In the course of fuzzy technological development, fuzzy graph theory was identified quite early on for its importance in making things work. Two very important and useful concepts are those of granularity and of nonlinear ap proximations. The concept of granularity has evolved as a cornerstone of Lotfi A.Zadeh's theory of perception, while the concept of nonlinear approx imation is the driving force behind the success of the consumer electronics products manufacturing. It is fair to say fuzzy graph theory paved the way for engineers to build many rule-based expert systems. In the open literature, there are many papers written on the subject of fuzzy graph theory. However, there are relatively books available on the very same topic. Professors' Mordeson and Nair have made a real contribution in putting together a very com prehensive book on fuzzy graphs and fuzzy hypergraphs. In particular, the discussion on hypergraphs certainly is an innovative idea. For an experienced engineer who has spent a great deal of time in the lab oratory, it is usually a good idea to revisit the theory. Professors Mordeson and Nair have created such a volume which enables engineers and design ers to benefit from referencing in one place. In addition, this volume is a testament to the numerous contributions Professor John N. Mordeson and his associates have made to the mathematical studies in so many different topics of fuzzy mathematics."

Database and database systems have become an essential part of everyday life, such as in banking activities, online shopping, or reservations of airline tickets and hotels. These trends place more demands on the capabilities of future database systems, which need to evolve into decision making systems based on data from multiple sources with varying reliability. In this book a model for the next generation of database systems is presented. It is demonstrated how to quantize favorable and unfavorable qualitative facts so that they can be stored and processed efficiently, as well as how to use the reliability of the contributing sources in our decision makings. The concept of a confidence index set (ciset), is introduced in order to mathematically model the above issues. A simple introduction to relational database systems is given allowing anyone with no background in database theory to appreciate the further contents of this work, especially the extended relational operations and semantics of the ciset relational database model.

In the mid-1960's I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Lotfi Zadeh at which he presented some of his basic (and at the time, recent) work on fuzzy sets. Lotfi's algebra of fuzzy subsets of a set struck me as very nice; in fact, as a graduate student in the mid-1950's, I had suggested similar ideas about continuous-truth-valued propositional calculus (inffor "and," sup for "or") to my advisor, but he didn't go for it (and in fact, confused it with the foundations of probability theory), so I ended up writing a thesis in a more conventional area of mathematics (differential algebra). I especially enjoyed Lotfi's discussion of fuzzy convexity; I remember talking to him about possible ways of extending this work, but I didn't pursue this at the time. I have elsewhere told the story of how, when I saw C. L. Chang's 1968 paper on fuzzy topological spaces, I was impelled to try my hand at fuzzi fying algebra. This led to my 1971 paper "Fuzzy groups," which became the starting point of an entire literature on fuzzy algebraic structures. In 1974 King-Sun Fu invited me to speak at a U. S. -Japan seminar on Fuzzy Sets and their Applications, which was to be held that summer in Berkeley."

While Java texts are plentiful, it's difficult to find one that takes a real-world approach, and encourages novice programmers to build on their Java skills through practical exercise. Written by an expert with 19 experience teaching computer programming, Java Programming Fundamentals presents object-oriented programming by employing examples taken from everyday life. Provides a foundation in object-oriented design principles and UML notation Describes common pitfalls and good programming practices Furnishes supplemental links, documents, and programs on its companion website, www.premnair.net Uses day-to-day life examples to introduce every object-oriented and programming concept Includes an extensive stand-alone chapter on GUI and event programming Contains numerous examples, self-check questions, quick review material and an extensive list of both programming and non-programming exercises The text presents object-oriented design and programming principles in a completely integrated and incremental fashion. It correlates each concept to a real-world application example and then introduces the corresponding Java language construct. The approach continues throughout the book, in that every concept is first introduced through practical examples, followed by short programming tutorials. To round out its coverage, the book provides several case studies, which illustrate various design issues and demonstrate the usefulness of techniques presented throughout the book. Using its one-of-a-kind approach, Java Programming Fundamentals demonstrates the object-oriented design techniques required to simulate actual real-life situations without compromising study of traditional programming constructs and structures.

Soon after independence, Indian political leadership decided to pursue the attainment of four self-stipulated goals: to attain an improved standard of living through higher rates of growth, to establish a functioning political democracy, to achieve social equality through social re-engineering, and to make a quick transition in making government a servant of the public than being its master as was the case during the previous colonial regime. This book describes the journey from the past to the present in the articulation of these goals and evaluates the extent to which they have been achieved. This book is based on the belief that there is at work a principle of reciprocal causation between society and government. What society wants becomes a mandate for the government. That government is not a disinterested party and its actions, and failures to act, have an immense impact on the working of society. Premchand asserts that there is no aspect of civic life in India that is immune from governmental action. This relationship between government and society during the last six decades since independence is intensively examined. India is a land of paradoxes and surprises. The book covers political, social, and administrative developments during the last decades to provide perspective on the changing relationship between society and governments at various levels. This is followed by studies of the various ways in which classification systems are used in India today, the urban-rural divide, non-resident Indians as neo-change agents, emerging pattern of classes, and the resurgence of religion in everyday life. The final chapters deal with the vast range of discontents in governance, corruption and its impact on civic life, the myth of law and order, and the emergence of a public voice in policymaking. The work is fair, balanced, tough minded, and revealing. It is a must read for specialists, policymakers, and people worldwide for whom India is a civilization of inexhaustible interest.

