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Mandate: Will of the People
This is the first easy-to-read book about recent Indian political history. Pegged on the general elections that shaped today's India, Mandate: Will of the People tells the story of Indian politics in a gripping, page-turning style.
Vir Sanghvi, the well-known journalist and TV anchor, draws on his personal experiences and memories as well as scores of interviews to piece together an incisive and candid account of what went on behind the scenes. Peppered with little-known details and insider information, this book tells the stories behind the story and brings alive the men and women behind the headlines.
Mandate: Will of the People contains the real story of the declaration of the Emergency, the rise and fall of Sanjay Gandhi, the Punjab insurgencies, the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the bloody riots that followed her death. It tracks the emergence of Rajiv Gandhi and explains the Bofors scandal that contributed to his defeat.
Many of the questions that linger over Indian politics are answered here: how did Narasimha Rao become Prime Minister? Why did he liberalise the economy? What was the Ram Mandir agitation really about? Why didn't Sonia Gandhi agree to be PM? And how did Manmohan Singh's weakness clear the way for Narendra Modi.
If you have to read one book about Indian politics - then this is it.
Vir Sanghvi, the well-known journalist and TV anchor, draws on his personal experiences and memories as well as scores of interviews to piece together an incisive and candid account of what went on behind the scenes. Peppered with little-known details and insider information, this book tells the stories behind the story and brings alive the men and women behind the headlines.
Mandate: Will of the People contains the real story of the declaration of the Emergency, the rise and fall of Sanjay Gandhi, the Punjab insurgencies, the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the bloody riots that followed her death. It tracks the emergence of Rajiv Gandhi and explains the Bofors scandal that contributed to his defeat.
Many of the questions that linger over Indian politics are answered here: how did Narasimha Rao become Prime Minister? Why did he liberalise the economy? What was the Ram Mandir agitation really about? Why didn't Sonia Gandhi agree to be PM? And how did Manmohan Singh's weakness clear the way for Narendra Modi.
If you have to read one book about Indian politics - then this is it.
156 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
41 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
About the author
Vir Sanghvi
18 books24 followersVir Sanghvi is an Indian print and television journalist, author, columnist and talk show host. He has been a member of many professional, academic and government bodies including the National Integration Council.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
April 26, 2019
I can't speak for other countries in the world because I haven't yet been able to come out of my little box. Hence, I will speak about the little box I live in.
Indians are obsessed with politics. Politics is a go-to topic for every social gathering. With the recent upheaval in Indian politics and in the world around, it has laid itself out on a beach, ready to be navigated and shaped by the onlookers. If such is the trend in my country right now, how could I have been a mute spectator on the beach? But I needed something more substantial to hold on to. What could have been better than gathering information from books? Thanks to Roshan, I was introduced to Vir Sanghvi's Mandate: Will of the People and what a good start it has been.
Begining with a foreword by Amish Tripathi, the book is in seven chapters. The foreword by Amish is something I felt more interested in than the fiction he writes. The book deals with the history of Indian politics from 1971-2014. Vir Sanghvi's narration of the history of Indian politics is very neutral in its tone. Even at the foolishness of various politicians, his tone doesn't change into a smirking tone of the opposition. He has written like a journalist he is. This short book delivers what it promises; it is indeed an easy-to-read book about the Indian political history. To understand the present, it is very important to understand the past. Vir Sanghvi will do just the same. A perfect start for beginners.
___
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Indians are obsessed with politics. Politics is a go-to topic for every social gathering. With the recent upheaval in Indian politics and in the world around, it has laid itself out on a beach, ready to be navigated and shaped by the onlookers. If such is the trend in my country right now, how could I have been a mute spectator on the beach? But I needed something more substantial to hold on to. What could have been better than gathering information from books? Thanks to Roshan, I was introduced to Vir Sanghvi's Mandate: Will of the People and what a good start it has been.
Begining with a foreword by Amish Tripathi, the book is in seven chapters. The foreword by Amish is something I felt more interested in than the fiction he writes. The book deals with the history of Indian politics from 1971-2014. Vir Sanghvi's narration of the history of Indian politics is very neutral in its tone. Even at the foolishness of various politicians, his tone doesn't change into a smirking tone of the opposition. He has written like a journalist he is. This short book delivers what it promises; it is indeed an easy-to-read book about the Indian political history. To understand the present, it is very important to understand the past. Vir Sanghvi will do just the same. A perfect start for beginners.
