Scholastic India launches Girl Power: Indian Women Who Broke the Rules by Neha J Hiranandani

New Delhi: Scholastic India, the country’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books has launched a must-read masterpiece and instant bestseller today.

An octogenarian sharpshooter, a priest, a spy, and a warrior princess are some of the awe-inspiring Indian women whose stories will be part of a new book, “Girl Power: Indian Women Who Broke the Rules”.The book details the struggles and achievements of 50 remarkable women, complemented with illustrations by NilouferWadia.

“This is an important book for the present and the future. We hope that it helps in building empathy, confidence and mutual respect among children”, said Shantanu Duttagupta, Publisher, Scholastic India.

Scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, scholars, athletes, and queens, Girl Power traces the journey of these Indian women and their extraordinary lives in the book. It will not only inspire the readers but also make them experience the roller-coaster lives of the great Indian women and how they succeed in their lives even after all the odds.

“Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. What these women have achieved is the stuff of superhero movies. And yet, it’s all true. I know that when a child reads these stories, she will be inspired. From coolies to queens, spies to scientists, there’s a lot to discover”, said Neha J Hiranandani, the author of the book.

It features contemporary women like Olympic medalist PV Sindhu as well as historical figures such as warrior queen Abbakka of the Chowtadynasty who defeated the Portuguese six times. Actress Priyanka Chopra too gets a spot in the list, as do heroines such as Subhasini Mistry, who worked as a maid before winning a Padma Bhushan for healthcare, and ChandroTomar, the octogenarian sharpshooter, popularly known as ‘Revolver Dadi’.

Witty, incisive and fearless, Neha J Hiranandani writes about current urban issues from current urban perspective. She is a writer whose columns have appeared in The Indian Express, Huffington Post, NDTV and Vogue among others. She holds a degree in literature and education from Wellesley College and Harvard University. Her first book “Girl Power” has been published by”Scholastic India”.