Database and database systems have become an essential part of everyday life, such as in banking activities, online shopping, or reservations of airline tickets and hotels. These trends place more demands on the capabilities of future database systems, which need to evolve into decision making systems based on data from multiple sources with varying reliability. In this book a model for the next generation of database systems is presented. It is demonstrated how to quantize favorable and unfavorable qualitative facts so that they can be stored and processed efficiently, as well as how to use the reliability of the contributing sources in our decision makings. The concept of a confidence index set (ciset), is introduced in order to mathematically model the above issues. A simple introduction to relational database systems is given allowing anyone with no background in database theory to appreciate the further contents of this work, especially the extended relational operations and semantics of the ciset relational database model.

In the mid-1960's I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Lotfi Zadeh at which he presented some of his basic (and at the time, recent) work on fuzzy sets. Lotfi's algebra of fuzzy subsets of a set struck me as very nice; in fact, as a graduate student in the mid-1950's, I had suggested similar ideas about continuous-truth-valued propositional calculus (inffor "and," sup for "or") to my advisor, but he didn't go for it (and in fact, confused it with the foundations of probability theory), so I ended up writing a thesis in a more conventional area of mathematics (differential algebra). I especially enjoyed Lotfi's discussion of fuzzy convexity; I remember talking to him about possible ways of extending this work, but I didn't pursue this at the time. I have elsewhere told the story of how, when I saw C. L. Chang's 1968 paper on fuzzy topological spaces, I was impelled to try my hand at fuzzi fying algebra. This led to my 1971 paper "Fuzzy groups," which became the starting point of an entire literature on fuzzy algebraic structures. In 1974 King-Sun Fu invited me to speak at a U. S. -Japan seminar on Fuzzy Sets and their Applications, which was to be held that summer in Berkeley."

In the course of fuzzy technological development, fuzzy graph theory was identified quite early on for its importance in making things work. Two very important and useful concepts are those of granularity and of nonlinear ap proximations. The concept of granularity has evolved as a cornerstone of Lotfi A.Zadeh's theory of perception, while the concept of nonlinear approx imation is the driving force behind the success of the consumer electronics products manufacturing. It is fair to say fuzzy graph theory paved the way for engineers to build many rule-based expert systems. In the open literature, there are many papers written on the subject of fuzzy graph theory. However, there are relatively books available on the very same topic. Professors' Mordeson and Nair have made a real contribution in putting together a very com prehensive book on fuzzy graphs and fuzzy hypergraphs. In particular, the discussion on hypergraphs certainly is an innovative idea. For an experienced engineer who has spent a great deal of time in the lab oratory, it is usually a good idea to revisit the theory. Professors Mordeson and Nair have created such a volume which enables engineers and design ers to benefit from referencing in one place. In addition, this volume is a testament to the numerous contributions Professor John N. Mordeson and his associates have made to the mathematical studies in so many different topics of fuzzy mathematics."

While Java texts are plentiful, it's difficult to find one that takes a real-world approach, and encourages novice programmers to build on their Java skills through practical exercise. Written by an expert with 19 experience teaching computer programming, Java Programming Fundamentals presents object-oriented programming by employing examples taken from everyday life. Provides a foundation in object-oriented design principles and UML notation Describes common pitfalls and good programming practices Furnishes supplemental links, documents, and programs on its companion website, www.premnair.net Uses day-to-day life examples to introduce every object-oriented and programming concept Includes an extensive stand-alone chapter on GUI and event programming Contains numerous examples, self-check questions, quick review material and an extensive list of both programming and non-programming exercises The text presents object-oriented design and programming principles in a completely integrated and incremental fashion. It correlates each concept to a real-world application example and then introduces the corresponding Java language construct. The approach continues throughout the book, in that every concept is first introduced through practical examples, followed by short programming tutorials. To round out its coverage, the book provides several case studies, which illustrate various design issues and demonstrate the usefulness of techniques presented throughout the book. Using its one-of-a-kind approach, Java Programming Fundamentals demonstrates the object-oriented design techniques required to simulate actual real-life situations without compromising study of traditional programming constructs and structures.

Premchand is one of the most outstanding figures in twentieth-century Hindi literature. His novels and short stories dealing with the lives of everyday heroes have attained the status of classics. His works continue to be rediscovered and to captivate new generations of readers in India and abroad. The inhumanity of caste hierarchies and the plight of women stirred his indignation and remained constant themes through his works. Of his many novels, Rangbhumi (Battleground, 1924-5) depicts most graphically the devastation of peasant society and agriculture under colonial rule. Premchand treads the very tricky ground of tensions between the rulers and the ruled in this novel. Here, the ruled are the Indians and the rulers are an amalgam of the whites, the Indian landowners, and the Indian Christians. Rangbhumi spans the time between the 1920s and 1930s in pre-Independence India. It captures and celebrates the unassailable spirit of the common man, especially the farming community, whic h knows no defeat or submission, as its spirit is always on the mend, even as it is perceived to be finally crushed.

In seventh-century Arabia, Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussain, sacrificed his life and his family members and companions in the desert of Karbala, Iraq, to resist the debauched ruler Yazid. In twentieth-century India, when the communal conflict was at its peak, Premchand wrote a play about this pivotal event of Islamic history and transformed it into a nationalist narrative. This first-ever English translation of Premchand's outstanding play Karbala (1924) is an illuminating blend of historical facts and imagination. It reveals Premchand's profound understanding of the communal conflict in early twentieth-century India and his unique way of imagining the nation, in tune with Gandhian principles of communal harmony and co-existence of religions.