Shantnu Nikhil Indian couture womenswear Indian fashion Wamiqa Gabbi Shantnu Nikhil Luxe
Called Shantnu & Nikhil Luxe, the label offers everything from statement bodycon pieces, corseted silhouettes, contoured peplums, crystal-studded drapes to mini dresses—all structured, yet fluid, a design style long associated with Shantnu Nikhil. The launch was followed by the recent opening of the Shantnu & Nikhil Luxe store in Delhi's The Dhan Mill Compound.
"Women have always resonated deeply with our language of sharp tailoring, military precision and unrestrained self-expression. Shantnu & Nikhil Luxe is not merely an extension of our house codes; it's couture's rebellious twin," says Nikhil Mehra.
Also read: Why nude dressing is trending on the red carpet
In an interview with Lounge, the two brothers talk about the new label, the inspiration behind it and why red carpet dressing needs to evolve. Edited excerpts:
The market is already flooded with contemporary womenswear labels. What makes Shantnu & Nikhil Luxe unique?
While many labels focus on easy contemporary silhouettes, true red carpet couture that feels sculpted, dramatic, and deeply refined is rare. That's where Shantnu & Nikhil Luxe stands apart. It brings our signature structured tailoring and fluid drapery into a more daring, high octane realm. It's for the woman who commands the spotlight and owns her narrative without compromise.
Is it premium ready to wear?
It's statement eveningwear infused with couture sensibilities. The collection starts at around ₹50,000 and goes up to ₹3 lakh, depending on the intricacy.
How do you attempt to redefine red-carpet dressing with this new vertical?
India has always celebrated elaborate occasion-wear, but true statement eveningwear, red-carpet couture that feels provocative, playful and built for sheer presence, has rarely found its voice. This is our answer to that gap.
What prompted you to have actor Wamiqa Gabbi as the muse for this debut collection?
Wamiqa was instinctive for us. She carries the duality we represent, fierce yet deeply grounded.
How was the process of conceptualising the store?
This store marks a new milestone for us, our first ever women's-only flagship. We co-designed the space with Monica and Hardesh Chawla of Essentia Homes. Multiple sittings, moodboards and late nights went into translating our vision of Luxe into a physical experience that feels unapologetically feminine and built entirely for her.
What inspires your work?
Travel has always been a natural part of who we are, it keeps our perspective fresh and our ideas layered. Inspiration doesn't always come from one place; sometimes a city's mood or a fleeting detail might spark something, sometimes it stays as a memory that shapes our broader vision. It's less about translating travel literally into design and more about letting every journey remind us to keep exploring, experimenting and evolving.Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.
Also read: 'Bollywood and India me': French designer Mossi Traoré
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Saturday Feeling: A reading list on freedom, films to watch and stories to read this weekend
For as long as I can remember, there's been much hand-wringing about the 'loss of reading habit', the dirges linking the decline to every other evil in the world. The Kerala government is worried enough to have elevated it to a policy issue. A few days ago, it decided to 'give grace marks' to students who 'engage in activities that promote reading habit', as the state's education minister announced, somewhat ironically, on Facebook, which has probably contributed disproportionately to our rejection of reading and engaging with anything meaningfully. In this age of wonderful and ever-changing imagery that comes straight into our hands, it is easier to view than to settle down, focus and take in alphabets, sew them into words, and then string out sentences full of ideas, logic, insight and knowledge. Reading seems like it needs superhuman strength and powers of concentration, but not every idea or thought can be captured in images, and very often, that wonderful imagery starts its life as words on a page. Reading is another kind of freedom, as countless writers, poets and thinkers have said many times over and in various ways. To mark Independence Day, therefore, we've compiled a list of books for children—which could as easily appeal to adults—to start them on this path of freedom. We have suggestions from the Lounge team as well as books that have left a lasting impact on well-known writers, book illustrators, publishers and editors. Taken together, that's close to 50 books to put on your reading list—no matter if that list is analogue or digital. We've curated a list of close to 50 books to put on your reading list this Independence Day. What to watch this weekend There are quite a few shows and big-ticket films out this weekend, among them the Rajinikanth starrer 'Coolie' and YRF's spy-verse movie. Find all our recommendations for weekend watching