___
April 2, 2017
This story of India, from 1971-2014, has been a period of rapid changes and have gave birth to a lot of characteristics that are recognized as peculiarities of Indian democracy. The dynasty rule is one of the biggest example of this feature that came into existence in INC( Indian National Congress). Indira Gandhi was the first one to exploit the advantage of charisma and rhetoric in the public eye. This popularity allowed her to exercise immense strength over decision making process in the party. So much was her popularity that she divided the congress when the Syndicate realized that she isn't the Indira Gandhi that they had expected who will be benevolent to their cause and obedient to their instructions. We welcomed the arrival of a headstrong leader as the boldness of her decisions symbolized power and we associate leaders with the decisions they take and swallow the image at the face value of it, but is it really the case?
This story has been told many times and by many people. I, myself have read 'Durbaar' of Tavleen Singh on this era, Shashi Tharoor has covered this era in his 'India: From Midnight to Millenium' so what was so special in this book that encouraged me to struggle till the end? In this book, author has pointed out interesting people who have not been in the news regarding the controversial decisions taken during these times. (At-least I didn't know that these people were there and were somehow responsible. I'll name out the few names which came across me as the new characters in the ploy:
P N Haskar:
He was the Deputy High Commissioner posted in London at the time when Mrs Gandhi was made PM of the country for the first time. At that time her contender was Mr Morarji Desai. The Syndicate group of the congress seniors, headed by Mr Kamraj, decided to support Mrs Gandhi as they wanted a silent doll at the helm to indirectly control the country. For the initial two years she was perfectly doing that. All this changed when Mr Haskar was relocated to India and was given the post of Principal Secretariat of the PM. He was the one who was the mastermind of all the rebel that Mrs Gandhi posed to the Syndicate by empowering her and making her realize that she is the PM of the largest republic in the world and she needs to own it. From here on, she never looked back and almost went on a mission to destroy the monopoly of Syndicate over the Congress. Mr Haskar unleashed the Kraken and we all know what did it do (Operation Blue Star, Emergency) :p
Siddhartha Shankar Ray
Former CM of West Bengal. He was one of the closest associates of the the Indira Gandhi. He was the one who first suggested that she should declare emergency as the Allahabad HC on the validity of the elections were due. The idea was rejected by Mrs Gandhi. This decision of hers was not rewarded fruitfully as the HC declared the elections result null and void. After the result, the very group of advisors of Mrs Gandhi lead by Mr Ray prepared the whole ordinance of Emergency and suggested the changes that needed to be done. Mrs Gandhi Gandhi consulted Mr Ray regarding the constitutional obligation of informing the cabinet but Mr Ray brushed aside the requirement highlighting that even a single minister's presence will suffice for consultation. Even the home minister Mr Bramhananda Reddy was not informed before promulgating the ordinance to the President!!
P N Dhar
After P N Haskar, P N Dhar became the new Secretary to the PM. The problem with him was that his suggestions were considered to be too morally elevated to be feasible. Due to this reason, he always remained at the periphery of Mrs Gandhi's circle. During emergency, when atrocities reached the unprecendented levels, Mrs Gandhi decided to have a fresh elections and she ordered a survey by Intelligence Bureau to gauge her winning chances. P N Dhar was the man who came to the rescue of Indian democracy here. He strongly opposed the emergency from the start and here was his chance to make things right. He persuaded S N Mathur, the director of IB to give Mrs Gandhi a favorable report and predict a landslide victory of congress if elections are held. And as they say rest is history. India was witness to the loss of tyranny and victory of democracy as Mrs Gandhi went on and lost the election.
This is not an exhaustible list of such people guys believe me there are many more. This book has forced me to think that is there such a huge difference between democracy in theory and democracy in practice? We elect people to rule us (and i cannot congratulate us on our choices of rulers!!), but doesn't that seem like a farcical dream now when these representatives have been and will be manipulated by bureaucrats, advisors and lobbyists? I guess I'm none the wiser.
