The book is in the form of a ready reference. The subject matter of stratigraphy is full of names of formations, groups, etc. At times when we need to know about a certain formation for which we do not know the exact stratigraphic position, then we have to search the entire book, page by page, which becomes quite irritating and time consuming. To overcome this problem, the idea of arranging the different formations in an alphabetic order occurred to the author. During this process it was seen that many small formations, which are otherwise important, do not get their due representation, because they lie in company or association with much larger formations. Otherwise also stratigraphy is nothing but an orderly and chronological arrangement of different formations. In other words, we can say that stratigraphy is a language by itself, where different formations are its words. Same is the case with large number of fossils occurring in different formations. In the usual literature on the subject, it is practically impossible to find in what formation or formations a particular fossil occurs and to which fossil group it belongs. Alphabetical arrangement of fossils as shown in the list of fossils will help students and scholars to persue their task in an easier and quicker way. To arrange such a large number of fossils in an alphabetical order and to find their fossil groups was really a tough job. Still the author does not claim that all the formations and fossils occurring in the Indian stratigraphy are included in this book, and it cannot be the last word on the subject. This is more true in case of fossils, where unlimited literature is available.

The book is in the form of a ready reference. The subject matter of stratigraphy is full of names of formations, groups, etc. At times when we need to know about a certain formation for which we do not know the exact stratigraphic position, then we have to search the entire book, page by page, which becomes quite irritating and time consuming. To overcome this problem, the idea of arranging the different formations in an alphabetic order occurred to the author. During this process it was seen that many small formations, which are otherwise important, do not get their due representation, because they lie in company or association with much larger formations. Otherwise also stratigraphy is nothing but an orderly and chronological arrangement of different formations. In other words, we can say that stratigraphy is a language by itself, where different formations are its words. Same is the case with large number of fossils occurring in different formations. In the usual literature on the subject, it is practically impossible to find in what formation or formations a particular fossil occurs and to which fossil group it belongs. Alphabetical arrangement of fossils as shown in the list of fossils will help students and scholars to persue their task in an easier and quicker way. To arrange such a large number of fossils in an alphabetical order and to find their fossil groups was really a tough job. Still the author does not claim that all the formations and fossils occurring in the Indian stratigraphy are included in this book, and it cannot be the last word on the subject. This is more true in case of fossils, where unlimited literature is available.

This book documents analyses of the Late Cretaceous dinosaur nesting sites of the Lameta Formation at Jabalpur, Districts Dhar and Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh; Districts Kheda and Panchmahal (Gujarat); and the Pisdura, Dongargaon and Pavna sectors in the Chandrapur Districts of Maharashtra, which are exposed in India along an east-west and central axis. In this work, special emphasis has been given to the dinosaur nesting sites of the east-central Narbada River region, including its regional geology. The work was undertaken to provide detailed information concerning dinosaur eggs, eggshell fragments, nests and clutches found in the Lameta Formation of peninsular India. Prior to the present work there had been no detailed review of systematic work on the taxonomy, and of micro- and ultrastructural studies of dinosaur eggs and eggshells from the Lameta Formation. The study documents the field and laboratory investigations that facilitated the reconstruction of the morphotaxonomy, models for the burial pattern of eggs and eggshells, taphonomic implications,and the palaeoenvironmental context and palaeoecological conditions during the Late Cretaceous at the time of the extrusion of the Deccan traps, which may have been partly responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. The need to follow a parataxonomic classification for Indian dinosaur eggs and eggshell types is very apparent, and this book addresses this aspect in some detail. The emphasis on the application of parataxonomic schemes is based on the description of new oospecies and their comparison with previously known forms. The present work has led to the recovery of numerous nests, many collapsed eggs and hundreds of dinosaur eggshell fragments from the localities situated near the east, west and central Narbada River regions. It will be of interest to academics and professional palaeontologists, and all students of dinosaurs.

‘Historical Geology of India’ is a text book for graduate and post-graduate students of geology, geophysics and other earth sciences for Indian Universities. It also caters to the universities of USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada as one or two credit courses on regional studies are included in the curriculum. Besides it can be useful to professional geologists and geophysicists working on various projects in India. The book has been specially designed to cover the course content of major Indian Universities and the approved syllabi of the University Grants Commission. This book has not been written in the classical style of what is where and when was it formed; instead there has been an attempt to base the entire history on the time control as available from latest data on high resolution stratigraphy through fossil content, radiometric dating and palaeomagnetic studies. There is a special focus on the tectonic history of the entire subcontinent through time from Precambrian times to present day.

This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. We have represented this book in the same form as it was first published. Hence any marks seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.

This book envisages a multi-proxy approach using stable isotopes, geochemical proxies, magnetic susceptibility and associated biotic events for paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental interpretations of the Mesozoic sedimentary record of India. Mesozoic rocks of India record abnormal sea level rise, greenhouse climate, intensified volcanism, hypoxia in seawater, extensive black shale deposition, and hydrocarbon occurrence. The Mesozoic has also witnessed mass extinction events, evolution of dinosaurs, and breakdown of the supercontinent Pangea and the formation of Gondwana. Although the Mesozoic geology of India has witnessed significant progress in the last century, literature survey reveals a huge gap in knowledge regarding sequence stratigraphy, chemostratigraphy and key geological events. A synthesis of sedimentological, paleontological and chemical data is included to presenting a comprehensive understanding of the Indian Mesozoic record to students, researchers and professionals.