Mysuru: Author, Dr Vikram Sampath's biography of Hindutava ideologue, Veer Savarkar, "Savarkar: echoes from a forgotten past" will be launched by the Mysuru Literary Forum and Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs in the city on Sunday.
In his review of the book, Prof. Faisal Devji, professor of Indian History at Oxford University called it, "The first serious biography of Savarkar in English” and said it “allows us to understand a man whose ideas have come to define contemporary India."
Mr Sugata Bose, Gardiner professor of History at Harvard University, in his review of the book said, "We get a rich portrait of Savarkar as a poet and writer as well as a political activist and theorist".
Dr. Sampath has also authored books like “Splendours of Royal Mysore: the Untold Story of the Wodeyars,” "My Name Is Gauhar Jaan: The Life and Times of a Musician" and "Voice of the Veena: S Balachander, A Biography."
He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi's first Yuva Puraskar for English literature in 2012 and the ARSC International Award for Excellence in Historical research in New York for his book, 'Gauhar Jaan,' which has been adapted for theatre by Lillette Dubey and is being adapted for a Bollywood film by Ashutosh Gowariker.
With a doctorate in history and music from the University of Queensland, Australia, he is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi.
An engineer- cum- mathematician from BITS-Pilani and an MBA in finance from S. P. Jain, Mumbai Dr Sampath is also a trained Carnatic vocalist.
Member of Parliament ,Tejaswi Surya will release the book and Mrs Vasanthi Hariprakash, and founder editor, Pickle Jar will be in conversation with the author on the occasion.
