Of Gulmohars and Kaners is the first work of fiction by the author which paints on a canvas, the geographical boundaries that extend from the Indian subcontinent to Europe to Greece and to Turkey. These pan global settings subtly convey the idea that while human emotions cannot be fathomed and scanned even by the most powerful equipment, it’s only the creative writer who can get under the skin of the characters and lay bare what goes on in a single human heart. The twenty stories—each a unique blend of intricacies of human life and labyrinths of the human mind—will keep you riveted throughout the evening. From intrigue to insinuation; from passion to perdition, the stories and microfiction in this collection represent the myriad shades of human emotions revolving around a single action which in no way is linear. While some of the stories carry the proverbial twist or sting in the tail, others portray with clinical precision the pain and tragedy of human existence. But the heterogeneity doesn’t end there. Just when the reader is in a sombre mood, contemplating the fate of a protagonist, the author will surprise you with a totally different genre.

Gulam Mandi revolves around the life of its two protagonists – Kalyani and Janki. It makes one travel through the horrible, fraught and turbulent world of human trafficking wherein innocent children and women are entrapped, sold and forced into flesh trade by a well-knit network of mafia gangs. In its quintessential, the story brings forth the myriad colours of human nature – hate, rejection, betrayal, apathy, ecstasy, opportunism, pure love, sex, expectation, trust, empathy, hope, rejuvenation and so on. Kalyani, a beauty queen, fears ageing and childbirth and is jealous of her own young daughter. Janki, who comes from an oppressed class and had a turbulent childhood, faces rejection from a few people, but finds shelter in Kalyani and Gautam, but, of late, destiny plays its tryst with her life. Finally, she finds solace in Mohan. It portrays the uneven world of the exploitors, who usurp and violate the victims, and the victims who are the sufferers and cannot normally escape the clutches of their perpetrators to rebuild their life. It also brings into limelight the pity world of hijras, the victims social apathy and prejudice, and their sexual exploitation at the hands of many. Here is a clarion call to the society on the ills that it has been afflicted with! About the Author Nirmala Bhuradia Nirmala Bhuradia (b.1960) is an Indian journalist and writer who writes in Hindi and English. She has published nine books in Hindi. She is Features and Literature Editor and Syndicated Columnist at Naidunia, one of India’s most widely read Hindi daily. She is a winner of many prizes and awards. She can be contacted at .

Compiled by a well-known expert in the field, Liquid Biofuels provides a profound knowledge to researchers about biofuel technologies, selection of raw materials, conversion of various biomass to biofuel pathways, selection of suitable methods of conversion, design of equipment, selection of operating parameters, determination of chemical kinetics, reaction mechanism, preparation of bio-catalyst: its application in bio-fuel industry and characterization techniques, use of nanotechnology in the production of biofuels from the root level to its application and many other exclusive topics for conducting research in this area. Written with the objective of offering both theoretical concepts and practical applications of those concepts, Liquid Biofuels can be both a first-time learning experience for the student facing these issues in a classroom and a valuable reference work for the veteran engineer or scientist. The description of the detailed characterization methodologies along with the precautions required during analysis are extremely important, as are the detailed description about the ultrasound assisted biodiesel production techniques, aviation biofuels and its characterization techniques, advance in algal biofuel techniques, pre-treatment of biomass for biofuel production, preparation and characterization of bio-catalyst, and various methods of optimization. The book offers a comparative study between the various liquid biofuels obtained from different methods of production and its engine performance and emission analysis so that one can get the utmost idea to find the better biofuel as an alternative fuel. Since the book covers almost all the field of liquid biofuel production techniques, it will provide advanced knowledge to the researcher for practical applications across the energy sector. A valuable reference for engineers, scientists, chemists, and students, this volume is applicable to many different fields, across many different industries, at all levels. It is a must-have for any library.

Gulmohar Love is the first of a two book Romance series – Love under the Gulmohar. The fiery Gulmohar is in full bloom when Eliana Sharma realizes with horror that she has fallen for her boss, the handsome and equally arrogant Aaditya Bhargava. She strongly feels rather knows that he expects nothing more than her professional expertise. Hadn't he told her that himself? Or is she mistaken in thinking so? After all Cupid is known to be capricious!

Usman is visiting post-war London from Pakistan when he meets a young aspiring artist called Lydia who has, like him, come out of an unhappy marriage. Just as the lonely strangers' friendship begins to blossom into something deeper Usman has to return to Karachi, leaving Lydia behind. Two years later, Lydia impulsively abandons her life in London and boards a ship to Karachi, where the two are married. But as the years flit by Usman feels distanced from his life and realises that he hasn't noticed the buds of the gulmohar tree unfurl. A beautiful account of a marriage that is in turns wry and unashamedly romantic. 'We are lucky to have Hussein among us, telling us stories as few can.' Amit Chaudhuri 'A lovely, strange, and very moving novel.' Ruth Padel 'At its heart it is a story of love, into which Hussein weaves all his remarkable skills of storytelling.' Kamila Shamsie 'In his splendid, dreamy Another Gulmohar Tree, Hussein gives us an indelible sense of two worlds - Karachi and London - in miniature and the strong parable of a love story that endures over a lifetime.' Joseph Olshan

Gulmohar Valentine is the second of the two-book Romance series – Love under the Gulmohar. ‘…till death do us part’ The legend of the family heirloom seems to be coming true again this Valentine’s day! Stupid Cupid has smitten two more hearts. Indu Mukerjee and Dr. Shaurya D’souza set out on a new journey together but life isn’t a bed of roses, is it? Marriage to the man she loves comes with additional responsibilities. Indu has Shaurya’s heart but does she have his trust? Will the ancient legend save their love... and marriage?

"As a precocious young girl, Surekha knew very little about the details of her mother Amma's unusual past and that of Babu, her mysterious and sometimes absent father. The tense, uncertain family life created by her parents' distant and fractious marriage and their separate ambitions informs her every action and emotion. Then one evening, in a moment of uncharacteristic transparency and vulnerability, Amma tells Surekha and her older sister Didi of the family tragedy that changed the course of her life. Finally, the daughters begin to understand the source of their mother's deep commitment to the Indian nationalist movement and her seemingly unending willingness to sacrifice in the name of that pursuit. In this re-memory based on the published and unpublished work of Amma and Surekha, Meenal Shrivastava, Surekha's daughter, uncovers the history of the female foot soldiers of Gandhi's national movement in the early twentieth century. As Meenal weaves these written accounts together with archival research and family history, she gives voice and honour to the hundreds of thousands of largely forgotten or unacknowledged women who, threatened with imprisonment for treason and sedition, relentlessly and selflessly gave toward the revolution."--