Bengaluru,  Reliance TimeOut, the books, music, stationery, toys and gifts store of Reliance Retail in association with HarperCollins Publishers India organized an exclusive book reading and discussion on Mother Pious Lady: Making Sense of Everyday India by Santosh Desai at Reliance TimeOut store. Mother Pious Lady is a collection of essays which discusses how the Indian middle class is emerging from the folds of its past, thereby requiring fresh analysis.

The book was unveiled amidst a huge enthusiastic crowd of book lovers followed by a special session featuring the author in conversation with renowned theatre personality Arundhati Nag. The excerpt readings from the book and the discussion on the topic of Mother Pious Lady revolved around a new India which is slowly emerging from within the folds of its many past. This new India needs to be seen with new eyes, free from the baggage of yesterdays characterizations.

Speaking at the launch Mr. Deepinder Kapany, Head, Reliance TimeOut, said, We have always been very active in providing the most exciting and engaging book reading experiences to our readers. The launch of Mother Pious Lady: Making Sense of Everyday India by Santosh Desai gives us another opportunity to present a great piece of literary which portrays a new India. The book takes the reader through some of the fascinating stories of daily events in the lives of middle-class Indians of both yesterday and today. It is indeed a great honour to have stalwart like Arundhati Nag amongst us who took part in the discussion and shared her inputs along with the author

About the Author

One of Indias best-known social commentators and advertising and marketing professionals, Santosh Desai is a columnist with several prominent publications. He writes extensively on media, popular culture, consumer markets and everyday life. He heads Future Brands, a branding services and consulting company, and was earlier the president of McCann Erickson India. Desai is a graduate in economics, and a postgraduate in management from IIM, Ahmedabad.

About the book

A new India is visibly emerging from within the folds of its many pasts. This new India needs to be seen with new eyes, free from the baggage of yesterdays characterizations. This is exactly what Santosh Desai, one of Indias best-known social commentators, does in this warm, affectionate and deliciously witty look at the changing urban Indian middle class.

Writing as an insider, from personal experience, Desai cuts through the chaos and confusion of everyday India both yesterday and today, and suddenly we begin to see things clearly. Holding a mirror to our inner selves, Desai makes us see what drives us, what makes us tick, what makes our hearts beat, and how our mindsets and attitudes re changing, even as the past never quite leaves us. And Desai does so in short masterful essays, written with great humour and sensitivity. A big book about the small things that really matter.

Praise for Mother Pious Lady

This is a rare and captivating book, wise and witty, on the inner lives of middle class Indians. Desai both enlightens and entertains through his insight, elegant writing and disarming humour.- Sudhir Kakar, psychoanalyst and author, most recently, of Mad and Divnie: Spirit and Psyche in the Modern World

... full of brilliant and insightful observations. This is a fine and enjoyable study of the Indian middle class. - Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India

Santosh Desai writes with wit and wisdom - a rare combination. He shines the torch on ourselves making us laugh, agonize and shudder, but all with a delightfully light touch.- Dipankar Gupta, Sociologist and Member of the National Security Advisory Board

This book puts together the seemingly insignificant details that collectively help explain the enigma called India, in a manner that only Santosh Desai could...it is total paisa vasool and much more.- Kishore Biyani, Group CEO, Future Group

This book is charming, thorough, funny and thoughtful. No aspect of new Indias popular culture escapes its scrutiny.- Rama Bijapurkar, author of We Are Like This Only - Understanding the Logic of Consumer India

Notes to Editor

About HarperCollins India

HarperCollins India is a joint venture between the India Today Group and HarperCollins Publishers worldwide. The partnership brings together the dynamism and reach of one of Indias largest media groups and the publishing experience and expertise of a premier international publishing company. It publishes a wider range of books than any other publisher, from cutting-edge contemporary fiction, to thrillers, from fantasy literature and childrens stories to enduring classics apart from the non-fiction titles that include biographies and current affairs which are of immense relevance and interest to readers across a broad spectrum. HarperCollins India is headquartered in NOIDA, Delhi NCR.

About Reliance TimeOut

Reliance TimeOut, the books, music, stationery, toys and gifts store of Reliance Retail is the one stop destination of books, music and stationery enthusiasts. Reliance TimeOut offers a huge range of choice to customers across cities with 1,35,000 Books of every genre including Indian Languages and Academic books, over 65,000 movie and music titles, 21,000 Stationery Items, 8,000 Toys, 19,000 Gifts articles including Fragrances, Watches and Fashion Jewellery. Shoppers can choose from a variety of gifts for as low as Rs. 49/- or more to meet their tastes and requirements. Reliance TimeOut also periodically offers book enthusiasts with the option of interacting with their favourite authors through book reading sessions designed specially for them. These products combined together with services such as the Cafe, Kids Play Area, Sound Domes, Reading Bar offered in a truly world class environment and with friendly, knowledgeable and energetic staff - has helped the store win the hearts of over 1 million customers.

About Reliance Retail Limited

Reliance Retail Limited (RRL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited opened its first retail store in November 2006 and today operates more than 1,000 stores in over 86 cities, spanning 14 states and serving over 2.5 million customers every week. RRL is a multi-format retailer that operates
 Reliance Fresh - a neighborhood store concept
 Reliance Super- a super mart concept
 Reliance Mart - a hyper market concept
 Ranger Farms - Wholesale (cash & carry) store
 Delight - a non vegetarian offering
 Reliance Digital - a consumer durables and information technology concept
 Reliance Trends - an apparel specialty concept
 Reliance Wellness - a health, wellness & beauty concept
 iStore by Reliance Digital- an Apple specialty store concept
 Reliance Footprint -a footwear concept
 Reliance Jewels - a jewellery concept
 Reliance Time-Out- a books, music & entertainment concept
 Reliance Living - a Furniture, Furnishing, Homeware and Home kitchen concept
 Reliance AutoZone - an automotive specialty concept

About Reliance Industries Limited

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is Indias largest private sector company on all major financial parameters with a turnover of Rs. 2,00,400 crore (US$ 44.6 billion), cash profit of Rs. 27,933 crore (US$ 6.2 billion), net profit of Rs. 16,236 crore (US$ 3.6 billion) and net worth of Rs. 1,37,171 crore (US$ 30.6 billion) as of March 31, 2010.

RIL is the first private sector company from India to feature in the Fortune Global 500 list of Worlds Largest Corporations and ranks 117th amongst the worlds Top 200 companies in terms of profits. RIL ranks 75th in the Financial Times FT Global 500 list of the worlds largest companies. RIL is rated as the 15th Most Innovative Company in the World in a survey conducted by the US financial publication-Business Week in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group