Pramod V. Argade’s debut novel, PHOOL, will be published on April 3rd, 2026!

The most important discovery in human history is announced.

Within hours, it is dismissed as a hoax.

Indian astronomer Dr. Shakuntala “Shaku” Bakshi reveals a startling image from Phobos, the moon of Mars: a golden-blue object shaped like a flower, which she names Phool. It is the first evidence of advanced extraterrestrial intelligence.

Before scientists can verify the discovery, politics takes over. Media outlets ridicule it. Religious leaders condemn it. The White House declares it fake news. As NASA Administrator David Green activates a secret first-contact protocol—Code Eta—China launches a mission to seize the artifact.

Caught between scientific truth and global power struggles, Shaku must navigate skepticism, misinformation, and international rivalry to unlock the mystery of Phool.

Meanwhile, the alien object grows into a massive structure—and heads toward Earth.

PHOOL is a hard science fiction thriller about first contact in an age of polarization, where humanity’s greatest threat to survival isn’t aliens.

It’s ourselves.