here. We also have reviews of Saare Jahan Se Achcha and War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and NTR Jr. by Uday Bhatia. They're meant to be bold, brash, aggressive and competitive. But in the 21st century, writes Dr. Sanjay Govil, surgeons can no longer afford to live up to this stereotype. The decisiveness, superior skill and ability to make hard choices needs to be blended with empathy, communication and a culture of sharing knowledge in order to provide patients with the best care. Read his beautiful essay on empathy in the workplace. A mixer named Sujata and other chefs' tools A mixer named Sujata, a refrigerator that goes by Sexy Karen and a noodle machine called Yamini—they're all in the kitchen and pulling their weight. Chefs and kitchen staff name their favourite gadgets and appliances to make the high-stress environment of kitchens a bit more fun to navigate, writes Ruth Dsouza Prabhu. Read more. MG Cyberster review: Fast, green and pretty MG Motor's first electric roadster, the Cyberster, is fast and sleek enough to be James Bond's getaway car yet clean and green enough to be Greta Thunberg's ride. Striking butterfly doors and a retractable roof makes it so Instagrammable that it adds to its desirability. It does 0-100kmph in 3.2 seconds, making it great for therapeutic drives, but not for your everyday routine, decides Rishad Saam Mehta. Read more. Retro games get a new avatar While gaming has undergone drastic changes, retro games have never truly disappeared, and one doesn't need an old console to enjoy them. They are now available in different formats. Re-releases are compilations of classic titles made available on modern platforms with few or no changes. From remasters of old games to being released on new platforms, classic video games have gained a new lease of life in various formats, writes Shrey Pacheco. Read more.
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3 days ago
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The Freedom to Read: Books that must be on every young reader's list
Lounge invited ten writers, illustrators, editors and publishers to tell us about a book that mattered to them. They may have read it growing up or discovered it as an adult but it is one they want every child to read. RUN WILD, RUN FREE, RUN HOMEMANJULA PADMANABHAN Where the Wild Things Are (1963)Written & illustrated by Maurice Sendak Max is naughty. He's sent to bed without supper. So he runs off to where the Wild Things are. Has a grand time. When he tires of having fun, he returns to his room. And his supper '… is still hot." The drawings show us gloriously comic monsters. Fearsome horns, teeth and tails! Some have human feet, some have friendly eyes. The sublime twist of the tale is packed into those final words. Max is free to run AND free to return. No penalties either way. He enjoys his wildness thor oughly. But when he returns it's because he wants to. To choose what you already have must surely be the happiest freedom of all. Manjula Padmanabhan is an award-winning playwright, novelist, cartoonist and children's book illustrator. SUBMITTING TO THE STORYOGIN NAYAM What the Dark Sounds Like (2023)By Aparna Kapur Illustrated by Krishna Bala Shenoi I am a picture book maker and yet while growing up in Arunachal Pradesh, I had no idea or concept of a picture book. Tinkle came into my life only when I was in class V. My school library had age-inappropriate books like Tell Me Your Dreams by Sidney Sheldon. A class VII student should not be reading this. I got introduced to picture books very late in life, when I was pursuing a bachelor's degree in Bengaluru. Illustrator Canato Jimo became a mentor to me, and I came across the wonderful Owl Babies in the mini library that he has at his home. This 1992 book by Martin Waddell, with illustrations by Patrick Benson, was a revelation. If I had found Owl Babies early in life, my engagement with art would have started way sooner. Another book, which I would highly recommend is OGD by Anushka Ravishankar. When I first acquired it, I thought that it was full of such fantastical nonsense that it would be easy to read. But I was wrong. The book poses quite a lovely challenge for kids and adults alike— you have to approach it with an open mind, turn down logic and submit yourself to the story. Another book in a similar vein is What the Dark Sounds Like. I bought the book for its illustrations and stayed on for the words. This sparsely written book says so much without trying too hard. The words put seeds in your head, and the ideas keep germinating. Take, for instance, the sentence: What does happiness smell like? It is such a lovely idea about the tiny little things that we overlook. Ogin Nayam is a visual artist and picture book maker from Arunachal Pradesh. BOOKS THAT BUILD WORLDSSTUTI AGARWAL I Go Quiet (2019)By David Ouimet This is an exquisitely illustrated picture book, which I highly recommend for parents and kids alike. Authored by David Ouimet, the story is about an anxious, shy girl, who discovers