'Queen of Fire', a book on Rani Lakshmibai, set to launch

Rangachari brings to vivid life the interior life of this nineteenth century queen, thrust into a position she does not desire but must assume, and of her son, who is cowed by the challenges he has to face but determined to live up to his mother's boldness and courage.

The book's synopsis says "Lakshmibai the widowed queen of Jhansi, is determined to protect her son's right to his father's throne, and the welfare of the kingdom she is ruling..."

"Faced with the British machinations to take over her kingdom, at a time when all of India is aflame with the fire of the first War of Independence, she has to prove her valour and sagacity again and again, but will this be enough to save all that she values?"

This 124-hour gripping tale of power and betrayal captures the queen's bold quest to fight injustices and save her land.

Rangachari's book, 'Queen of Ice' (Duckbill), was on the White Raven list, which won the Neev Young Adult Book Award, and was shortlisted for the Sahitya Akademi's Bal Sahitya Puraskar; it has been optioned to be made into a movie/television series.

She is currently the recipient of a prestigious national fellowship awarded by the Ministry of Culture in India to research aspects of gender and historical fiction in Indian children's literature.

The book is published by Penguin books.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)