### Book Releases and Literary Events – February 2026
Important Books, Authors, Book Launches and Literary Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations
This article covers selected book releases and literary events reported in February 2026. It is suitable for APSC, UPSC, ADRE, SSC, Banking, Railways, CUET PG and UGC NET examinations, with an emphasis on Indian authors, public figures, history, politics, society and contemporary issues. No photos are included.
### 1\. The Sage Who Reimagined Hinduism: The Life, Lessons and Legacy of Sree Narayana Guru
Author: Shashi Tharoor
The book was formally released by Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on 19 February 2026 at the India International Centre in New Delhi. It explores the life, teachings and reformist legacy of Sree Narayana Guru, a major Indian spiritual leader and social reformer.
### Major themes
* Sree Narayana Guru's philosophy of human equality.
* Social reform and opposition to caste-based discrimination.
* Spirituality and ethical living.
* Education and social upliftment.
* The relationship between religion and social justice.
### Why is it important for examinations?
Sree Narayana Guru was a prominent social reformer from Kerala who challenged caste hierarchies and advocated human dignity. His teachings are relevant to questions on nineteenth- and twentieth-century social reform movements in India.
Quick facts
* Book: The Sage Who Reimagined Hinduism
* Author: Shashi Tharoor
* Subject: Sree Narayana Guru's life and philosophy
* Released by: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan
* Date: 19 February 2026
### 2\. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman
Author: Vijay Goel
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan released this coffee-table book on 21 February 2026 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The book presents the life and legacy of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee through photographs, historical recollections and accounts of his public career.
### Major themes
* Vajpayee's parliamentary career.
* His role as Prime Minister of India.
* His contributions to Indian foreign policy.
* Infrastructure development and governance.
* His identity as a poet and public speaker.
* His place in India's political history.
### Exam relevance
Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as India's Prime Minister and was associated with major developments in India's nuclear policy, infrastructure and diplomacy. He received the Bharat Ratna in 2015.
Quick facts
* Book: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman
* Author: Vijay Goel
* Type: Coffee-table book
* Released by: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan
* Date: 21 February 2026
### 3\. AI-Preneurs of India
Institution: Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog
The AI-Preneurs of India coffee-table book was launched at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on 17 February 2026. It documents the work of 45 artificial intelligence startups operating across more than 30 sectors. The publication is the seventh edition of the Innovations for You coffee-table series of the Atal Innovation Mission.
### Major themes
* AI-based solutions to real-world problems.
* Innovation in healthcare, education and sustainability.
* The role of startups in India's technology ecosystem.
* Entrepreneurship and deep-tech development.
* The use of AI for inclusive economic and social development.
### Exam significance
The book connects with India's startup ecosystem, innovation policy and the use of artificial intelligence for public benefit.
Quick facts
* Title: AI-Preneurs of India
* Institution: Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog
* Launch: 17 February 2026
* Number of startups featured: 45
* Related series: Innovations for You
### 4\. AI Impact Startup Book
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology launched the AI Impact Startup Book during the India AI Impact Summit on 18 February 2026. It presents an overview of India's AI and deep-tech startup ecosystem, including emerging applications across industries and regions.
### Key areas covered
* AI innovation in healthcare.
* Foundation models and databases.
* Voice- and vision-based applications.
* Waste technology and other emerging sectors.
* Startups operating beyond major metropolitan centres.
* Government partnerships supporting technology deployment.
### Why it matters
The publication highlights how innovation is spreading across sectors and locations. For competitive examinations, it is useful for topics such as digital India, startup policy, artificial intelligence, science and technology, and entrepreneurship.
Remember the distinction: AI-Preneurs of India was associated with the Atal Innovation Mission, while the AI Impact Startup Book was launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
### 5\. General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story
Author: Probal DasGupta
Penguin Random House India's February 2026 new-reads list featured General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story, a biography of Lieutenant General K. Sundarji, a prominent Indian military strategist. The book examines his military career, strategic thinking and association with Operation Brasstacks, a major Indian military exercise conducted in the 1980s.
### Major themes
* The life and military career of Lieutenant General K. Sundarji.
* Modernisation of India's armed forces.
* Military strategy and operational planning.
* Operation Brasstacks and India's strategic history.
* The relationship between military leadership and national security.