Perfect choice for someone who is looking for politico-historical book. It allows one to understand the past of our country in a holistic manner as we should not forget that:
" Observations creates perceptions and Perceptions lead to Wisdom"
This story has been told many times and by many people. I, myself have read 'Durbaar' of Tavleen Singh on this era, Shashi Tharoor has covered this era in his 'India: From Midnight to Millenium' so what was so special in this book that encouraged me to struggle till the end? In this book, author has pointed out interesting people who have not been in the news regarding the controversial decisions taken during these times. (At-least I didn't know that these people were there and were somehow responsible. I'll name out the few names which came across me as the new characters in the ploy:
P N Haskar:
He was the Deputy High Commissioner posted in London at the time when Mrs Gandhi was made PM of the country for the first time. At that time her contender was Mr Morarji Desai. The Syndicate group of the congress seniors, headed by Mr Kamraj, decided to support Mrs Gandhi as they wanted a silent doll at the helm to indirectly control the country. For the initial two years she was perfectly doing that. All this changed when Mr Haskar was relocated to India and was given the post of Principal Secretariat of the PM. He was the one who was the mastermind of all the rebel that Mrs Gandhi posed to the Syndicate by empowering her and making her realize that she is the PM of the largest republic in the world and she needs to own it. From here on, she never looked back and almost went on a mission to destroy the monopoly of Syndicate over the Congress. Mr Haskar unleashed the Kraken and we all know what did it do (Operation Blue Star, Emergency) :p
Siddhartha Shankar Ray
Former CM of West Bengal. He was one of the closest associates of the the Indira Gandhi. He was the one who first suggested that she should declare emergency as the Allahabad HC on the validity of the elections were due. The idea was rejected by Mrs Gandhi. This decision of hers was not rewarded fruitfully as the HC declared the elections result null and void. After the result, the very group of advisors of Mrs Gandhi lead by Mr Ray prepared the whole ordinance of Emergency and suggested the changes that needed to be done. Mrs Gandhi Gandhi consulted Mr Ray regarding the constitutional obligation of informing the cabinet but Mr Ray brushed aside the requirement highlighting that even a single minister's presence will suffice for consultation. Even the home minister Mr Bramhananda Reddy was not informed before promulgating the ordinance to the President!!
P N Dhar
After P N Haskar, P N Dhar became the new Secretary to the PM. The problem with him was that his suggestions were considered to be too morally elevated to be feasible. Due to this reason, he always remained at the periphery of Mrs Gandhi's circle. During emergency, when atrocities reached the unprecendented levels, Mrs Gandhi decided to have a fresh elections and she ordered a survey by Intelligence Bureau to gauge her winning chances. P N Dhar was the man who came to the rescue of Indian democracy here. He strongly opposed the emergency from the start and here was his chance to make things right. He persuaded S N Mathur, the director of IB to give Mrs Gandhi a favorable report and predict a landslide victory of congress if elections are held. And as they say rest is history. India was witness to the loss of tyranny and victory of democracy as Mrs Gandhi went on and lost the election.
This is not an exhaustible list of such people guys believe me there are many more. This book has forced me to think that is there such a huge difference between democracy in theory and democracy in practice? We elect people to rule us (and i cannot congratulate us on our choices of rulers!!), but doesn't that seem like a farcical dream now when these representatives have been and will be manipulated by bureaucrats, advisors and lobbyists? I guess I'm none the wiser.
Perfect choice for someone who is looking for politico-historical book. It allows one to understand the past of our country in a holistic manner as we should not forget that:
" Observations creates perceptions and Perceptions lead to Wisdom"
July 17, 2015
Indian politics is perhaps the most interesting phenomenon in the world. With such a vast expanse of ideologies and scope for work, it provides a great topic for research. 67 years post independence, the Indian people are still unsure about their politicians and their motives. Each election has paved the way for something new in the country and changed the course of its people. Mandate captures bits and glimpses of these elections and their aftermath for our generation and the ones to come.
Recommended for everyone, of my generation and the subsequent ones.
P.S. - The book has an amazing foreward by Amish. Wish he'd write more such essays apart from his usual fiction.
Read the full review here: http://oneandahalfminutes.com/2015/07...
Recommended for everyone, of my generation and the subsequent ones.
P.S. - The book has an amazing foreward by Amish. Wish he'd write more such essays apart from his usual fiction.
Read the full review here: http://oneandahalfminutes.com/2015/07...
September 20, 2015
I had ordered this book via Kindle Unlimited. I was surprised the foreword of the book was written by Amish, author who specialises in pulp. There are seven chapters with each chapter dedicated towards election since 1971.
