By Naresh Goswami

Howrah-based Muslim organization - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Foundation has again taken its decision to publish the Arabic edition of a world-acclaimed 'Great Minds on India,' authored by Shillong-based writer Salil Gewali. The translation process is underway, led by esteemed Arabic scholar Dr. Mohammad Ramzan in Doha, Qatar, with editing by Hamdan Bin Rashid of Madrid, Spain.

          This initiative by the organization follows the successful release of the book's Urdu edition, which was formally launched by the Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, in 2023. Abdul Khalique, the Secretary of the Foundation, announced that the Arabic edition would be distributed across Arabian countries to foster cultural exchange and highlight the rich literary heritage of Indian wisdom, recognized by globally renowned intellectuals such as – Johann Goethe, F. Voltaire, Arthur Schopenhauer, Fredrich Hegel, David Henry Thoreau, Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Julius Oppenheimer, TS Eliot, Mark Twain and so on

             Furthermore, a Sanskrit edition of 'Great Minds on India' is also currently being translated by NRIs Dr. Annapurna Nori of Los Angeles and Smt. Usha Jaya Raman from North Carolina, USA under the expert supervision and guidance of  highly acclaimed Sanskrit scholar Dr. Baldevananda Sagar. Author Salil Gewali notes that Dr. Baldevananda Sagar, an eminent scholar and journalist who previously worked as a key anchor at Doordarshan and All India Radio, has distinguished himself by translating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' into Sanskrit for the past eight years.

            The research-based work spanning twenty-four years, Gewali published the first edition in Xerox format in 1998 while the regular print edition was first published in 2009 which was formally launched by the then Governor of Meghalaya, Ranjit S. Mooshahary in Shillong. The governor Ranjit S. Mooshahary in his speech appreciated Gewali’s efforts by saying:  “Salil Gewali’s research-based book is one of a kind, unlike any other published. Each page reveals insights from some of the most esteemed minds, shedding light on profound truths about the country that remain largely unknown to the general people. I am confident that this book will not only enlighten but also inspire countless individuals across the nation.” The international publishing house -- Penguin Books has been publishing “Great Minds on India” in Kindle edition since 2013. The forthcoming Arabic edition will mark the 14th translation of 'Great Minds on India.'