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Madhavrao Scindia—A Life
By Vir Sanghvi and Namita Bhandare.
Penguin.
Pages 355. Rs 550.

Suave, educated, secular and with a reputation for unwavering honesty, Madhavrao Scindia did not conform to the conventional image of the Indian politician. Despite his liberal outlook and his wholehearted espousal of democratic values, Madhavrao, son of the last ruling king of Gwalior, id not forget his heritage; he was inextricably linked with the people of Gwalior and Guna, who unfailingly voted for him in all the nine elections he contested. To the word at large he was a successful minister and a leading light of the congress party, but at heart he remained a simple family man, who did not allow either his ancestry or his political status to define him.

What made Madhavrao Scindia one of the most fascinating figures in contemporary Indian politics?

The answer lies perhaps in the way Madhavrao chose to live. Born with life's plan neatly laid out for him - the title to a 21-gun salute state; a political career chosen for him by his mother; and vast estates in several cities - he sought instead to tread a path that was neither predictable nor easy.

Madhavrao Scindia's life reads very much like the plot of a grand novel. There is the bitter falling out with his mother, the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, a powerful force of the Jan Sangh; a host of minor and major characters ranging from intriguing courtiers to wily politicians; a battle with at least two Congress governments and finally, Madhavrao's tragic and untimely death. 

This is the story of a man who was born a maharaja but chose to live as a democratic citizen of India.Vir Sanghvi and Namita Bhandare bring alive his tale in this riveting biography that is as much a chronicle of modern Indian politics as it is a portrait of a fascinating life.

The Definitive Spa & Body Handbook—5 Keys To Energy Balance And Bliss
By J. Tara Herron.
HPB Full Circle.
Pages 164. Rs 250.

This definitive handbook focuses on the well being of those who work in the intimate setting of one to one treatments, embracing their physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual health with practical exercises, information and guidance. The knowledge of the 5 keys to unlimited energy, balance and bliss care for the whole therapist and therefore the health and success of the working environment. Health is in the hands of your therapists.

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