possibilities for herself in the world of books and words. The book is about how she finds her voice and courage to speak out in a society that is isolationist and judgemental. I don't see a lot of picture books taking on such complex themes. I feel I Go Quiet is a reminder to parents to accept their kids as they are and let them become their own person. For slightly older kids, I would suggest Greenglass House by Kate Milford. I am a fantasy head and enjoy great world building. It is tough to find books with intricate worlds, which really do a great job of drawing you in, and Milford does it beautifully in this book. The winter setting adds to the intrigue. Another one is The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, for readers aged 8 and above, which is about a young child bring ing a polar bear back to Bear Island. It is about empathy, kindness and the fact that you are never too young to make a dif ference. The book also spotlights human-animal relationships and creates environmental aware ness. Each of these books will wean kids away from the screen and immerse them into these wonderful worlds. Stuti Agarwal is an author of children's and young adult fiction, including Daisies in the Wild and The Adventures of Young Kalam. A WORLD WITH NINE KINDS OF PIEAPARNA KAPUR Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955)By Crockett Johnson If there's one book that represents the sort of freedom we need most in our lives right now, we couldn't do much better than this simple masterpiece about a child and the world he builds with his purple crayon. Crockett Johnson was an outspoken, radical artist and his strong belief in the freedom of thought runs through Harold's story. Harold's self-made journey exemplifies the freedom to be curious and open-minded; the freedom of movement; of making mis takes and recovering from them; the freedom to lose one's way and ask for directions. Most of all, readers can walk away with the freedom to imagine the sort of world they want to see—hopefully, it'll be one that includes nine kinds of pie. Aparna Kapur reads, writes and edits children's books. Her latest novel is An Absence of Squirrels. ENTERING MAGICAL WORLDSPANKAJ SAIKIA Haroun and the Sea of Stories (1990)By Salman Rushdie There are three books that meant a lot to me growing up. One is about Haroun—this book is significant as it is a story about stories, and how important they are to our lives. Haroun, in his magical journey, discovers that we are all made up of such stories, and that happy endings do come about—but to achieve those, we first need to embark on an adventure. Then there is Siyali Pale goi Ratanpur, or The Fox reaches Ratanpur in English, by Nabakanta Baruah. This is an Assamese classic and probably one of the best nonsensically sensible books ever written. Nothing makes sense and yet you will not be able to put it down till the last page. This book features fantastical tales of encounters between the protagonist Joon and bizarre characters. And then there is Persepolis, the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, which is one of the best coming-of-age stories told in this format. I keep revisiting the book as I never tire out of Marjane's childhood memories of the Iranian revolution and her journey of self-discovery. Pankaj Saikia is an illustrator and children's book author from Assam. LIFE LESSONS FROM BOOKSSHAHU PATOLE Mother (1906)By Maxim Gorky It was after joining junior college in Osmanabad (now Dharasheev district) that I first came across books by Maxim Gorky and George Orwell, and titles such as Mother, My Universities, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm left a huge impact on me. The library became my haven. Before that, when I was in boarding school in my village, Khamgaon, boxes of books would come to the classroom every week. They were mobile libraries of sorts, which featured popular books like Shyamchi Aai, an autobiography of socialist thinker and freedom fighter Pandurang Sadashiv Sane— Sane Guruji—which was later turned into a movie that won the first Presidential Award for best film in India. However, I could not relate to the book—I am not being critical of the book but its setting and culture was different from the one that I had grown up in. But in junior college, when I read Mother and My Universities, they did not seem alien to me. They expanded my world view, and I could relate to the themes of social injustice. I also read Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm by Orwell alongside. A year later, in 1975 when the Emergency was declared, I felt that I had read about such events only recently, and they were unfurling in front of my eyes. I can still relate to these books, and recommend it to all teens and young adults, as the themes mentioned in them continue to stay relevant. Shahu Patole is a retired government officer and author of books, including Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada. THE MOTHER WHO MARCHED BRAVELYRICHA JHA Mother (2024)By Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, illustrated by Lokesh Khodke and Shefalee Jain, translated by Deeptha Achar There is a point in Mother, written by academic, Dalit rights activist and political theorist Kancha Ilaiah, where the book's already charged narrative takes on a viscerally terrifying, almost ominous tone. The author describes his mother's fearless challenge to her brother (and, by extension, to the high caste Patels and Patwaris who 'conspired to trample her right" at the Bonalu festival for stopping her from carrying the sacred bonum bottu (pot) on her head and leading the procession). Determined and armed with an almost other-worldly fervour, she marches on, balancing the bottu on her head. She belongs to the shepherd community, and therefore, not of a caste high enough to own the ritual. She threatens to break his bones and rip his intestines out if he dares to stop her. A more defiant and fiery set of words has not been associated with a mother in any of our homegrown picture books; words that not only challenge and subvert centuries of caste- and gender based oppression but also inspire her son to later take on championing the cause of the trampled-upon. In her ferocity is the seed of freedom that she sows, not just for herself but for her lot. And then,With the Bonam pot in her left handThrowing a curse with her right,She demolished the Patel,Shooed the brother away,Pallu tied to the waist,She marched across the maize fieldsAhead of all. Richa Jha is a writer, editor and publisher of Pickle Yolk Books, an indie publishing house for children's books in English JOY IN SIMPLE THINGSDEEPA BHASTHI Ratnana Padagalu—Nagana Padagalu (2016)By G.P. Rajarathnam GP. Rajarathnam was best known for his children's poems, although his writing career spanned literary criticism, essays, short stories and much else. Several generations of us grew up singing his songs, collected, most recently, as Ratnana Padagalu—Nagana Padagalu. I don't remember reading his widely loved poems as much as listening to them on cassette tapes. The Kannada he used was colloquial, rooted in rural, everyday lives, and had none of the lofty, formal tone one found in adult literature of the time. Bannada tagadina tuttoori, kaasige kondanu Kasturi, is a personal favourite, about a boy called Kasturi who is very proud of his small trumpet and learns a lesson in humility by the end of the song. The poems are set in an older, now obsolete, world but the sense of innocence, about finding joy in simple things, are reminders even us adults could use today. I read them now and then, for a touch of nostalgia, sure, but more to appreciate just how many wonderful kinds of Kannadas there are in speech and text in Karnataka. Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and translator based in Kodagu, Karnataka. She won the International Booker Prize 2025 for translating Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq FINDING YOUR OWN VOICESHOBHA VISWANATH Sa Re Ga Ma Pakshi (2025)Written & Illustrated by Rishi Sahany Sa Re Ga Ma Pakshi is a wordless picture book where music takes flight as birds. The guru's birds (notes) soar with grace, but the child's small bird falters, falls, and is tucked back in until, through patience and practice, it finally takes wing. It circles oceans and forests, wraps the sky, and returns to stay. This story shows that free dom isn't about doing anything you wish; it's about find ing and keeping your own voice. When the little bird soars at last, it's not just music in the air, it's the quiet triumph of true independence. Shobha Viswanath is a writer and publishing director of Karadi Tales. RELIGION AS ENCHANTMENT, MYTHOLOGY AND LITERATUREL. SOMI ROY The Pilgrim's Progress (1678)By John Bunyan I came across John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress in the school library one day. I did not know then it was the first novel in the English language, in 1678; and only vaguely that it was a Christian allegory. I got deeply immersed in the landscape of our hero Christian's adventures. Even today when I feel down, I remember Christian crossing the Slough of Despond. Surely Bunyan would have been rather dismayed to learn that it was The Pilgrim's Progress that opened my eyes to reli gion as enchantment, mythology and literature, and for ever inoculated me against religion as belief— quite the opposite of the good preacher man's intent in writing his enduring classic. That a book could be structured and told in different ways was impressed upon my young teenage mind by the two-volume All Men are Brothers, the translation by the wonderful Pearl S. Buck of the Ming Dynasty Chinese classic novel, Water Margin, written by Shi Nai'an in the mid-14th century. Oh, the rousing fights, the never-ending run from the gov ernment forces, the testing of loyalties, the betrayals, the brotherhood of the 108 outlaws offered thrill after thrill for this boy reader. And each chapter followed a hero, who was a minor character in the preceding one. What a way to keep the multiple heroes entering and exiting the ever-evolving narrative. Undoubtedly, a revisit would deepen my appreciation of these books. But these were some of the many, as I recall today, which sealed my love of reading with the wonder and enchantment of a child. L. Somi Roy is a cultural conservationist, curator, translator and author of books such as And That is Why: Manipuri Myths Retold
