Nehru: The Debates That Defined India

Shashi Tharoor's book 'Inglorious Empire' explores the ideology of Nehru and his contemporaries, examining the debates that laid the foundations of the Republic and the impact of Nehru's ideas on contemporary India. The book explores Nehru's encounters with key contemporaries, such as Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Sardar Patel, and Mohammad Iqbal, to evaluate the views that were in circulation during the country's formative years of independence.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 11 November 2021
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Delving into the most significant ideological battles of the era, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of the thinking and dialogue that shaped the foundations of the Republic and continue to be highly relevant and contentious today. Authored by Shashi Tharoor, the book offers a profound historical account of Jawaharlal Nehru, delving deep into the debates of his time to understand his ideology and that of his contemporaries and opponents. By examining the ideological spectrum and the degree of divergence from Nehru's ideas, the book seeks to shed light on the enduring impact of his legacy.

Sixty years after Nehru's passing, he remains both deified and vilified in equal measure, with his ideological spectrum defining contemporary political discourse. This book explores his encounters with key contemporaries, including Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Sardar Patel, and Mohammad Iqbal, to excavate and evaluate the views that were in circulation during India's formative years of independence.

The correspondence and interactions between Nehru and these key personalities provide a unique insight into how post-independent India was projected as a nation. It examines the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and his cause of Hindu-Muslim unity, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, and his fierce defense of the constitution. It also explores Nehru's disagreements with Patel about the threat of China and his admiration for Mohammad Iqbal, the poet and politician whose letters on Muslim solidarity were often issued from a prison cell.

Through these encounters, the book offers a comprehensive evaluation of Nehru's ideas and their impact on the shaping of post-independent India. It sheds light on the complex web of ideologies and ideologies that influenced India's political landscape, and the enduring debates and controversies that continue to shape the country's identity. This book is a valuable contribution to the study of Indian history and politics, providing a deeper understanding of the ideological battles that shaped the nation's history and the individuals who played pivotal roles in shaping its future.

Weight: 494g
Dimension: 537 x 241 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008463823