Penguin India’s September highlights bring together five powerful answers. These aren’t “just books”. They’re news hooks, op-ed springboards, interview-ready authors, and fresh data points — each one cutting through clutter with a sharp angle for your readers.
1) Governance that Works: The Day the Chariot Moved by Subroto Bagchi
Odisha is now shorthand for skill. From a state once dismissed as “quiet”, it has turned into a global case study in grassroots transformation. Bagchi — co-founder of Mindtree and later Chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority — tells the inside story of how “Skilled in Odisha” became a brand as recognizable as “Made in Japan”.
“From ‘Made in China’ to ‘Skilled in Odisha’: Can a state brand talent?”
- Hook: Engineers’ Day (Sep 15) + International Literacy Day (Sep 8) are perfect pegs to reframe skills and employability.
- Why it matters: Odisha’s model challenges the stereotype of government as slow or corrupt — instead showcasing execution, dignity of labour, and human potential.
- People stories: Railway loco pilot Muni Tigga, retail manager Sumati Nayak — lives transformed by skill training, not handouts.
- Author access: Subroto Bagchi available for in-person interviews, policy roundtables, and long-form features.
2) Parenting in the Dopamine Age: Resilience Decoded by Dr Sujata Kelkar Shetty
If anxiety is the new normal among teens, what can parents do beyond banning phones? Drawing on NIH-backed research, Dr Shetty explains how the adolescent brain is like a Ferrari — powerful, but prone to crashes if not handled right.
- Hook: World Suicide Prevention Day (Sep 10) + back-to-school stress make this timely.
- Why it matters: Parents aren’t just fighting devices — they’re navigating burnout, isolation, online porn exposure, and dopamine-driven apps.
- Tools: Burnout checklists, nervous system resets, and resilience practices for both teens and parents.
- Endorsements: Rahul Dravid, Rohini Nilekani, Dr Rajat Chauhan.
- Author access: Workshops, expert commentary, school/college sessions, newsroom Q&As.
3) Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI: The Monk in the Corner Office by Gopi Krishnaswamy
How EQ took over IQ in 2025
Workplaces are burning out. Deloitte’s 2025 survey shows only 6% of Gen Z want leadership roles; 90% demand purpose. With AI automating hard skills, the new edge is EI — emotional intelligence.
- Hook: Happiness at Work Week (late Sep) and appraisal season.
- What’s new: A narrative-led manual where disillusioned professional Sid meets teacher Krishna — mindfulness reimagined for boardrooms.
- Why it matters: EI builds resilience, empathy, and leadership at a time when professionals are opting out of careers, not because of laziness but because of purpose-deficit.
- Praise: “A road map to emotional resilience and clarity” — Debashis Chatterjee.
4) Business Made Viral: The Money Ball by Sarthak Ahuja
“Finance class for the reel generation.”
With 3M+ followers, CA-CS-CMA-ISB topper Sarthak Ahuja has become India’s most trusted finance explainer. Built with nothing more than a phone and sharp insights, his reels decode budgets, valuations, and startup failures with precision and relatability.
- Why it matters now: IPO season, funding winters, real-estate churn — this book gives frameworks founders, investors, and students can act on.
- Inside: Investor outreach playbooks (why warm intros are 16x more effective, with sample emails), startup “Seven Sins” checklist, due diligence prep, regulatory primers.
- Author access: Quick bytes on economy, campus talks, expert columns.
5) The anti-fluff communication manual: Story Rules — Ravishankar Iyer
“How to write the memo that moves the room”
Everyone says “storytelling matters”. Few can teach it without jargon. CA-turned-IIM gold medallist Iyer breaks storytelling into 31 proven techniques with 300+ real-world examples — from India’s 1991 reforms to startup decks.
- Why it matters: In a year of fundraises, pitches, and AGMs, clarity wins over charisma.
- What it offers: Frameworks like BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) and contrast, ready for journalists, founders, and corporate leaders.
- Endorsements: Govind Iyer (Infosys), Ravi Venkatesan (Microsoft India), Matt Abrahams (Stanford).
- “Stop rambling, start landing: the accountant’s guide to storytelling”
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