Mint
3 days ago
- Mint
Independence Day: Books to inspire freedom and resilience in young readers
The freedom to read isn't one of the fundamental rights protected by the Constitution. But it certainly is one of those pesky acts of rebellion that gives governments around the world sleepless nights. Last week, the Jammu & Kashmir government banned 25 books written by scholars, writers and journalists from being sold in the state, blaming these works for 'misguiding youth." As an official notification put it, 'This literature would deeply impact the psyche of youth by promoting a culture of grievance, victimhood, and terrorist heroism." In a just world, a book's merit ought to be left to the judgement of the reader, not pre-emptively decided and dismissed. So, this Independence Day, Lounge decided to offer a small gift of freedom to India's youth—in the form of a curated reading list. We wanted to take young readers on a journey of discovering stories of freedom, resilience and grit. We didn't want to set a bar in terms of genre, language, level or geography. The best children's books, we believe, resonate with readers of all ages. We did set ourselves one condition: The books had to be quirky, exciting and absorbing in a way regular 'educational" books are not. They had to be so good as to make young readers forget online distractions for some time and focus only on the book at hand. While we put our heads together as a team and brainstormed, we also invited writers, illustrators, editors and publishers to tell us about a book that mattered to them. They may have read it growing up or discovered it as an adult but it is one they want every child to read. For obvious reasons, it had to be a book they had no hand in producing. What follows is a list of titles we came up with—necessarily subjective, selective and incomplete—but one that will hopefully inspire our readers to start many conversations and discover the special freedom that books can send our way. OF MESSY HANDS AND TOILING ANTS Jamini Roy's Unbroken Lines (2023)By Vinitha & TanviYoung Jamini wants to paint. He loves to mix mud and water and make a mess of his hands. He is a keen observer of the land and its many wonders. The scent of the shiuli flower, the designs of the alpona his mother draws every morning, the carmine vermillion on her forehead, the leaves of the champa plant, the ants who work tirelessly each day. His family would say, 'He will get over this girly thing of drawing alponas and drawing on the walls." But Jamini knew he would continue to work at it, just like the ants. This book tells the story of artist Jamini Roy's early life, growing up in Beliatore in West Bengal, a small town known for its folk art traditions. Vinitha Ramchandani's lucid prose is enriched by Tanvi Bhat's illustrations of Roy's magical world of clay, cats and cows. Unbroken Lines is a celebra tion of the freedom to choose your path and be who you want to be. — Rituparna Roy LESSONS FROM MANTO'S SODA THEORY Mantoo Ke Mazameen (2016)By Saadat Hasan Manto Of the 21 short essays in this book, Hindi Aur Urdu is a favourite. Manto (1912-55) imagines a conversation between a Hindu and a Muslim. Both are quibbling over which drink is better: lemon or soda. Munshi Narain Prashad prefers lemon soda because it has flavour, is tangy and also sweet, while Mirza Muhammad Iqbal is adamant on soda as that's what he has at home. At one point Munshi says, 'Arrey bhai, lemon aur soda main farak hi kya hai.... Unki poori jaan gas main hai." This tongue-in cheek banter continues with neither man ceding ground. There's an essay on corrupt politicians and one on flirting. A young reader might wonder what has changed since Manto wrote Hindi Aur Urdu? Aren't we still quibbling over languages? Perhaps they can apply the 'soda" theory to various situations and figure out in what proportion they want the tangy, sweet and salty. Or they could keep it plain. But what's vital is that they should not let go of the fizz. — Nipa Charagi A SKY FULL OF DREAMS Out in the moonlight (2023)By Perumal Murugan Illustrated by Ashok Rajagopalan Between grazing the cattle, farming and cooking, Amma hardly got a break," Perumal Murugan writes in Out in the Moonlight, drawing on his experiences as a child. The book is set in a small village in Tamil Nadu, where a mother works in the millet fields in the middle of the night, while tending to her newborn and his five-year-old brother as they fall asleep under a moonlit sky. To her children, Amma is fearless and unstoppable as she ferries them along the lonely forest path, undaunted by the perils of the wild. Complete with vivid images of rural life, this