Book Launch: Spies, Lies and Allies by Kavitha Rao

Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, in collaboration with Westland Books, presents the launch of Spies, Lies and Allies: The Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy, the latest book by acclaimed author Kavitha Rao. She will be in conversation with award-winning historian Manu S. Pillai, discussing the forgotten revolutionaries who shaped India’s freedom. The event will include a reading from the book, followed by an open conversation and book signing.

About the Author

Kavitha Rao is a London-based journalist and author whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, The Hindu, and more. She is the bestselling author of Lady Doctors, and Spies, Lies and Allies is her fourth book.

About the Moderator

Manu S. Pillai is an award-winning historian and author of The Ivory Throne, Rebel Sultans, The Courtesan, the Mahatma & the Italian Brahmin, False Allies, and Gods, Guns & Missionaries. He holds a PhD from King’s College London and has worked with Dr. Shashi Tharoor and the BBC.

About the Book

Virendranath Chattopadhyaya (Chatto) and M.N. Roy were two revolutionaries whose lives unfolded across Kolkata, Hyderabad, London, Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, and Moscow. They encountered spies, dictators, assassins, and world leaders, including Lala Lajpat Rai, Veer Savarkar, Vladimir Lenin, Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek, Joseph Stalin, Gandhi, and Nehru.
This gripping dual biography sheds light on their clandestine operations, ideological struggles, and the personal costs of their revolutionary pursuits. Were they forgotten heroes or tragic failures? Spies, Lies and Allies brings their extraordinary journeys to life.

About Westland Books

Westland Books is an award-winning Indian publisher with a diverse and exciting range of books, from popular and literary fiction to business, politics, biography, spirituality, poetry, graphic novels, health, and self-help. They publish books for adults and children in English, Hindi, and other Indian languages.