The Long Siege
This page is dedicated to my new book - The Long Siege: 500 Years of India's Struggle for Technopolitical Freedom - published by BluOne Ink under its imprint Occam. The book is now available on Amazon, Flipkart, and major Indian bookstores, including Hindu-eShop and Padhega India.
The Long Siege was first unveiled at the Auroville Literature Festival, organised by Auroville and Valley of Words. Thanks to the famed author and thinker, Shri. Aravindan Neelakandan, who also very kindly gave his support to this book, helped it receive a formal public unveiling at the august hands of the then Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu and now the Hon. Governor of West Bengal, Shri. R.N. Ravi. I must also thank her, Hon. Secretary of the Auroville Foundation, Smt. Jayanti Ravi, for very benevolently giving this first-time effort such a wonderful platform. The video footage of the unveiling is available here, while the book launch discussion video with Aravindan Neelakandan follows immediately below.
The Long Siege also got a glorious attention at the Max City Litfest, organised in Mumbai by famed author and veteran Probal Dasgupta (General Brasstacks-2026; Camouflaged-2024; Watershed 1967-2020) and famed naval historian and author Cmde. Dr. Srikant Kesnur (Retd). The book was the key highlight of a well-curated discussion titled "Science and Sensibility: From Oceans to Outer Space". The very industrious and mentor-to-many Lt. Gen. PJS Pannu (Retd) and Kashish Parpiani, the hawk who keeps his eye on the supply chains got together to discuss the book and contextualise it with the global affairs.
The Long Siege received great un-approached peer reviews (must clarify in this day and age of manipulated PR) from thinkers, observers, and mavens all across.
Sai Priya Chodavarapu, a prolific young writer and doer on Indic Knowledge Systems, party to the culture company - Brhat, has this (and more) to write
"The Long Siege is a well-researched and engaging work that traces India’s prolonged struggle for technological and political autonomy. Its insights are sharp, consequential, and deeply relevant to contemporary debates, making it a quick and interesting read for those interested in Indian history, geopolitics, and strategic thought."
Link to her review is here -
Sai Priya Chodavarapu
Shoumojit Banerjee, the executive editor of The Perfect Voice, is a man of refined taste, an avid reader of books across genres, and a passionate editor with an independent pen. He writes (link here),
The book also received advanced praises from four creative giants, Aravindan Neelakandan, Sanjeev Sanyal, Probal Dasgupta and Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan!
Probal's advanced praise, that would go on the second edition read's like this:
"Chaitanya Giri’s 'The Long Siege' is an insightful, revisionist and ardently argued debut about the significance of cultural symbolism and strategic sciences in establishing India’s civilizational narrative while questioning the malevolent intent of long held western narratives in colonization of minds. Giri’s commendable research ferrets out more questions than answers and will open debates in an area long ignored. A recommended read".
-Probal DasGupta, Best-selling Author of 'Watershed 1967 and Camouflaged'.