pic ture book evokes the hardships as well as the freedom of living on a farm, espe cially for young readers consumed by the distractions of city life and its easy conveniences. —Rituparna Roy A CHILDHOOD UNLIKE ANY OTHER Postbox Kashmir (2021)By Divya Arya The distance between Srinagar and Delhi is less than 800km, but the psychological gulf that separates children growing up in these two cities is hard to bridge. In 2017, BBC journalist Divya Arya got two schoolgirls, Saumya and Duaa, to write letters to each other from Delhi and Kashmir, respectively. As Kashmir remained caught in a communication blackout, they had to do this the old-fash ioned way: with pen and paper. Thus began a dialogue between pen pals of the same generation, each bursting with questions for the other: Are there only Muslims in Kashmir? Do girls throw stones at the army? Can you imagine living without phone network or internet even for a day? Postbox Kashmir paints an authentic portrait of children's lives in conflict zones to their more fortunate peers who have always been able to take their right to exist and live freely for granted. — Somak Ghoshal A QUESTING SPIRIT Nalak (1916)By Abanindranath Tagore, Translated by Urbi Bhaduri For Bengali children of my generation, Abanindranath Tagore's Nalak was a rite of passage. The book was prescribed as a 'rapid reader" in school but widely loved, despite it being a part of the curriculum. A lyrical story about the life of the Buddha told through the eyes of a village boy, it is suffused with a magical aura of quest and discovery. Instead of going to school, Nalak, the eponymous boy hero, longs for the freedom of the forests. He likes to sit with the wise men and meditate instead. Nalak has a vision of the birth of the Buddha and, while he never gets to meet him in person, he is touched by his grace forever. A quietly rebellious and questioning tale that remains evergreen to this day. — Somak Ghoshal TWO LIVES IN THE MIRROR Savitribai Phule and I (2020)By Sangeeta Mulay Shabri and Savitri may be separated by more than 200 years of 'progress", yet their experiences remain uncannily similar. Born in a poor Dalit village, both overcame insurmountable odds to get where they are. Shabri got admission into an engineering college in the 21st century through the reserved category, while Savitribai Phule became a pioneer of women's education in the 1800s. In this hard hitting story of grit and resilience, Sangeeta Mulay draws parallels between the lives of her two protagonists to reveal the (often invisible) trauma that informs the expe rience of Dalit young adults, even in 'reputed" educational institutions. While beacons like Savitribai Phule continue to show the way to Dalit teenagers, her story will hopefully also inspire other young readers to speak up against one of the grossest injustices of humanity. — Somak Ghoshal GOING BEYOND LABELS Freak the Mighty (1993)By Rodman Philbrick This book is an emotional roller-coaster ride about two friends, who are seen as 'freaks" by society. Max is tall and large and suffers from a developmental disorder. Though gentle by nature, he is deemed as a bully by people who are intimi dated by his size. Kevin, who has been diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome, also carries the weight of society's labels. A chance encounter brings the two together, after which little Kevin starts riding on Max's shoulders regularly—and as a joke they start calling this form, Freak the Mighty. This story, meant for kids aged 12-13 and above, is not about accept ance from others but about confronting inner demons and making peace with them. As my daughter—who is reading it for a school project— puts it: 'The story helps you recognise that it is your differences that make you powerful, no matter what peo ple say." —Avantika Bhuyan FORGOTTEN HISTORIES OF REBELLION Disaibon Hul (2014)By Ruby Hembrom Illustrated by Saheb Ram Tudu Over 10 years ago, Ruby Hembrom, founder of the not-for-profit publishing platform Adivaani, published Disaibon Hul ('Remember the rebellion," in Santali), a picture book commemorating the Santal rebellion of 1855-57. Beautifully illustrated by Saheb Ram Tudu, the story brings to life a key moment from India's recent past, which is ignored by mainstream history, when a contingent of Santali men, women and children, took up arms against their colonial masters, exploitative traders and unscrupulous zamindars. Led by the brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, this revolt was a precursor of the freedom movement, which deserves to be studied and remembered by children and adults across ages. —Somak Ghoshal HUMAN FACE OF HISTORY Footnotes in Gaza (2009)Written & illustrated by Joe Sacco As the genocide against Palestinians continues in Gaza, there's no better time to introduce young readers to this classic by one of the pioneers of graphic non-fiction books. Journalist Joe Sacco looks back on the trail of destruction left by Israel on Khan Yunis and Rafah in 1956 through interviews with eye