A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was one of India’s most beloved presidents and youth icons. His radical ideas combined with his vision for the nation moved generations.
Every speech, every piece of writing that came from Kalam’s desk had one common thread: an undying, unconditional love for his country. No one can evoke better the deep sense of national pride and enthusiasm, be it in children or adults, than Kalam could.
‘Loving Your Country’ is a collection of some of Kalam’s most enthralling speeches about India. Read on.
A remarkable Englishman-turned-Indian, Verrier Elwin was an Oxford scholar who somehow became the foremost spokesman for India’s tribal people.
Despite constituting almost 8 per cent of the nation’s population, the tribals of India had been (and continue to be) ignored by the national freedom movement. It was Elwin, an esteemed—if not controversial—public figure in his adopted homeland, who decided to champion their cause.
The people he influenced are at the epicentre of the Maoist rebellion in the country today. It is absolutely imperative that we familiarize ourselves with Elwin’s thoughts and ideas. Read on as Ramachandra Guha sheds light on his most influential writing in the chapter titled ‘Verrier Elwin: The Defender of the Tribals’.
Gitanjali, the book of poems for which Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, was in fact a collection of songs. Much of what Tagore experienced-joy and frustration, grief and devastation-was expressed through music, and during his lifetime, Tagore was most renowned for his songwriting. The distinction of his musical oeuvre lay in the near-perfect balance he achieved between the evocative lyrics, the matching melody and the rhythmic structure in which each song was bound.
The Singer and His Song is a unique biography of Tagore with music as its leitmotif. It traces the musical journey of the poet with anecdotes and allusions, and includes translations of some of his most resonant songs. Written in elegant prose and accompanied by relevant photographs and paintings, this highly original book is a fitting tribute to Tagore’s enduring musical legacy.
‘I am not anti-English; I am not anti-British; I am not anti-any government; but I am anti-untruth—anti-humbug and anti-injustice.’
Father of the Nation, Satyagrahi, the Crusader of Truth—no matter how much is written about Gandhi, there is always something new to learn about the man and his many ideas.
Within four years of his return to India from South Africa, Gandhi had become the most famous—as well as the most controversial—person in a subcontinent with a population of over 300 million. This only goes to prove the power of his ideas and the effect of his charisma.
In ‘The Multiple Agendas of Gandhi’, Ramachandra Guha looks at some of Gandhi’s most radical ideas and how he executed them so that they have remained in the psyche of this country to this day. Read on.
The gods themselves bring destruction on women, so is it any wonder you do the same?’
Now, more than ever, it has become imperative that we talk about women’s rights and work towards gender equality. The feminist movement, in fact, took roots in India nearly a century ago, as can be seen from the life and work of Tarabai Shinde.
Tarabai Shinde was obscure in her time, and remains so in ours. But her writing, if not her life, compels our serious attention. Extremely relevant and hard-hitting, her work is indeed one of the most powerful pieces of social criticism ever written by an Indian.
Read on, as Ramachandra Guha sheds light on the inspiring thoughts and writings of the activist in ‘Tarabai Shinde: The Subaltern Feminist’.
Action above thought’—this was Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s core philosophy and how he approached most things in life.
Tilak famously opined that by remaining under the rule of the British, India as a country was leading to its own decline and a general sense of emasculation. He urged the young men of the country to protest with everything they had got, and even go to prison if necessary. This meant hitting another nail in the coffin of the British Empire.
In ‘Bal Gangadhar Tilak: The Militant Nationalist’, Ramachandra Guha brings to us a hitherto unseen side of Tilak through the latter’s writings and actions. Read on.
The striking thing about accounts of modern India is that the men and women who made its history also wrote most authoritatively about it.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was truly the torchbearer of the ideas that became the foundation of modern India. According to him, shaking off the shackles of social and economic backwardness as well as political subjection was the most important aspect when it came to improving India.
In ‘Gopal Krishna Gokhale: The Liberal Reformer’, Ramachandra Guha tells us about the man who influenced thousands to join the fight for India’s struggle.
For all the talk these days about education for girls and women empowerment, what Jotirao Phule did for the country almost a century ago still remains unmatched.
From starting a school for lower-caste girls to promoting a rationalist outlook honed through education, Phule played a key role in the emancipation of people from the lower castes. His writing not only reflects his drive and determination but also his zeal to bring some real change and see India achieve her complete potential.
Read on as Ramachandra Guha introduces us to yet another radical who became a building block in the foundation of India’s freedom in ‘Jotirao Phule: The Agrarian Radical’.
Syed Ahmad Khan was no ordinary man. His unorthodox upbringing led to his prolific writing in many languages interspersed with radical thoughts.
He gave importance to Western education and promoted the need for communal harmony. Like writings of other Indian thinkers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, his thoughts and ideas continue to remain relevant.
In ‘Syed Ahmad Khan: The Muslim Modernist’, Ramachandra Guha captures the flavour of Khan’s intellectual and political legacy.
Raja Rammohan Roy is well-known for abolishing the regressive practice of Sati, fighting for other social reforms, and founding a new religious order within the Indian society. His contributions to building a liberal mindset are many.
Roy was perhaps the first Indian thinker who engaged with the challenges posed by both colonial rule and Indian conservatism. Roy was a liberal, quite ahead of his times, who fought for the freedom of press and promoted modern education. His writing set the tone for reformers and activists.
‘Rammohan Roy: The First Liberal of India’ by Ramachandra Guha is a glimpse into the thoughts and ideas of Raja Rammohan Roy.
