NDTV Loves Books!

Who was Kadambari Devi, and why does Isheeta Ganguly believe she shaped Rabindranath Tagore's creative legacy? In this episode from NDTV Loves Books, writer, singer and playwright Isheeta Ganguly reflects on the extraordinary bond between Rabindranath Tagore and Kadambari Devi. She explains how Kadambari's life, her unrealised potential and her tragic death may have profoundly influenced Tagore's poetry, plays and novels. Watch the full conversation with Gargi Rawat on NDTV Loves Books, where Isheeta Ganguly discusses her graphic novel Three Women and the timeless themes of love, loss and women's agency.

What happens when a successful business suddenly finds itself facing raids, FIRs and criminal investigations? In Episode 15 of NDTV Loves Books, Gargi Rawat speaks to entrepreneur and crisis management expert Vineet Relia about his book 'Relax, It's Only a Raid: Confessions of a Crisis Manager' Drawing from years of real-world experience, Relia explains how corporate crises unfold, why commercial disputes increasingly become criminal cases, and how business leaders should respond when faced with investigations, regulatory action or reputational challenges. From handling raids and dealing with investigating agencies to navigating legal battles and managing public perception, this conversation offers valuable insights into leadership under pressure and surviving corporate crises. Watch this invigorating conversation on NDTV Loves Books.

India's ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme captured global attention, but few know the diplomatic effort that made it possible.

In Episode 12 of NDTV Loves Books, Gargi Rawat speaks to Ambassador Prashant Agrawal, author of 'Bringing the Cheetah Back to India: How Diplomacy Made Conservation's Big Mission Possible.'

From complex negotiations with Namibia and the challenges of transporting cheetahs during the COVID-19 pandemic to the conservation philosophy behind Project Cheetah, Ambassador Agrawal reveals the untold story behind one of India's most ambitious wildlife initiatives.

Watch this fascinating conversation on diplomacy, conservation, wildlife restoration and the mission to return cheetahs to Indian grasslands.

One year after his landmark space mission, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla speaks exclusively to NDTV about his experiences in space, the memories that shaped his journey, and the inspiration behind his book, The Second Orbit. In a wide-ranging conversation, he reflects on life aboard the International Space Station, India's growing space ambitions, and the future of human spaceflight.

In the 8th episode of NDTV Loves Books, Gargi Rawat speaks to Dr Anoop Mishra about his book 'Smart Calories and Common Sense' - an evidence-based guide to nutrition, weight loss and healthy living tailored for India. From intermittent fasting and Ozempic-style weight loss drugs to protein supplements, artificial sweeteners and fad diets, Dr Mishra breaks down what science actually says - and warns against blindly following social media health trends. The conversation also explores immunity, gluten-free diets, obesity, cancer risks, Ayurvedic medicine and why India-specific nutrition research matters more than ever.

In the sixth episode of NDTV Loves Books, NDTV's Gargi Rawat speaks to American author and photographer Stephen P. Huyler about his book 'Transformed by India: A Life.'

From arriving in India as a young traveller in the 1970s to spending decades documenting its art, communities and traditions, Huyler reflects on a journey that reshaped his worldview.

He speaks about engaging with people across social strata, understanding indigenous cultures, and how India helped him confront his own biases. The conversation also explores the evolving identity of India, the value of tradition in a modern world, and the ethics of documenting lived realities.

In the fifth episode of NDTV Loves Books, NDTV's Gargi Rawat speaks to lawyer and author Anand Prasad about his book Unshackling the Elephant.

Prasad examines the structural challenges within India's legal system - from delays in justice delivery and weak contract enforcement to questions around judicial accountability and state power.

He argues for reforms that make the law more accessible, responsive and aligned with the realities of ordinary citizens, while also sparking debate on issues such as sovereign immunity, public interest litigation, and individual freedoms.

The conversation explores whether India's legal framework can evolve to better serve its people in a rapidly changing society.

In the fourth episode of NDTV Loves Books!, NDTV's Gargi Rawat speaks to journalist Jyoti Yadav about her book Faith and Fury, a powerful account of the COVID pandemic beyond India's big cities. Travelling across villages and small towns during the crisis, Yadav documented the migrant exodus, the collapse of healthcare systems, and the human cost of the pandemic in rural India. She reflects on witnessing death and resilience on the ground, the challenges of reporting during a crisis, and why it was important to record what she calls the "subaltern history" of COVID.

Delhi is often reduced to headlines about pollution and urban chaos. But in Wild Capital, author Neha Sinha invites us to look closer. In Episode 3 of NDTV Loves Books, Gargi Rawat is in conversation with conservationist and she speaks about the Aravallis, migratory birds, forgotten rivers, fireflies in city parks, and how nature quietly holds the capital together. From the Ridge forests to Delhi's wetlands, this is a journey into a side of the city many overlook. A conversation about memory, conservation, and why Delhiites don't have to travel far to witness the wild.

In this episode of NDTV Loves Books, Gargi Rawat speaks to Snigdha Poonam about her book on the global fraud economy - from scam call centres in India to trafficking networks in Southeast Asia. She explains how joblessness, inequality, caste and technology have combined to create a vast, organised ecosystem of deception. The conversation explores the human cost of scams, the psychology behind them, and why fraud today cannot be seen as merely a law-and-order problem.