This is an easy read,and recommended for those who have no clue about Indian Politics,if you like me follow the Indian politics. Then there is nothing new in the book which looks at events in different light or offer new insights to public.
Credit to Vir, keeping it simple and readworthy for people who are starting to know about Indian politics.
This is an easy read,and recommended for those who have no clue about Indian Politics,if you like me follow the Indian politics. Then there is nothing new in the book which looks at events in different light or offer new insights to public.
Credit to Vir, keeping it simple and readworthy for people who are starting to know about Indian politics.
March 28, 2015
A must read for those who:
1. are interested in Indian politics and recent political history
2. and are not interested in reading gigabits of text
3. and want to get a grasp of the happenings through lucid and simple text
1. are interested in Indian politics and recent political history
2. and are not interested in reading gigabits of text
3. and want to get a grasp of the happenings through lucid and simple text
April 9, 2019
What a Interesting book to read , when the fervor of elections has gripped the country , It presents a very interesting account of Elections since 1971 , With anecdotes conversations and pieces of history which have been unheard of .
Every chapter has a unique name for eg Evita , Camelot and is power packed , Even though its a non fiction but it was a page turner .
Every chapter has a unique name for eg Evita , Camelot and is power packed , Even though its a non fiction but it was a page turner .
April 27, 2015
Breaking up cosy cartels
Arvind Passey
27 April 2015
Discussing politics fills us with enthusiasm… and so this is all that we can hear in buses, on kerbsides, in shops and offices, in homes, on the television, on radio, in colleges, and I sometimes suspect, even in the mushy conversations of lovers in some park. But there is another truth that must accompany this first one and that is about the disordered way we go about making conclusions and summaries that are related to politics. As a result we go about living our excitedly politics-imbued lives without even realising that we suffer from multiple factual miscarriages.
Therefore, when I held ‘Mandate: Will of the people’ by Vir Sanghvi in my hands, I muttered, ‘Can political truth really fit into this slim volume?’ Moreover, a foreword written by Amish Tripathi, a writer of bestsellers that converge fantasy and mythology to weave a thriller, seemed strange and unexpected and my first thought was, ‘Has Vir resorted to marketing gimmickry or will the book stand on its own feet?’ However, just a few pages later I realised that even politics is a fast-paced thriller that has a fair share of fantasy and mythology.
As I read through the chapters I could feel cobwebs of misconstrued political facts dropping off the walls of my memory. I realised that Indira Gandhi wasn’t just ‘some nasty woman who had let the lights go out on the world’s largest democracy,’ and that Manmohan Singh had ‘stopped functioning as prime minister and nobody in the government, not his cabinet and not his bureaucrats took him seriously. Everyone simply did what they wanted.’ What I’m saying is that the book effectively lifts the haze off personalities as well as events… and for anyone who wishes to read more detailed versions of the history of political juggling in India, this book is a great primer.
I remember once Specky, my wife, while talking about her D.Phil guide at the university of York, said, ‘I attended a few PG classes in mathematics in my first year as a doctoral student and Dr Sheil-Small made every big and small concept absolutely clear without a single pause of ambiguity.’ As I read the book it became clear to me that Vir Sanghvi was what Sheil-Small was to my wife. Yes, the book is an absolute MUST for anyone who wants a reasonable introduction to Indian politics. The truth is that if we have generations of Indians with ‘no real understanding of the political history of the last three decades’ it could be partly because of misinformation and also because ‘there was so little that was available to them in the form of popular history’. Our political thoughts and summaries are like cosy cartels lobbying strongly to keep us tilted to one side and so we happily remain in a perpetually fuzzy state. This book effectively breaks up these cosy cartels.
To give you a few instances where even I had a fuzzy view… the real reasons behind the notorious Bofors issue, or the truth behind the Ramjanmbhumi issue, or the facts behind Operation Black Thunder, or the background of the inflamed Mandal issue… despite being sketchy, each one of these issues is explained clearly and readers would be tempted to exclaim, ‘Aha! Now I’m clear about what really happened… and how.’ But it isn’t these events which the book makes an effort to clarify… it goes under the skin of the dynasty rule, gives us enough reasons to believe that Narasimha Rao was indeed a PM who made a spectacle of himself, and also tells us of the little known secrets of the way Zail Singh literally silenced Rajiv Gandhi. At every step of mind-boggling political changes were the mandates of people closely woven… some with a fair knowledge of the reality and others because of the real fiction that they chose to opt for. The book, according to Amish, ‘gives one a sweeping vision of the mandates that the Indian people have blessed their politicians with over a fifty-year period.’ Like him, I too believe that ‘the impact of these mandates is felt even today.’ Therefore, it is essential read and know all about these past mandates… so our future mandates don’t go awry...