### Exam relevance
The book is useful for military history and India's defence studies. Operation Brasstacks is commonly associated with the large-scale Indian Army exercise of 1986–87, which became an important episode in India–Pakistan relations.
Quick facts
* Book: General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story
* Author: Probal DasGupta
* Subject: Military biography and Indian defence history
### 6\. Voices in the Wind: Folk Tales, Oral Traditions, and Living Literatures
Editors: Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal
This book was included in Penguin Random House India's February 2026 reading list. It explores India's oral traditions, folk narratives, songs and forms of cultural knowledge passed from one generation to another.
### Major themes
* Folk tales and oral storytelling.
* Preservation of traditional knowledge.
* Cultural diversity and regional literary traditions.
* Women's role in transmitting stories and cultural memory.
* The relationship between oral literature and written literature.
### Exam significance
The book connects with Indian culture, intangible cultural heritage, folklore and the preservation of regional languages. Oral traditions are particularly relevant to the study of communities whose stories and knowledge have historically been transmitted outside formal written literature.
Quick facts
* Book: Voices in the Wind: Folk Tales, Oral Traditions, and Living Literatures
* Editors: Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal
* Subject: Folklore, oral traditions and living literature
### 7\. After Nations
Author: Rana Dasgupta
After Nations appeared in Penguin Random House India's February 2026 new-reads list. The book explores questions about the future of the nation-state, political identity, borders and alternative forms of belonging.
### Major themes
* The future of the nation-state.
* National identity and political belonging.
* Globalisation and changing political boundaries.
* Political philosophy and alternative forms of social organisation.
### Exam relevance
The book's themes connect with political science topics such as nationalism, sovereignty, globalisation, citizenship and the changing role of the state. These subjects are relevant to UGC NET Political Science and international relations examinations.
Quick facts
* Book: After Nations
* Author: Rana Dasgupta
* Subject: Political philosophy, identity and the future of nation-states
### 8\. The Last of the Earth
Author: Deepa Anappara
Deepa Anappara's The Last of the Earth was featured in Penguin Random House India's February 2026 new-reads list. The work explores environmental collapse and human resilience through speculative fiction.
### Major themes
* Environmental degradation.
* Human survival under ecological pressure.
* Climate-related uncertainty.
* Society's relationship with the natural environment.
### Exam relevance
The book's themes connect with environmental studies, climate change, sustainable development and environmental literature. It can be used as a literary reference when discussing how fiction engages with ecological crises.
Quick facts
* Book: The Last of the Earth
* Author: Deepa Anappara
* Subject: Speculative fiction, environmental change and human resilience
### 9\. Stories from a Kargili Kitchen
Author: Yash Saxena
This book was included in Penguin Random House India's February 2026 reading list. It brings together food, personal narratives, memory and community experiences associated with Kargil.
### Major themes
* Food as cultural memory.
* Local traditions and regional identity.
* Everyday life in a conflict-affected region.
* The relationship between cuisine, history and community.
### Exam relevance
The book connects with Indian regional culture, food heritage, borderland communities and the social history of the Himalayan region.
Quick facts
* Book: Stories from a Kargili Kitchen
* Author: Yash Saxena
* Subject: Food, culture, memory and community
### 10\. The Four Life Skills
Author: Amit Agarwal
The Four Life Skills was featured in Penguin Random House India's February 2026 reading list. It focuses on practical skills and approaches for handling everyday decisions, personal development and modern life.
### Major themes
* Practical decision-making.
* Personal development.
* Everyday problem-solving.
* Building useful habits and skills.
Exam relevance: The book belongs to the self-development category and may be useful for general reading, life-skills discussions and personal-development topics.
### 11\. Other Notable Titles Featured in February 2026
Penguin Random House India's February reading list also featured the following titles. They are included here as February reading-list selections, rather than as individually verified launch dates.
