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 I interviewed Ira Mukhoty for her book Akbar-The Great Mughal. The interview appeared in Sakal Times, now The Bridge Chronicle Ambika Shaligram Terming Ira Mukhoty's Akbar - The Great Mughal, a fun read, could invite ire of some since it trivialises a piece of history. But the definitive biography published by Aleph Book Company is fun. It engages you from the word go and takes you into the world of Akbar which was shaped by the histories of his grandfather Babur, his father Humayun, his many uncles and aunts, his progeny, and the many wars they fought. All of us know a smattering of the Mughal history, mostly apocryphal. In Akbar - The Great Mughal, Mukhoty has researched various sources, from the imperial court to his aunt's account, thus giving us a full account of the man who became Akbar. Here's more from the author: You have previously written Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire. It gives a very different view of the zenana life. I

  I wrote this for Sakal Times, now The Bridge Chronicle  Ambika Shaligram Published on :  11 May, 2020 , 6:54 pm The nationwide lockdown has affected us in ways that we could never fathom. It has made us vulnerable, afraid, weak, but it is also showed us how we could respond by bringing a change in our mindset. All we need is a little hope to heal.  An anthology of tales and poems, Lives Reset  –  Stories of Hope, Heart, Healing and (Un) distancing in Pandemic Times — tells you how to look at the silver lining. Written by The Lightweaver Writing Group of 2017 -  2020, the stories and poems seem to be a slice of life, yours and mine, as we make sense of the changing world around us, looking for, and offering support, solace and warmth. The book has been edited by Dr Bhavana Nissima, an NLP trainer and Writing Coach. We talk to Arunlekha Sengupta and Mubida Rohman, who have contributed to Lives Reset. Accept your sorrows and sufferings Mubida Rohman manages the 'Languages and Interc

  Red, White & Royal Blue book review for Sakal Times, now The Bridge Chronicle Ambika Shaligram Published on :  14 May, 2020 , 3:21 pm Love.... that giddy, joyous feeling. The longing, the anticipation, the fights and ghosting only to reunite...surely the HRH, Prince of Wales Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz, the FSOTUS — First Son of the United States, were taken by surprise by the depth of their emotions towards each other. The two were pitted against each other by the tabloids and glossies and well, Alex considers Henry to be a rival. And, their first meeting in the public eye, at Henry’s elder brother, Phillips’s wedding to Martha, doesn’t go well. In fact, it is catastrophic and the casualty is the $75,000 wedding cake and of course the US-British relations. So, 21-year-old Alex and 23-year-old Henry are compelled to come together in the public eye again and do some damage control — bond before the cameras. Slowly, but surely, they learn to scratch the veneer of their surface an

  My article with Aseem Chhabra for his book on Irrfan Khan. It was written for Sakal Times, now The Bridge Chronicle Ambika Shaligram Published on :  16 May, 2020 , 12:06 pm Earlier, this year, Rupa Publications published Aseem Chhabra’s book –  Irrfan Khan – The Man, The Dreamer, The Star.   Irrfan’s life in Jaipur, his years at National School of Drama, his thirst for learning, growing and breaking into new territories has been documented expansively. Irrfan, who passed away last month, was aware of the book, but he didn’t give any interviews to Chhabra. The US-based journalist and author began working on it in late spring of 2018 and then Irrfan was out of the country, getting treatment for neuroendocrine tumour. He wrote a long email to Irrfan, explaining about the book, and the actor called from London saying, ‘ Mujhe pata nahi yeh kaisi kitab hogi .’ He declined to be interviewed for it saying, ‘I am not in the right space just now.’ However, he recommended a few people to Chhab