For decades, India’s population story was dominated by fears of overpopulation. Today, the country faces a different demographic reality: fertility has fallen below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. In The Last Cradle: India’s Fertility Crisis, Dr. Vaidehi Taman examines what this transformation could mean for India’s social, economic and demographic future.

The book’s central argument is that fertility cannot be understood simply through statistics. Behind every declining birth rate are choices shaped by marriage, employment, housing, education, childcare, healthcare, gender roles and people’s confidence in the future. Dr. Vaidehi therefore moves the discussion beyond the conventional debate over population growth and asks why many young Indians are postponing marriage or parenthood.

One of the book’s strengths is its refusal to advocate coercion. Dr. Vaidehi argues that falling fertility should not become an excuse to pressure women into motherhood or restrict reproductive autonomy. Instead, governments and institutions should remove the practical barriers confronting those who want children—through affordable housing, childcare, supportive workplaces, healthcare and stronger family infrastructure.

The author also connects fertility with the larger questions of ageing, human capital and national capacity. If the working-age population eventually shrinks while the elderly population grows, the pressures on healthcare, pensions and caregiving could intensify. Yet Dr. Vaidehi emphasizes that India still has time to prepare.

At times, the book’s central argument is reiterated more often than necessary, but its broad scope is also what gives it relevance. It treats demography not as an abstract population count but as a reflection of how a society views family, childhood, work and tomorrow.

Ultimately, The Last Cradle is less a warning about fewer births than an invitation to reconsider the conditions under which people build families. Its most important message is simple: India’s demographic future will depend not on compelling people to have children, but on creating a society in which choosing family life remains possible, dignified and hopeful.

KOLKATA, West Bengal — Chandrawanshi Tour & Travels is highlighting its chauffeur-driven rental services for local journeys, sightseeing and travel beyond Kolkata. The company lists sedans, SUVs, tempo travellers, buses/coaches and luxury coaches within its vehicle offering.

The rental service caters to varied travel requirements, including family outings, wedding transportation, pilgrimages and business travel. Customers can discuss their group size and journey plans when requesting vehicle information and a written quote before booking.

According to the company, rentals include experienced, verified drivers familiar with Kolkata, Howrah and the wider West Bengal highway network. Its local service area includes Kankurgachi, Lake Town, Alipore, Newtown, Mukundapur, Behala and Garia, alongside Kolkata and Howrah.

The company publishes per-kilometre and per-day rates and describes its pricing as transparent, with no hidden charges. It also states that vehicles are cleaned and sanitized between trips. Phone and WhatsApp support is available at any time for bookings, changes and on-trip assistance.

Beyond vehicle rental, Chandrawanshi Tour & Travels offers Kolkata sightseeing, regional tour packages and domestic and international holidays. Hotel bookings, flight bookings, visa/passport assistance and guide services form part of its wider travel offering. Published company information records more than 15 years of service, over 500 completed trips and 25-plus destinations.

About Chandrawanshi Tour & Travels

Chandrawanshi Tour & Travels is a Kolkata-based travel agency and chauffeur-driven car rental service offering local sightseeing, regional tours, domestic and international holiday packages, and trip-planning assistance.

Contact

P180, CIT Rd, Kadapara, Phoolbagan, Kankurgachi, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054
Phone / WhatsApp: +91 6290951446 / +91 93044 31515
Website: https://chandrawanshitourtravels.com

Vineet Kumar Mishra’s Parchhaiyon Ke Log is a collection of six stories that looks closely at the lives people often pass without noticing. Its premise is simple but powerful: beneath apparently ordinary lives lie private fears, memories, desires and struggles that rarely find expression. As the author observes in the preface, there are no conventional heroes or villains here, only people quietly fighting their own battles.

The collection moves through strikingly different settings. “Ninth Floor” takes us into a Gurgaon corporate office where Raj, Priya and Aman confront the anxiety of layoffs, professional stagnation and the pressure of financial responsibilities. The glass walls of the office become an apt metaphor for lives that appear transparent but remain deeply isolated.

“Prateekshalaya” shifts to a hospital waiting room, bringing strangers together through the universal experience of uncertainty. “Dhundh Mein Aadmi” explores memory and identity through Harishankar, whose gradual loss of memory raises an unsettling question: what remains when a person begins to lose the memories that define him?

The collection also enters the more intimate territories of love, loss and social restrictions. “Chandni Ki Mez Par” captures the fragile beauty of love and promises, while the long story “Ujaas” follows Ananya and Mali, whose relationship is tested by social conventions and a long separation. The story ultimately examines whether love is always granted the space and time it deserves.

Author’s greatest strength is his empathy. He finds emotional weight in everyday details, the office desk, a hospital chair, an old mirror, a forgotten plant. His prose is direct and accessible, though at times the emotional intensity is deliberately sustained for longer than necessary.

What distinguishes Parchhaiyon Ke Log is its refusal to offer easy resolutions. Its characters do not necessarily triumph; they endure, remember, lose and continue. The concluding reflection reinforces this philosophy: stories may end on the page, but their meanings continue in memory, silence and what remains unsaid.

A sensitive and relatable collection, this book invites readers to look beyond appearances, and perhaps to notice the hidden stories in the people around them.