upcoming books, Sampath said there has never been a better time to be a historian in India and tell compelling stories of the country's past in a manner that "interests, excites and inspires". "I am delighted that I am deepening my bond with Penguin through a series of three forthcoming books that I have signed up with them.

Penguin Random House India on Thursday announced the acquisition of three new titles by award-winning author and historian Vikram Sampath. These new titles will be published from 2022 onwards under the 'Penguin Viking' imprint, the publishing house said in a statement. Talking about his upcoming books, Sampath said there has never been a better time to be a historian in India and tell compelling stories of the country's past in a manner that "interests, excites and inspires".

"I am delighted that I am deepening my bond with Penguin through a series of three forthcoming books that I have signed up with them. "Given the huge demand for non-fiction today, it's perhaps never been a better time in India to be a historian and to tell these compelling stories of our past in a manner that interests, excites and inspires," he said.  Among the three books in the series will be biographies of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of Mysore, and the famed 17th century Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji.

While the former will be a "reassessment of the life and legacy" of Tipu Sultan, the book on Shivaji will "survey all the different versions of his life and bring them together as a comprehensive and compelling story of the inspiring genius". The third book, which is tentatively titled "Unsung Tales from Indian History", will seek to "expand the scope of our historical narrative to dynasties, heroes and heroines beyond the microscope of Delhi". According to the publishers, the book showcasing stories of valour from India's rich past will shed light on the contribution of leaders like Chand Bibi of Ahmednagar, who defeated Akbar's armies in 1595; Lachit Borphukan, who led the armies of the Ahom Dynasty and defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat; the story of Tikendrajit Singh, the commander of the Manipuri army, who valiantly fought the Anglo-Manipur War, and others.

"The three titles will explore the stories of important and contested figures of our past who continue to define contemporary notions of nationhood and secularism. "These books will be meticulously researched and unbiased accounts that assess these legacies in an objective manner. They would be drawing from a wide range of rich sources from across India and abroad," they said. Sampath who last penned "Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past" (2019), is also working on its second volume. He has previously authored books like "Splendours of Royal Mysore: The Untold Story of the Wodeyars", and "My Name is Gauhar Jaan!" - The Life and Times of a Musician"..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)