*
Read the complete review here:
http://passey.info/2015/04/breaking-u...
*
Please read my posts on my blog: www.passey.info
*
Arvind Passey
27 April 2015
Discussing politics fills us with enthusiasm… and so this is all that we can hear in buses, on kerbsides, in shops and offices, in homes, on the television, on radio, in colleges, and I sometimes suspect, even in the mushy conversations of lovers in some park. But there is another truth that must accompany this first one and that is about the disordered way we go about making conclusions and summaries that are related to politics. As a result we go about living our excitedly politics-imbued lives without even realising that we suffer from multiple factual miscarriages.
Therefore, when I held ‘Mandate: Will of the people’ by Vir Sanghvi in my hands, I muttered, ‘Can political truth really fit into this slim volume?’ Moreover, a foreword written by Amish Tripathi, a writer of bestsellers that converge fantasy and mythology to weave a thriller, seemed strange and unexpected and my first thought was, ‘Has Vir resorted to marketing gimmickry or will the book stand on its own feet?’ However, just a few pages later I realised that even politics is a fast-paced thriller that has a fair share of fantasy and mythology.
As I read through the chapters I could feel cobwebs of misconstrued political facts dropping off the walls of my memory. I realised that Indira Gandhi wasn’t just ‘some nasty woman who had let the lights go out on the world’s largest democracy,’ and that Manmohan Singh had ‘stopped functioning as prime minister and nobody in the government, not his cabinet and not his bureaucrats took him seriously. Everyone simply did what they wanted.’ What I’m saying is that the book effectively lifts the haze off personalities as well as events… and for anyone who wishes to read more detailed versions of the history of political juggling in India, this book is a great primer.
I remember once Specky, my wife, while talking about her D.Phil guide at the university of York, said, ‘I attended a few PG classes in mathematics in my first year as a doctoral student and Dr Sheil-Small made every big and small concept absolutely clear without a single pause of ambiguity.’ As I read the book it became clear to me that Vir Sanghvi was what Sheil-Small was to my wife. Yes, the book is an absolute MUST for anyone who wants a reasonable introduction to Indian politics. The truth is that if we have generations of Indians with ‘no real understanding of the political history of the last three decades’ it could be partly because of misinformation and also because ‘there was so little that was available to them in the form of popular history’. Our political thoughts and summaries are like cosy cartels lobbying strongly to keep us tilted to one side and so we happily remain in a perpetually fuzzy state. This book effectively breaks up these cosy cartels.
To give you a few instances where even I had a fuzzy view… the real reasons behind the notorious Bofors issue, or the truth behind the Ramjanmbhumi issue, or the facts behind Operation Black Thunder, or the background of the inflamed Mandal issue… despite being sketchy, each one of these issues is explained clearly and readers would be tempted to exclaim, ‘Aha! Now I’m clear about what really happened… and how.’ But it isn’t these events which the book makes an effort to clarify… it goes under the skin of the dynasty rule, gives us enough reasons to believe that Narasimha Rao was indeed a PM who made a spectacle of himself, and also tells us of the little known secrets of the way Zail Singh literally silenced Rajiv Gandhi. At every step of mind-boggling political changes were the mandates of people closely woven… some with a fair knowledge of the reality and others because of the real fiction that they chose to opt for. The book, according to Amish, ‘gives one a sweeping vision of the mandates that the Indian people have blessed their politicians with over a fifty-year period.’ Like him, I too believe that ‘the impact of these mandates is felt even today.’ Therefore, it is essential read and know all about these past mandates… so our future mandates don’t go awry...
*
Read the complete review here:
http://passey.info/2015/04/breaking-u...
*
Please read my posts on my blog: www.passey.info
*
June 9, 2015
http://ronita-blogs.blogspot.in/2015/...
Politics has always been a subject which has been inviting curiosity now and for all ages. “Mandate" Will Of The People- has tried to envisage all the major events in political history of our times. As we grew up we have had many rounds about, discussions, debates and surely have been glued to the media for many of those very intriguing events and massacres which had moulded and influenced us and Indian politics.
