Tanushree Podder

Nur Jahan's Daughter (A Novel on Mughal India)

Boots, belts, berets

A writer's journey turns into a nightmare when he disembarks from the train to catch a thief and misses the train. Anirudh is forced to spend the night in a tiny railway station with barely anyone in sight. A power failure adds to his woes. Guided by the flashlight on his phone, he finds his way to the waiting room. There, he finds thirteen chairs and a dozen passengers seated in the room. The next train is due at dawn, so they decide to pass time by swapping ghost stories... Uncover the mysteries of an ancient Egyptian tomb, travel to the ruins of an old fort and meet the ghosts of China's Forbidden City in this unusual set of eerie, spine-tingling SPOOKY STORIES!

Spooky Stories

Empress Nur Jahan ruled Hindustan for sixteen long years. While her story is often told with wonder and awe, historians and writers ignore the tale of her daughter, Laadli: the reluctant princess who found herself sucked in the maelstrom of her insensitive mother's ruthless ambitions. Destiny having thrust royalty on her, Laadli was trapped into living a life dictated by her ambitious mother. She travelled through tragic events of her life with a stoic optimism.

Nur Jahan's Daughter

No longer idli and dosa are purely southern preserves,or rasogulla exclusively Bengali, nor tandoori chicken restrictively Punjabi! Tanushree Podder has compiled in this book the recipes of these choicest dishes and much more, from all over the country. These mouth-watering delicacies,in fact, have transcended geographical boundaries, and are popular all over the world. the book aims to introduce the Indian culinary art to anyone who wants to become an excellent chef or an outstanding homemaker. the simple language and elaborate instructions make them easy-to-follow recipes. So now prepare finger-licking dishes at home, without having to worry about hefty restaurant bills.

Dishes & Desserts

Guy Finley

Life can be one hell of a roller-coaster ride. One moment you could be down in the dumps. And at another moment, you may be on cloud nine, with your cup of joy brimming over. It is these ups and downs that make life so enjoyable, memorable and humorous. the author has captured the essence of such hilarious and humorous moments in this anthology of Middles, which originally appeared in the pages of Times of India, the Indian Express, Deccan Herald and Hindustan Times. Amusing Encounters of Daily Life captures amusing moments of the heart, hearth and everything in-between. Given the author's witty writing style, this is just the kind of book you would love reading from cover to cover at one sitting. It is the perfect book to help you relax and unwind at the end of the day - or at the weekend.

The Secret of Letting Go

Banish Fears and Negativity

The small and peaceful hill town of Ramsar wakes up to mysterious break-ins on two consecutive days. While the first one takes place at the local doctor's clinic, the second is at the residence of the town's latest and most affluent resident - Shekhar Sharma.Inexplicably, nothing has been stolen in either case. The mysterious incidents confounded the police as well as Ramsar's residents.And before one mystery can be solved, another turns up, with a death of a stranger whom no one can identify.And so begins a game of cat-and-mouse between the criminal and the town's resident amateur sleuth, Colonel Arjun H Acharya.Who is intent on wreaking havoc in Ramsar? And can Colonel Acharya find out the truth before time runs out?

Before You Breathe

On a balmy November evening, a group of terrorists unleash mindless carnage in the city of Mumbai. Pitted against them, in one of the city’s grandest hotels, are the commandos from the elite special forces. Leading them are Captain Neel Dutta and major Sam Fernandes, two of the forces’ youngest officers: friends for life, and each other confidantes. But, only one of them survives to tell their tale. It is at this explosive moment that no margin for error truly begins. Tanushree turns the clock backwards – Whizzing past days, months, years, inviting us to enter the lives of best friends, Neel and Sam. How did they meet? How they bonded with each other in a world away from home? How did they survive brutal training, heartbreaks, internal politics, and missions of National importance during their time together as rookies in the Indian Army? And most importantly, how did they end up in Mumbai on that fatal day? Tanushree’s exciting follow-up to boots, Belts, berets and on the double takes an incisive look at the patriots who risk it all to stand in the line of Fire.

No Margin for Error

After leading a sheltered life for sixteen years, Pessi, Bertie, Randy and Maachh are thrust into the world of the National Defence Academy. Soon they realize that life here is not just about spit and polish, but six terms of adventure and achievement. It is about soaring ambition and tough challenges, a punishing regimen and endless Puttie Parades. However, rugged training and severe ragging cannot keep their spirits down for long. Weaving yarns about imaginary girlfriends, bragging about their escapades and sexual exploits, they turn from greenhorns to tough soldiers. United by their experience, these comrades-in-arms form a bond for life. Tanushree Podder, in this tongue-in-cheek saga of youth, camaraderie and 'growing-up', skillfully reconstructs life at NDA - where boys become men of honour.

Boots Belts Berets

It begins with a simple mystery - elderly widow Violet William's van goes missing after her granddaughter Pia forgets to lock the door when using it to cater for a wedding reception. But this is Ramsar, and soon, a simple case turns sinister when ASP Timothy Thapa finally finds the missing van, and promptly discovers a dead body inside it. Enter Colonel Acharya, Ramsar's resident amateur sleuth, with his merry band of bridge-playing Watsons. As the detective begins his investigation, he finds that things are not what they seem, and with few clues, several suspects, and no leads to go on, Colonel Acharya might be facing his most challenging case yet.

A Colonel Acharya Mystery

An Invitation to Die

Four girls. One uniform. One dream. Set in the Officers' Training Academy, this is the story Of Bijli Bijarnia aka Billi, the girl with feline grace and lightning-fast ref lexes, determined to tear through the social taboos of Haryana hinterland from where she hails. Of Lakmenlang Zyiem aka Lakme from Shillong, the optimistic law graduate who is the first Khasi girl to join the academy. Of Shiny Joseph from Kottayam, who only joins the academy to be near her boyfriend but finds herself pitted against him more often than not. Of Nutan Patil aka Nutty from Jalna, the mimic, the incurable romantic, the effervescent drama queen. The Girls in Green is a story not only about soaring ambition and punishing military regimens, but also about gratifying rewards and the joys of friendship.

Soon to be a major web series

The Girls in Green

It was a dark, winter night when Zeenat was thrown into the Mughal's emperor's harem to satisfy his lust. Set against the backdrop of Jahangir's indolence and Shahjahan's rebellion, Escape from Harem tells the story of her life that changes forever that fateful night. From the harem of Jahangir to Shahjahan's golden age of architecture and Jahanara's boudoir, Zeenat's life is a dizzying roller coaster of events, with moments happy and sad trapped in the quagmire of the imperial zenana. The silken skeins of romance juxtaposed with the coarse threads of passion and aggression recreate the tumultuous period of Mughal history. Traversing the span between circa 1610 and 1650, her story is also a preview of the Mughal culture and way of life.

Escape from Harem

The Indian Military Academy – a crucible of sorts where young boys are transformed into officers of merit through discipline, hard work, and a rigorous regime. A place where life is all about battalions and companies, and where the tactics of warfare are taught. However, in Tanushree Podder’s no-holds-barred look into Academy life – pranks and girls are as important to life as are morning drills and sand model exercises. A fitting, but entirely independent, sequel to Boots Belts Berets, her celebrated book about life at the National Defence Academy; On the Double follows the continuing adventures of Pessi, Maachh, Porky, Sandy, and Zora as they navigate the obstacle course that is the IMA. Their love of fun breathes life into their time together, and their friendship and dare-devilry guarantees sleepless nights for their Company Commander. A charming tale of friendship and coming-of-age, where young boys with lofty dreams stand at the cusp of change, ready to take on their future as sentinels of the nation.

Tanushree Podder

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