Book on women and freedom struggle to release in August

Set in the 1940s, "Ahimsa", a book about a woman joining India's freedom movement will be released in August Authored by Supriya Kelkar, it "brings to life stories of the unsung heroes of India's War of Independence".

The book speaks about the turmoil a 10-year-old girl, Anjali, is thrown into when her mother announces she is quitting her job to become a freedom fighter and follow Mahatma Gandhi.

The cause requires Anjali to give up her privileges and "confront her prejudices to ensure her little contribution to the movement is complete".

It narrates the tale of Anjali forgoing her "biases against the Dalit community" and sacrificing her foreign-made clothes for khadi.

Kelkar is inspired by her great-grandmother's experience of working with Gandhi and said she's thrilled to see "Ahimsa" heading to India.

"This is a poignant debut about overcoming one's internal struggles and giving up one's biases," the publisher said in a statement, adding that it is a book essentially about female empowerment.

"Ahimsa is a book every Indian should read, whether you are a parent, child, educator or book lover," Shantanu Duttagupta, Head of Publishing at Scholastic India said in a statement.

"A poignant look at India's independence through the eyes of a 10-year-old, "Ahimsa" is a well-crafted tale of resistance," Bollywood director Raj Kumar Hirani said, whose Gandhi-related "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" was well-received by Indian audiences.