Vir Sanghvi who we have all known as a gutsy journalist and TV anchor narrates and brings out many of the hidden chapters of Indian politics which we have heard, whispered and discussed with our half baked interpretation or insight. Most of the real life events which have at one point of time incited us, grabbed our attention has been elaborated with intricate details from his journalistic vision and diligent observation.
In-depth details about Indira Gandhi’s declaration of emergency to the real facts about Babri Masjid demolition, Punjab’s insurgencies to assassination of Indira Gandhi all have been served from the real realms. Every topic which had lured controversy has been decently revealed be it the emergence of Rajiv Gandhi or Bofors scandal that led to his defeat, the readers are thoroughly fed with political analysis from an internal perspective blended with real motives of political controversies and conspiracies.
We all may have lot of queries regarding those shady political events in history which did not have any clear interpretations. Narasimha Rao becoming Prime-Minister to Ram Mandir agitation-the insight story, the real analysis. Why Sonia Gandhi did not agree to be PM? Well, that surely had many minds working harshly to come to a tangible solution. The book has poignantly clicked out some real life images in political arena and served them to common people. Those small notes and intricate details have surely aroused and satiated many minds.
An interesting read, there was a moment I really could not believe my eyes when I came to know Indira Gandhi’s inability to read speech in public. She had even been labelled as “Gungi Doll” by Ram Manohar Lohia.
Vir Sanghvi has come out with a well woven web of political wrangles, rows, disclosures with his chiselled facts expressed in the most honest way." Mandate" The Will Of The People is swaddled in best way unveiling each and every politically warped chapter of Indian history.
Politics has always been a subject which has been inviting curiosity now and for all ages. “Mandate" Will Of The People- has tried to envisage all the major events in political history of our times. As we grew up we have had many rounds about, discussions, debates and surely have been glued to the media for many of those very intriguing events and massacres which had moulded and influenced us and Indian politics.
Vir Sanghvi who we have all known as a gutsy journalist and TV anchor narrates and brings out many of the hidden chapters of Indian politics which we have heard, whispered and discussed with our half baked interpretation or insight. Most of the real life events which have at one point of time incited us, grabbed our attention has been elaborated with intricate details from his journalistic vision and diligent observation.
In-depth details about Indira Gandhi’s declaration of emergency to the real facts about Babri Masjid demolition, Punjab’s insurgencies to assassination of Indira Gandhi all have been served from the real realms. Every topic which had lured controversy has been decently revealed be it the emergence of Rajiv Gandhi or Bofors scandal that led to his defeat, the readers are thoroughly fed with political analysis from an internal perspective blended with real motives of political controversies and conspiracies.
We all may have lot of queries regarding those shady political events in history which did not have any clear interpretations. Narasimha Rao becoming Prime-Minister to Ram Mandir agitation-the insight story, the real analysis. Why Sonia Gandhi did not agree to be PM? Well, that surely had many minds working harshly to come to a tangible solution. The book has poignantly clicked out some real life images in political arena and served them to common people. Those small notes and intricate details have surely aroused and satiated many minds.
An interesting read, there was a moment I really could not believe my eyes when I came to know Indira Gandhi’s inability to read speech in public. She had even been labelled as “Gungi Doll” by Ram Manohar Lohia.
Vir Sanghvi has come out with a well woven web of political wrangles, rows, disclosures with his chiselled facts expressed in the most honest way." Mandate" The Will Of The People is swaddled in best way unveiling each and every politically warped chapter of Indian history.
March 17, 2015
the book is very poorly written with a "I think so" and "according to me" factual. I wouldn't recommend the book.
October 5, 2020
I picked up this book after I heard Vir Sanghvi speak about it on a youtube chat show. It was marketed as a quick and easy read, something you could finish in a mumbai-delhi flight’s time. This selling point mounted on my longtime but passive desire (there has got to be a word for this) of gaining a foundational political know-how of the country led me to pick the book.
It delivered well on both these expectations and is perhaps a book I could re-read. Whether you are a political nubcake (like me) or a savant (I guess since I am not one) the book serves our innate need for gossip. Somehow the idea that the journey of a country could be explained by its poll results and what goes behind it seems fantastic. It is, after all, ‘this’ outcome that politicians are strategizing for. You’d expect the book to be biased in its account knowing Vir Sanghvi’s closeness with Madhav Rao Scindia, but it is less about his opinions and more about what he learnt or heard through others.