witnesses 50 years later. The result is 'epic and intimate," as one review noted. Sacco's history lessons are delivered through his nuanced story telling, which makes the book at once engaging and memorable. The combination of text and images puts a human face to geopolitics, building empathy and understanding in the reader, which standard-fare history books rarely do as effectively. —Somak Ghoshal JOINING THE JUSTICE LEAGUE The Grasshopper's Run (2009)By Siddhartha Sarma It is 1944 and the Japanese have invaded British India. As they massacre an Ao Naga village in the Naga Hills, a young boy, who had been away in Calcutta (now Kolkata) for his studies, loses his best friend. When Gojen learns about the tragedy, he swears revenge and sets out in pursuit of the Japanese colonel who killed his friend, Uti. Part-adventure story and part-historical fiction, Siddhartha Sarma's acclaimed young-adult novel resurrects a relatively forgotten era of Indian his tory through a story of friendship that turns into a quest for justice and independence. —Somak Ghoshal THE WISDOM OF ANIMAL COMPANIONS 'Sona' from My Family(originally published in Hindi as 'Mera Pari var' in 1972)By Mahadevi Varma Sona is one of the many evocative portraits that author-educationist Mahadevi Varma drew of her animal companions. Whether it was the young calf Gaura, or the mischievous squirrel Gillu, and the majestic peacock Neelakanth, each of these adopted family members in Varma's stories stands as a testa ment to the compassion, wisdom and emotional intelligence of animals, which we don't often acknowledge. Sona is a heart warming tale of a doe, who becomes a part of the author's household and the curious interactions she has with the other animals. I first read the story in Hindi in my school reader and was drawn to the visual vocabulary Varma used to describe her: 'Sunehre rang ke reshmi lacchon ki gaanth ke samaan uska komal laghu shareer, chota sa muh aur badi badi paanidar aankhein… (her tiny body akin to a cluster of golden threads, a small face and big fluid eyes)". The end would move anyone to tears—but more importantly, Varma's writing spot lights ways of co-existing with nature, ways which have now all but disappeared. —Avantika Bhuyan FINDING PERFECT STORIES IN FLAWED CHARACTERS Nimona (2015)By N.D. Stevenson I watched the movie, Nimona, before reading the graphic novel, and found the Oscar-nominated animation to be a watered-down version of the original story—perhaps to make the plot palatable to children of all ages. The graphic novel, intended for young adults, presents an array of flawed characters. Not one is perfect— something that appeals to teens far more. Stevenson challenges perceptions of good and evil, of monsters and heroes. Unlike the film, the book offers plausible scientific explanations as to why Nimona shape shifts. It presents complex worlds and themes of fluid identities. A 13-year-old, who keeps going back to the graphic novel, revealed that the book had relatable problems at the heart of it—unlike fantasy stories, which present conspiracy theories that not everyone can connect to. —Avantika Bhuyan THE ARTIST'S STORYBOARD This is How I Draw (2025)By Aindri C, Deepa Balsavar, Ogin Nayam, Pankaj Saikia, Prabha Mallya, Priya Kuriyan, Rajiv Eipe Where do artists and authors get their amazing ideas from? Does a part of their brain suddenly go eureka or does magic happen in their dreams? Kids have always wondered about how creative people get inspired and this book acts as the perfect behind-the-scenes. Seven artists authors share how ideas from the everyday coalesce on to their story boards. If Rajiv Eipe becomes a fly on the wall, Deepa Balsavar experiments with material and lets her imagination take over in her drawings. Aindri C. opts for nature printing, an age-old method of capturing impressions of plants. The book is for children of all ages, who seek inspiration to get their creative juices flowing. —Avantika Bhuyan IN OTHER WORLDS The Secret Commonwealth (2019)By Philip Pullman In The Book of Dust, Philip Pullman expands the universe he created in His Dark Materials, a trilogy of books that explore ideas around religion, philosophy, love and friendship via a ripping adventure tale that is quite unlike anything devoted readers of fantasy have ever read. The Secret Commonwealth is the second book of the new series (of which the third and final book is expected in October). Protagonist Lyra is older and has lost some of the moral certitude of childhood here. As she grapples with questions of individuality and identity resulting from a fractured relationship with her closest companion, she must also go on a journey to unravel a mystery that is threatening her world. This is a fascinating universe about power and politics to get lost in, and if you find echoes from our own in it, well, that's a different adventure alto gether. —Shrabonti Bagchi ARTICULATING DIFFICULT FEELINGS Somnath Hore: Wounds (2021)By Likla Illustrated by Kripa Bhatia and designed by Shambhavi Thakur How do you