Subhas Chandra Bose opposed Gandhi on several occasions, was at times also a bitter rival of Nehru, and waged war against Mountbatten. This is his story, and that of the alternative, armed struggle for Indian independence that he came to stand for --a story of the freedom struggle that ran in parallel and that left behind many heroes. -Give me blood and I will give you freedom.' Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's words are deeply etched in the minds of millions of Indians. A great political thinker and radical nationalist, Netaji played a very active and prominent role in India's political life. In the 1930s he was a leader of the Indian National Congress, and later of the Indian National Army (INA), during World War II. Read the mesmerizing account of the life of this charismatic leader whose only dream was to see his beloved motherland free from foreign rule. This compelling biography gives us insightful details about Netaji's legendary life, and throws light on his mysterious death in 1945. A shining example of leadership, integrity, sacrifice and valour, Netaji continues to inspire young readers even today.

Charming tales of the growing-up years from India's best-loved children's writer For several decades now, Ruskin Bond's inimitable stories about Rusty have enthralled and entertained children. Rusty is a quiet, imaginative and sensitive boy who lives in his grandparents' custody in pre-Independence Dehra Dun. Though he is not the adventurous sort himself, the strangest and most extraordinary things keep happening around him, and so the stories he has to tell are simply fascinating. The house in Dehra is full of strange creatures. Rusty has to deal with his grandfather's pet python, who looks into a mirror one day, falls in love with his own reflection, and subsequently spends its days curled up in a narcissistic haze with a dreamy look in its eyes. Also present is the ever-inventive Uncle Ken, who impersonates Hallam, a famous cricketer, in order to get a free lunch at a match, and saunters off after he gets out early. Soon after, visiting his father in wartime Java, Rusty narrowly escapes enemy bombardment, and survives a plane crash in the Arabian Sea. Back in India, he spends his time making friends with an unlikely princess in a lonely tower, encountering a ghost in the garden, and recreating his grandmother's youthful days from an old photograph. Then, something totally unexpected happens and Rusty is forced to leave Dehra, his future uncertain.... This volume of Rusty stories, the first in a series, traces Rusty's develoent from early childhood to his early teens. Arranged in sequence for the first time ever, these stories will be a riveting read for younger and older children alike.

Three thrilling adventures featuring the indomitable cousins Dinu, Minu, Polly and Ravi When Ravi comes from Bombay to stay with his three cousins for the summer holidays, little does he realize this is the beginning of a series of exciting events that will test their intelligence and luck. In the first story a string of audacious robberies occur in their usually quiet town. Who is the thief? Is it the sinister Dhondu who seems to hate the children, or is he covering up for someone else? In The Hidden Treasure the four cousins end up spending their Diwali holiday in Kaka's farm in a village. Village life is fun, especially with their broken-down ancestral mansion to explore. Gradually the children realize there is something sinister afoot. Who has been digging away in the mansion in the dead of night? Did their ancestor really bury his life's savings in their sprawling ancestral home before joining the 1857 uprising, or is it just a legend? And, if the treasure's still there, will they get to it before the crooks do? In the last novel, it's Dinu, Minu and Polly's turn to visit Bombay and spend the summer with Ravi. There they make new friends, one of whom claims to have seen the face of a bank robber. Soon after, a spate of robberies break out all over Bombay. Is it the same gang at work? Then their friend is kidnapped and the four children find themselves in the midst of a desperate chase . . . Thrilling, funny, and full of memorable characters, these three novels, first published in the 1970s, are sure to captivate a whole new generation of readers. Age group of target audience: 8+

Rusty returns to his beloved hills, never to leave again Rusty Comes Home is the fifth and final volume in Puffin's complete collection of Ruskin Bond's ever-popular Rusty stories. A lonely and sensitive boy who lost his father early, Rusty spent his childhood in boarding schools and with relatives in Dehra. While still a teenager, he ran away from his foster home and had myriad adventures before landing up in London with the ambition of becoming a writer. This book chronicles Rusty's exploits after his return from London, as he explores Delhi, Dehra and the small, dusty town of Shahganj before settling down in Mussoorie, making his living as a writer, and revelling in the hills that have always fascinated him. Rusty Comes Home contains some captivating stories about Rusty's friends and fleeting acquaintances, about human nature and the supernatural. Among his friends in Shahganj are Ketan, a victim of the Partition and prone to paralytic fits; Madhu, a child whose life is tragically cut short, but not before she leaves an indelible impression on Rusty; and Suresh, a disabled child with whom Rusty strikes up a close bond. In Dehra he meets up with his genial Uncle Bill, who makes it his habit to poison people with arsenic; the incredible Jimmy, a jinn who can extend his arms at will to infinite lengths; and Miss Pettibone, the oldest resident of Dehra, who enthralls him with riveting stories from the town's past. Then there is the unnamed basket-selling girl he meets by chance on the Deoli railway platform and can never forget; and Binya, a young and vivacious widow, who floats into his life on the strains of a song. Full of charming and idiosyncratic characters, these stories of love, loss and adventure will appeal to young readers of all ages.