| Book | Author(s) | Main subject |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Appetite | Shivranjana Rathore and Tino De Sa | Food, identity, belonging and Goan life |
| The Lady Who Carried the Monk Across the River | Pavan K. Varma | Philosophy, attachment and enlightenment |
| Creeping Shadows: Thirteen Ghost Stories | Aruna Chakravarty | Gothic fiction and ghost stories |
| A Life in Public Service: Nepal from Autocracy to Democracy | Bhesh Bahadur Thapa; translated by Prawin Adhikari | Nepal's political history and diplomacy |
| Marketing That Works: Building Breakthrough Brands in India | Shivaji Das Gupta | Marketing and brand development |
| Busy Women: Building Commerce and Culture in Middle India | Shinjini Kumar | Women entrepreneurs, commerce and society |
| Colombo: Port of Call | Ajay Kamalakaran | Travel writing and Sri Lankan history |
| Rebellion in Verse | Raghavan Srinivasan | Poetry, dissent and protest |
| LeanSpark | Jaideep Prabhu, Priyank Narayan and Mukesh Sud | Innovation and frugal engineering |
| Manifest Anything in 100 Days | Amiett Kumar | Personal development and goal-setting |
### 12\. Important Book-Related Development: Smarter Than the Storm
Authors: Amitabh Kant and Siddharth Sinha
On 6 February 2026, HarperCollins India announced the forthcoming publication of Smarter Than the Storm. The announcement included the book's cover reveal; it should not be confused with confirmation that the book was released on that date.
The book examines how governments, institutions and businesses can respond to climate disruption, economic uncertainty and rapid technological change.
Its central themes include:
* Artificial intelligence and climate action.
* Economic resilience and long-term planning.
* Governance reform and institutional capacity.
* Sustainable development and emerging technologies.
Exam facts
* Title: Smarter Than the Storm
* Authors: Amitabh Kant and Siddharth Sinha
* Publisher: HarperCollins India
* Announcement date: 6 February 2026
* Main themes: AI, climate change, governance and sustainability
### 13\. Quick Revision Table: Books and Authors, February 2026
| Book | Author(s) / Institution | Important fact |
| ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| The Sage Who Reimagined Hinduism | Shashi Tharoor | Released on 19 February 2026 |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman | Vijay Goel | Released on 21 February 2026 |
| AI-Preneurs of India | Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog | Features 45 AI startups |
| AI Impact Startup Book | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | Launched on 18 February 2026 |
| General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story | Probal DasGupta | Military biography |
| Voices in the Wind | Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal | Oral traditions and folklore |
| After Nations | Rana Dasgupta | Nation-states and political identity |
| The Last of the Earth | Deepa Anappara | Environmental speculative fiction |
| Stories from a Kargili Kitchen | Yash Saxena | Food, culture and community |
| The Four Life Skills | Amit Agarwal | Personal development |
| Smarter Than the Storm | Amitabh Kant and Siddharth Sinha | Forthcoming publication announced in February |
### 14\. MCQs for Competitive Examinations
1\. Who authored The Sage Who Reimagined Hinduism?
A. Amartya Sen B. Shashi Tharoor C. Ramachandra Guha D. Vikram Sampath
2\. Who wrote Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman?
A. Vijay Goel B. Shashi Tharoor C. Arun Shourie D. Pratap Bhanu Mehta
3\. Which organisation launched AI-Preneurs of India?
A. ISRO B. DRDO C. Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog D. University Grants Commission
4\. General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story is associated with which subject?
A. Indian classical music B. Military history C. Environmental science D. Ancient archaeology
5\. Who co-edited Voices in the Wind: Folk Tales, Oral Traditions, and Living Literatures?
A. Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal B. Arundhati Roy and Anita Desai C. Deepa Anappara and Kiran Desai D. Shashi Tharoor and Pavan K. Varma
6\. Who authored After Nations?
A. Rana Dasgupta B. Amit Agarwal C. Yash Saxena D. Probal DasGupta
7\. Who co-authored Smarter Than the Storm?
A. Amitabh Kant and Siddharth Sinha B. Jaideep Prabhu and Mukesh Sud C. Shivaji Das Gupta and Amit Agarwal D. Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal
8\. Which book explores food, memory and community in Kargil?
A. Appetite B. Stories from a Kargili Kitchen C. Colombo: Port of Call D. The Four Life Skills
Answer key: 1–B, 2–A, 3–C, 4–B, 5–A, 6–A, 7–A, 8–B.
### 15\. Sources for Further Reading
* Penguin Random House India — [penguin.co.in]
* Press Information Bureau, Government of India — [pib.gov.in]
* Vice-President of India — [vicepresidentofindia.nic.in]
* HarperCollins Publishers India — [harpercollins.co.in]
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