This volume collects Chatterjee's academic writings, lectures, reportage, and editorial comments on the politics and history of Bengal. He argues that the popular upsurge of the 1930s is central to understanding Bengal's experience.

Similipal, a biosphere reserve in Eastern India, exemplifies the incredible diversity of our natural environment. The biosphere reserve derives its name from Simul, a red silk cotton tree found within the geographical boundaries of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve. This spectacular biosphere reserve spans over 2,750 square kilometres of floristic coverage and is known for having one of the region's dense dry deciduous forests. Its vast and diversified geography is home to a large variety of exotic flora and fauna, making it an important biodiversity hotspot. One of the major features of this biosphere reserve is that it is located within two biogeographical regions, one is the Chotanagpur area of the Deccan Peninsular Plateau, and the other is the Mahanadi east coast area of the Oriental Realm. Numerous scientific research and survey were carried out in the Similipal area, which gave credence to the fact that this area is home to many diverse species of plants, trees, animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, etc. Similipal, home to several rare forests and aquatic animals, is a nature reservoir and a thriving living environment for several indigenous communities of tribes that have survived for generations while preserving a balanced relationship with their surroundings. They thoroughly understand the forest's resources, which they have used sustainably to support their lifestyles. This delicate equilibrium between man and nature in Similipal is an excellent example of ecological coexistence. Several researches in several biosphere zones have identified transition, buffer, and core zones, each with distinct traits and ecological relevance. The uses of forest resources, by the tribes' traditional and sustainable practices, reflects that how these traditions help to preserve Similipal's rich biodiversity and is more than simply an investigation of its natural beauty; it also provides an insight into the cultural history and knowledge of its inhabitants. This book dives into Similipal's complicated web of life, illustrating the various ways in which indigenous communities, flora and flora coexist with mutualistic relationship for balance and benefit of the environment and the mankind. The book contains 12 chapters revealing the floral and faunal diversity within Similipal, their bioprospects and the traditional uses for tribal community. We hope that this book will create a greater appreciation for this unique biosphere reserve and the critical need of protecting such natural treasures for future generations.

Examines the interconnected events including World War II, India's struggle for independence, and a period of acute scarcity that lead to mass starvation in colonial Bengal.

Land of Two Rivers chronicles the story of one of the most fascinating and influential regions in the Indian subcontinent. The confluence of two major river systems, Ganga and Brahmaputra, created the delta of Bengal--an ancient land known as a center of trade, learning and the arts from the days of the Mahabharata and through the ancient dynasties. During the medieval era, this eventful journey saw the rise of Muslim dynasties which brought into being a unique culture, quite distinct from that of northern India. The colonial conquest in the eighteenth century opened the modern chapter of Bengal's history and transformed the social and economic structure of the region. Nitish Sengupta traces the formation of Bengali identity through the Bengal Renaissance, the growth of nationalist politics and the complex web of events that eventually led to the partition of the region in 1947, analyzing why, despite centuries of shared history and culture, the Bengalis finally divided along communal lines. The struggle of East Pakistan to free itself from West Pakistan's dominance is vividly described, documenting the economic exploitation and cultural oppression of the Bengali people. Ultimately, under the leadership of Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman, East Pakistan became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. Land of Two Rivers is a scholarly yet extremely accessible account of the development of Bengal, sketching the eventful and turbulent history of this ancient civilization, rich in scope as well as in influence.

The Nation that has no consciousness of the past cannot give shape to a great and glorious future. Reclaiming our past and recapturing the Dharmic vision is important for the furtherance of our future, to help us emerge as a confident nation capable of playing its civilizational role.History was a tool used first by our colonial masters, then by their Nehruvian successors and the Left-Liberal cabal to colonize our minds and impede our rise from the abyss of a slavish mindset. Shri Nandakumar surveys the entire freedom movement from a historical perspective to bring out in absorbing detail the real motivation of our freedom fighters - to preserve and revitalize the Swa Consciousness our National Selfhood. The book provides us a new template to view our past