Jeena Hai to Marna Seekho: The Life and Times of George Reddy

SouthSideBooks HBT

An English Imprint of Hyderabad Book Trust. Dedicated to encourage literature from South India. Especially from Telugu/Dakhni speaking states, including from Urdu. You are part of the Indian diaspora in the United States—one of the wealthiest, most successful minority communities in the West. But let’s be honest: the life you enjoy today was not built on American soil alone. It began in India, in classrooms and universities heavily subsidized by Indian taxpayers. Many of you—or your parents—paid mere pennies for world-class degrees before boarding a flight to prosperity. You carry the benefits of that public investment every single day. So ask yourself: what have you given back? Donations to temples or cultural festivals are not enough. India’s deeper needs—equitable education, robust public institutions, and a culture that values justice over status—require your active engagement. One of the most enduring ways to give back is through books. Books have always been silent yet seismic agents of change—building nations, shifting the way people think, quietly but irrevocably, and opening minds. Supporting meaningful literature is not charity; it is an investment in the ideas that will transform society. English is the bridge that connects Indian ideas to the world. Yet English-language publishing in India is dominated by North Indian voices, leaving much of peninsular India—its histories, struggles, and rich cultures—underrepresented. All these are reasons why we ask you to become patrons. Buy our books. Gift them. Share them. In doing so, you are not just purchasing pages—you are preserving voices, fostering change, and giving back to the India that made your success possible.