Best indian autobiographies

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In his biography, ‘India’s Missile Man’ Dr APJ Abdul Kalam recalls that when he worked as a newspaper boy as a child, he would fold the paper in the shape of a rocket before throwing it towards a house, so it would land straight in the home’s compound. 

Often, big dreams of making discoveries, setting records, and spawning revolutions start from such seemingly silly stories. The biographies of India’s great personalities are an accumulation of many such tales, which tell of their hardwork and perseverance, and what it took to leave a mark on India’s history. 

Here are our recommendations of must-read biographies that will leave you inspired:

1. Dilip Kumar: The Definitive Biography by Bunny Reuban

“This is the story of Dilip Kumar, an introverted and inhibited youth who metamorphosed into a thespian par excellence by the sheer dint of his determination, perseverance and capability.” 

Dilip became the face of Indian cinema and produced several notable films. The book deals with his personal life and his relationship with the film fraternity.  

The author is an Indian film historian, journalist and publicist. 

Buy the book here.

2. Satyajit Ray: The Inner Eye by Andrew Robinson

One of the greatest filmmakers the country has ever seen, Satyajit Ray was an exceptionally versatile artist. He won every major prize in cinema for his films including Apu Trilogy, The Music Room, Charulata, Days and Nights in the Forest, The Chess Players and The Stranger. The book is written by interviewing the legend himself, his friends, well-wishers, actors, and family. 

The author is a British writer and former newspaper editor.

Buy the book here.

3. The Man Who Knew Infinity (Srinivasa Ramanujan) by Robert Kanigel

This book deta

James Norman Mattis, 26United States Secretary of Defense, once said, “If you read enough biography  and history, you learn how people have dealt successfully or unsuccessfully with similar situations or  patterns in the past. It doesn’t give you a template of answers, but it does help you refine the  questions you have to ask yourself. “ 

Biographies provide written accounts of people’s lives. They offer insights into their experiences,  accomplishments and struggles. Reading about their lives, experiences, perseverance can help motivate  others to overcome their own challenges to achieve remarkable feats.  

So, what does the best biographies do? They capture the essence of significant achievements and  moments of hardships in an appealing way to provide readers with insights into the lives of notable  people. They provide us with opportunities to learn from the mistakes and experiences of others’ and to  gain wisdo

There’s something irresistible about getting to know your favourite personalities a little better that make biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs so appealing. After all, these books offer a window to world that you would otherwise have little to no access to! Check out our selection of the most popular books in this genre.

ISRO by Aravamudan& Gita Aravamudan

ISRO pioneer R. Aravamudan narrates the gripping story of the people who built India’s space research programme and how they did it – from the rocket engineers who laid the foundation to the savvy young engineers who keep Indian spaceships flying today. This is a made-in-India story like no other.

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Auroville by Anuradha Majumdar

Auroville was born to realize human unity through change of consciousness – a concept that still holds value in today’s world. Told by someone who has lived the adventure for thirty-six years, this book explores how far the city has grown to resonate with its founding vision. Anu Majumdar examines the life of Auroville both as a resident and as an observer.

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Revolution by Emmanuel Macron

This is a remarkable book that seeks to lay the foundations for a new society — a compelling testimony and statement of values by an important global political leader who has become the flag-bearer for a new kind of politics — evocative in its scope, ambition and vision of Barack Obama’s The Audacity of Hope.

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Bhupen Hazarika by Kalpana Lajmi

We all know Bhupen Hazarika as a singer-composer, poet and lyricist non-pariel. What about the man behind the legend? Told through the lens of Kalpana Lajmi, Bhupen Hazarika: As I knew Him is a free-flowing memoir, moving back and forth across time, defying description, much like the love story it narrates.

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Devil’s Advocate by Karan Thapar

Riveting and fast-paced, Devil’s Advocate