E. Jaiwant Paul is a man of varied interests, having authored eight other books, including Rani of Jhansi, The Story of Tea,The Unforgettable Maharajas, Har Dayal: The Great Revolutionary (co-author Shubh Paul), Arms and Armour: Traditional Weapons of India, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan and The Greased Cartridge. He is on the expert panel on weapons for several museums of Rajasthan. A hardcore corporate, he initially worked for Hindustan Unilever and was later Director of Brooke Bond, India. Thereafter he headed the National Mineral Water Company in Muscat, Oman. A keen cricketer and tennis player, he now lives in Delhi.

August 1773, Shaniwar Wada On a fateful day, the capital palace of Marathas in Poona was drenched in the blood of its own Peshwa. Marathas were still recovering from the untimely death of Peshwa Madhavrao when the sensational murder of Peshwa Narayanrao shook the empire. The political conspiracy and the murder divided the empire into two factions and brought it on the verge of a civil war. Unfazed by the threats and political pressure, Ram Shastri Prabhune, the chief justice of the Marathas, initiated the investigation into the murder of the Peshwa. Who murdered Peshwa Narayanrao? Who was the mastermind behind the conspiracy? Did Ram Shastri manage to deliver justice? What happened to the Peshwai after Peshwa Narayanrao? Inspired from true events, this is the true account of some sensational murders at Shaniwar Wada and the landmark trial by Ram Shastri Prabhune.

An analytical and critical account of the political history of early modern India from 1707 to 1813. The narrative shatters the contention of contemporary European writers that it was 'the dark age' of Indian history, characterised by 'political anarchy and misgovernment', until the British brought it under their sway. The main thesis of the author is that the period was marked by two distinct phases; the first phase, which lasted from 1707 to 1760, saw the rapid disintegration of the Mughal power and its replacement by the Maratha hegemony. Meanwhile, the English traders turned colonialists, after consolidating their hold along the Indian seacoasts and conquest of 'Carnatic' and Bengal, challenged the Maratha hegemony. The second phase of developments was thus marked by the struggle for supremacy between these two powers. The author makes use of contemporary English and Marathi sources and the intensive researches of modern historians to portray a compact picture of their findings in the form of a text book for the benefit of the degree students. Historical facts are reinterpreted through illuminating expositions, refreshing characterisation of historic personalities, and objective assessment of events and movements. Together with maps, a select bibliography, glossary and an elaborate index, the volume makes a rich contribution to the advancement of modern historical literature.