Delhi & Its Fort Palace: A Historical Preview

The Book

The Author was greatly impressed with the beauty of the Raisina hills and the majestic Viceroy’s House crowning glory of the British rule in India since Childhood. Then he chanced to visit the old monuments and the prominent being that of Humayun’s tomb and the Red Fort which immediately recollected the great Moghul from Akbar to Aurangzeb who ruled the Empire and the tragic end of Bahadur Shah, the last Mughal Emperor. The Red Fort always beckoned him silently whenever railway train whistled in when reaching Salimgarh from the Yamuna river bridge as children they used to travel from their home town Allahabad to Delhi. The fascination grew up on him with my subsequent visits to Delhi that compelled him to explore the Fort and the city in its old grandeur and bring forward in writing for the delight of all. This book is the outcome of those feelings.

The Author

Born in 1934, at the holy city of Prayagraj (Allahabad), the author feels pride in saying, “the city that has given five Prime Ministers to the country”. He completed his Bachelors education from University of Allahabad and then obtained his post Graduate degree in engineering from University of Massachusetts, USA, Literary environment of Allahabad had a lasting influence throughout his life. An eminent engineer of international standing having served in a World Bank Project in Malaysia and led a United Nations F.A.O. Project Team in Nigeria, he retired from Punjab Agricultural University in 1994 where he served for 28 years as a Professor, Head of the Department, Dean of the Engg. College and Director of School of Energy. There after followed a two years stint of heading nationally renowned Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Institute located in Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat. He is recipient of several national level awards including the highest research award in Agricultural Engineering from Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He is a Fellow of Institution of Engineers India, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers and the Asian Society of Agricultural Engineering and several other National Societies. He is author of two books, wrote chapters in two books, served as Chief Editor of Journal of Agricultural Engineering, member of editorial boards of National and International Journals and author of several technical reports and papers. He has been Chairman and member of several National Committees. He represented India in many International meetings. Besides contributions in his own engineering area, he has written one Hindi Drama that was stage played in Banda and other cities of U.P. He wrote several short stories in Hindi based on historical background. History always fascinated him. “I would have opted a career in History and in Films as Director and Producer of Historical Films in the mould of Late Sohrab Modi “thus expressed the author when questioned further. Mughals held a special place for him. His first book on history related subject, titled “Delhi and its Fort Palace A Historical Preview” unfolds the stories of 14 cities starting from Indraprastha of Mahabharat times that now constitute the modern city of New Delhi. Of all cities, Imperial city of Mughals, Shahjahanabad and Red Fort find a special mention. The book was well received with in the country and abroad. His second book titled “The Oudh Nights-Tales of Nawab, Wazirs, Kings and Begums of Lucknow” is now before the Readers.