Penguin To Publish The India Story Of The Panama Papers Investigation

Penguin Random House India announces the publication of The Panama Papers: The Untold India Story of the Trailblazing Global Offshore Investigation, written by award-winning journalists Ritu Sarin, Jay Mazoomdaar and P. Vaidyanathan Iyer, about ‘the most ambitious media investigation ever’ that shook the world.

It will be published under the Vintage imprint, known to bring out some of the world’s most thought-provoking and powerful books from prize-winning authors to brand-new, emerging talent. The book is now available for pre-order on e-commerce websites and will be out in the market in November 2019.

Swati Chopra, senior commissioning editor, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘The Panama Papers investigation represents a singular moment in history when journalists around the world simultaneously broke a story whose impact was felt globally. We are proud to publish the firsthand account of the India story, by the journalists who participated in the investigation.’

For the first time, the three journalists will present their side of the story and narrate the behind-the-scenes drama—exhilarating corroborations, the nerve-wracking wait, a chance discovery here, a red herring there, moments of veiled intimidation—that made the investigation a roller-coaster ride.

Talking about the upcoming book, one of India’s most renowned investigative reporters and Executive Editor at The Indian Express, Ritu Sarin, says, ‘You have read the Panama Papers stories. This book will take you behind-the-scenes into how the collaboration was mounted and what impact the Panama Papers have had’. Ritu is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) for two decades and has participated in most of ICIJ’s global collaborations, including the Panama Papers.

Jay Mazoomdaar, also an investigative reporter, is known for his work on environment and development that has impacted a number of policy decisions at the highest levels. Commenting on what to look out for in this book, he says, ‘The book recounts how the investigation helped governments lift the corporate veil of secrecy, while making a strong case for tax reforms in an increasingly unequal world.’

Readers will be enthralled by the story behind one of the most iconic exposés of our times that is regarded as an epic case study in collaborative journalism. The Panama Papers will talk about the challenges faced by the three journalists and the hurdles they had to cross in the months and days leading up to the global publication D-Day. The authors will also make some startling disclosures exclusively in this book.

P. Vaidyanathan Iyer, Executive Editor at The Indian Express, who writes on political economy and is Edward S. Mason Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, says about the book which he has co-authored, ‘This book will not only give insights into how the grind of long-drawn investigation yields exciting results, but also how this unique global media collaboration changed journalism, and the world’.