• 53% of the 6 billion+ world’s population lives within 200 kilometers of the coastline. • 1 billion people live within a height of 20 meters above the mean sea level. • 21 of the 33 megacities of the world lie along the coasts. • Tourism is the fastest growing sector in the world economy. Coastal areas comprise of the largest number of tourist destinations. • 35 million+ people worldwide rely on fishing as a source of livelihood. • More than half of the world’s industries lie along the coasts. • Contribution of coastal areas to a coastal country’s GDP is as high as 95% in some cases. The world’s economic and social heart lies along its coasts. The world is where the coast is! Global warming induced climate change will change the way we look at our coasts. Rising sea levels will displace millions. The entire fishing industry will collapse. Coastal agriculture will take a beating. Unpredictable and unprecedented changes in the weather will wreak havoc. Existing infrastructural facilities that form the backbone of our economy such as ports, industries and power plants will become obsolete. Economies will collapse and diseases would rise. Lawlessness will prevail. Humanity would meet its doom! Can we prevent a doomsday like scenario? – Yes Can we do it in the present system? – No In the present system of a capitalistic selfish society, no amount of measures taken to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change would be enough. The present system looks at short term monetary benefits ignoring the issue from a long term humanitarian perspective. The need of the hour is a total overhaul of the system. A new socio-economic model – the society without selfishness.

The Indefatigable Crusader takes you through an inspiring journey of struggles and battles that Eric Ozario fought, for the lesser privileged and the downtrodden. It begins with the arrival of European Missionaries in Mangalore, and the socio-cultural and economic impact of their religious conversion of the locals. Eric’s life is an interesting mix of the appalling poverty and social isolation that he had to endure in his childhood, and the colourful larger than life persona that he displayed as he grew. His bitter experiences helped him analyse the true colours of this society and its unjust model, which he chose to oppose all his life. Eric’s crusades as a young man campaigning for the people of his ghetto, is electrifying, hair-raising, stimulating and motivating. His fight, leading the Christian workers against their employer – the church, is definitely emotive to many and may even be scandalous to a few. All his struggles particularly in Christian establishments blatantly expose the duplicity of organised religion. But what may surprise many readers is the fact that Eric, despite leading the agitations, is also, a celebrated composer and singer par excellence. He is not only a distinguished artiste, but also is a creative innovator, an excellent organiser, an eminent educator, an admired leader and an illustrious, untiring Konkani activist who through his organisation Mandd Sobhann, has rejuvenated Konkani language and culture. Eric’s life is a perfect blend of the brave tiger that fought for the people and the flamboyant peacock that performed before the world – a rare combination that only a few celebrated and accomplished personalities in the history of this world possess. His stimulating and saluted life will, without doubt, inspire and awaken the revolutionary in you.

The annotated and translated letters of 11th-12th century traders of the Jewish Indian Ocean, found in the Cairo Geniza, provide fascinating information on commerce between the Far East, Yemen and the Mediterranean, medieval material, social, and spiritual civilization among Jews and Arabs, and Judeo-Arabic.

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Chris Pinney demonstrates how printed images were pivotal to India's struggle for national and religious independence. He also provides a history of printing in India.