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Chanakyas Chant (Telugu Edition) by Ashwin Sanghi
Chanakya's Chant, published in 2010, is an interesting novel that weaves together two different time lines. The book begins in the year 340 BC, and shows how a young Brahmin boy is traumatized by the murder of his father. He decides to take revenge, and uses his calculating brain to plan it. Slowly, he becomes an expert political strategist and is known as Chanakya. He uses his skills to unify the country Bharat (ancient India). This unity, teamed up with his expertise, ensures that the army of Alexander the Great is defeated, and Chandragupta is crowned the king of the Mauryan empire. With time, Chanakya gets bored and decides to use his intelligence to pen down the Arthashastra.
Chanakya's Chant then shifts into modern India, two and a half millennium later. It focuses on Gangasagar Mishra, a poor Brahmin teacher. It turns out that this man becomes a puppeteer to people. He witnesses how contemporary India is riddled with corruption, greed, treachery, and hatred. He realizes that in order to succeed in this society he too must indulge is such malpractices. However, Chanakya's Chant highlights the possibility that this man could be a reincarnation of Chanakya. Gangasagar plans to make a slum girl the Prime Minister of India. Will this man be the answer to India’s problem? Will history repeat itself?
This novel is fast paced, and highly captivating. The book has been praised by critics and readers. Chanakya's Chantwas released in Mumbai by the renowned writer and politician Shashi Tharoor. It is the recipient of the 2010 Vodafone-Crossword Popular Choice Award. Film producer UTV have acquired the movie rights to the novel.
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