Santosh Singh

Karpoori Thakur, often called Jannayak, was a legendary leader from Bihar who had a significant impact on India's politics. In early 2024, he was posthumously honoured with the Bharat Ratna in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to society. Commemorating his birth centenary, this gripping biography brings to light the life, legacy and enduring relevance of Thakur. It focuses on Karpoori Thakur's politics, which introduced 'quota within quota' and opens a window to his role in bifurcating reservation among the backward classes and women in 1978. Deeply researched, anecdotal and unputdownable, The Jannayak promises to be a beacon for readers seeking to understand the complex landscape of Indian politics and society.

'Who I am today? Merely a suffering soul, tormented by my own guilt. I cannot tread the same lanes, the royal corridors again that I left behind a year ago; so what if I want to rectify today, something that I destroyed yesterday.' She stood gazing at him helplessly. Fateh Kanwar, the princess of Bikaner, stunningly beautiful and noble was not born to rule. Or so she thought. Married at the age of twelve, the tender love grew in her life after she took saptpadi with the crown prince of Jaipur. They were two young lives converging on a deadly course: one an innocent princess of Bikaner, who was living an idyllic life in royal corridors, the other, a young charming prince, who had spent all his life defying the traditions and Rajdharma, even after ascending the throne. After a series of shocking events, it was her brilliant mother-in-law, who paved the way for her elevation to be a regent queen. But yet again her world turned upside down. She perceived the political intrigues and power play of her two most trusted people as the key to her rule. Destiny defied her again. Fateh Kanwar herself becomes a victim of greed for power. Or so the people believed. Set in the last quarter of the eighteenth and the early nineteenth century India, 'Zenani Deordhi' is a compelling tale of a kingdom in peril. It is the tale of love and loss, pleasure and pain, and lust and greed. It is a vivid account of the lifelong struggle of a simple young woman, who walked the tightrope of being a queen and a mother and therefore became a sweeping story that is as relevant today as it was yesterday.

There are several small states around the world in terms of their sizes, population, economy and military strength. It is difficult to define a "small state" or a "small power" because the smallness or greatness of a country is a relative concept. However, scholars have attempted to do so.