3 Review(s)

Choosing a name for one’s child has never been an easy task, and The Penguin Book Of Hindu Names by the former Indian minister Maneka Gandhi aims to help the family members of newborns with the same. Summary Of The Book While it might not seem substantial otherwise, the decision of naming one’s child seems like a Herculean task when one is faced with it. The Penguin Book Of Hindu Names has been written keeping the same in mind. The book spans over 500 pages and serves as a comprehensive compilation of Hindu names for a newborn, along with details about their Sanskrit/Indian origin, their usage, and the multiple meanings the name might have in English.  Comprising of around 20,000 names in total, The Penguin Book Of Hindu Names is an extensively researched book that not only aims to help parents name their babies armed with the full knowledge of what the name stands for, but also seeks to help people, both scholars and curious readers, in understanding the in-depth meaning of different names. About Maneka Gandhi In addition to being an author of interesting books spanning topics related to mythology, animal welfare, and law, Maneka Gandhi is involved in Indian politics and environmental issues as well. She has authored multiple books like Brahma’s Hair, Animal Laws of India, The Book Of Trees: A Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam Perspective, and The Rainbow and Other Stories. Born on the 26th of August, 1956, she has worked tirelessly for various social issues like child labour, animal protection, rights for the disabled, and protection of historical buildings. Maneka Gandhi attended Lawrence School, Sanawar. She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, and studied German at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. In 1974, she married Sanjay Gandhi, who later passed away in a plane crash. She now resides with her son, Varun Gandhi, in Delhi.