convey complex emotions behind an artwork to kids? Somnath Hore: Wounds can help. Hore, a sculptor and printmaker, was deeply impacted by the suffering that ensued after the Bengal famine of 1943 and the Tebhaga peasant-led movement in 1946-47. His series, Wounds, featuring broken bodies, stemmed from all that he saw and felt. Likla and Bhatia introduce children to Hore's childhood—which was witness to such horrors— and ask them to reflect on what a world without violence would feel like. There are pages where kids can articulate feelings of anxiety and pain. At a time when the world is gripped by uncertainty, books such as these help children give expression to complex emotions. —Avantika Bhuyan A FABLE THAT KEEPS GIVING The Giving Tree (1964)By Shel Silverstein Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree has gone into many reprints, beloved for its evocative yet simple illustrations of the lifelong rela tionship between a boy and a tree, and the idea of generosity. Reading it as an adult, it feels less like a tale about sharing (as it was held up to me when I was a child) and more like a cautionary tale about human self-centred ness, and in that sense, this is a fable that keeps on giving. For adults and chil dren today, this is a great book to start conversations about healthy relationships, choices and boundaries (because the boy is ultimately an ingrate who strips the tree of everything, leaving just a stump behind), selfishness, gratitude, even the joy of giving and receiving. Each reading can spark a discussion about the many emotional lessons we need to make our way in the world. —Shalini Umachandran BIG ISSUES AND WHIMSICAL ART Our Friends, the Ogres (1974)By K.G. Subramanyan KG. Subramanyan (1924-2016) is one of India's most eminent artists, at once pro lific, versatile and world famous, but it's in his children's books that I think one gets a measure of the man. The characters in his stories for children, which speak as easily to adults, are play ful even as the stories are sharp, critical and thought provoking. Our Friends, The Ogres with its paper collage artwork in black and white is easy to read and understand, using ogres as metaphors to explain complex ideas about industrialisation, environmentalism, urbanisation and displace ment. The thoughts it evokes could even be used to talk about feelings of loss that accompany environmental change—after all, who hasn't mourned the loss of a beautiful tree or a beloved playground to a glassy office complex. —Shalini Umachandran A CELEBRATION OF LOVE Ritu Weds Chandni (2020)By Ameya Narvankar Is it utopian to imagine a world where a union of two people is viewed beyond the stifling silos of gender, caste and class? In Ritu Weds Chandni, love rises above societal diktats. A young girl, Ayesha, is all set to participate in the wedding of her cousin, Ritu. Even though family and friends stand in support of this same-sex wedding, certain people try to disrupt the ceremony. The book shows the power of the youth's voice against prejudice and homophobia. In an interview, Narvankar has said that the book consciously steered clear of a tragic representation of the queer community. Rather, it was a celebration of love, and an effort to make the community more visible in children's books. And that's what it does beautifully. —Avantika Bhuyan A STORY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE Savi and the Memory Keeper (2021)By Bijal Vachharajani How does a teen grapple with loss—of a parent, a known way of living and of the immediate environment? In this book, Vachharajani brings together grief, climate change and magical realism. The story is centred around Savi, who arrives in a new city called Shajarpur, clutching on to 42 plants, which remain the most tangible memories of her father. A giant ficus tree in her school becomes her companion in grief when it starts communicating with the young girl. Around the same time, the climate in Shajarpur takes a turn for the worse and it is left to Savi and Eco Ants club members to do something about it. Vachharajani bases parts of her book on Suzann Simard's research about the communication network between trees in a forest and connects it with a child's life. Savi and the Memory Keeper is a gentle companion for any teen undergoing loss or grief of any kind. —Avantika Bhuyan CELEBRATING ALL BODY TYPES Bodies are Cool (2021) By Tyler Feder Freckled bodies, dotted bodies, rosy-patched or speckled bodies, dark-skin-swirled-with-light-skin bodies, Bodies are cool! This body-affirming and inclusive picture book is a must-read for adults and children alike. In a global culture populated with diet and lifestyle fads, which tend to idealise a single body type, Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder is about body positivity and acceptance and that not every one needs to look alike. 'Feder hopes the book shows that it is normal to be trans or visibly queer or very fat or with a really noticeable disability," as a 2022-article in NPR puts it. —Avantika Bhuyan
