In Custody by Anita Desai is a poignant novel that explores the decline of Urdu poetry and the struggles of cultural preservation in modern India. It follows Deven Sharma, a small?town lecturer, who becomes entangled in the life of Nur, a once?great Urdu poet now living in disillusionment. Through themes of language, identity, and disillusionment, Desai paints a powerful portrait of artistic decay and personal compromise. More details available at Best Book Centre.