Penguin Random House

Presenting the cover of Murarirao Ghorpade: The Accidental Catalyst Behind Robert Clive’s March over India, written by Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta and Indrajeet Ghorpade. The cover brings alive the valour of Murarirao, set against the mighty Gooty Fort and the vast Deccan plains. The artwork, illustrated by Ashwin Jacob, uses a striking colour palette of deep purples and soft gradients that capture both the grit of battle and the glow of legacy. The thoughtful typography and overall design by Shadab Khan pull the visual narrative together seamlessly. On his process, Ashwin shares: “Being a biography of a historical figure, it was imperative for me to collect as many visual references of that time period as I could, especially of the Gooty Fort and the Maratha warriors. The next stage was to research visual styles and compositions that could elevate him as this brave warrior. After a couple of rough options, we zeroed in on the current composition that essentially portrays Murarirao in all his glory—the Gooty Fort basking in the evening sun, and the Deccan plains stretching out in the distance. The art direction by Shadab made this whole process streamlined, and his typography pulls the whole thing together in the final book cover.” A fitting visual homage to a forgotten hero of Indian history.