If you are looking for a light read on Indian politics this book is a no-brainer.
It delivered well on both these expectations and is perhaps a book I could re-read. Whether you are a political nubcake (like me) or a savant (I guess since I am not one) the book serves our innate need for gossip. Somehow the idea that the journey of a country could be explained by its poll results and what goes behind it seems fantastic. It is, after all, ‘this’ outcome that politicians are strategizing for. You’d expect the book to be biased in its account knowing Vir Sanghvi’s closeness with Madhav Rao Scindia, but it is less about his opinions and more about what he learnt or heard through others.
If you are looking for a light read on Indian politics this book is a no-brainer.
September 1, 2021
Three things that Indians can never get enough of are Bollywood, Cricket and Politics. In his book, Vir Sanghvi explores the third one - Politics, through easy to read essays centred around elections.
Vir's writing is lucid, and while the book might not provide something never heard before to political buffs, it is an interesting read for those new to this genre and who do not want to read 500+ pages.
Vir's writing is lucid, and while the book might not provide something never heard before to political buffs, it is an interesting read for those new to this genre and who do not want to read 500+ pages.
October 3, 2020
I picked up this book after I heard Vir Sanghvi speak about it on a youtube chat show. It was marketed as a quick and easy read, something you could finish in a mumbai-delhi flight’s time. This selling point mounted on my longtime but passive desire (there has got to be a word for this) of gaining a foundational political know-how of the country led me to pick the book.
It delivered well on both these expectations and is perhaps a book I could re-read. Whether you are a political nubcake (like me) or a savant (I guess since I am not one) the book serves our innate need for gossip. Somehow the idea that the journey of a country could be explained by its poll results and what goes behind it seems fantastic. It is, after all, ‘this’ outcome that politicians are strategizing for. You’d expect the book to be biased in its account knowing Vir Sanghvi’s closeness with Madhav Rao Scindia, but it is less about his opinions and more about what he learnt or heard through others. If you are looking for a light read on Indian politics this book is a no-brainer.
It delivered well on both these expectations and is perhaps a book I could re-read. Whether you are a political nubcake (like me) or a savant (I guess since I am not one) the book serves our innate need for gossip. Somehow the idea that the journey of a country could be explained by its poll results and what goes behind it seems fantastic. It is, after all, ‘this’ outcome that politicians are strategizing for. You’d expect the book to be biased in its account knowing Vir Sanghvi’s closeness with Madhav Rao Scindia, but it is less about his opinions and more about what he learnt or heard through others. If you are looking for a light read on Indian politics this book is a no-brainer.
October 11, 2016
This was one fantastic read! Hats off to Vir for writing this book. I finally have a rough idea about what happened in our history after the independence.
The biggest plus point of this book is that it's written in a very common-man kind of language. Facts and events are all explained in a layman's terms. Vir mentions in the introduction that the whole purpose of this book is to educate the citizens about the events that shaped India after it's independence.
Another thing that I liked about the book is the way opinions are presented. Whenever Vir presents an opinion he explicitly mentions that this is his own opinion and usually adds some alternative opinions too. This makes for a light, marvelous read that doesn't come off depressing like other Indian history books. Vir does not take a complaining or holier-than-thou tone anywhere.
Vir has personally spoken to a vast number of politicians in real life for interviews and opinions and he presents a couple of them in this book while recounting various events. That makes for a personable read.
I will go through it again later someday so as to better my understanding of the events. Overall an excellent book! I've become a fan of Vir Sanghvi after reading this book and look forward to reading other books of his too.
The biggest plus point of this book is that it's written in a very common-man kind of language. Facts and events are all explained in a layman's terms. Vir mentions in the introduction that the whole purpose of this book is to educate the citizens about the events that shaped India after it's independence.
Another thing that I liked about the book is the way opinions are presented. Whenever Vir presents an opinion he explicitly mentions that this is his own opinion and usually adds some alternative opinions too. This makes for a light, marvelous read that doesn't come off depressing like other Indian history books. Vir does not take a complaining or holier-than-thou tone anywhere.
Vir has personally spoken to a vast number of politicians in real life for interviews and opinions and he presents a couple of them in this book while recounting various events. That makes for a personable read.
I will go through it again later someday so as to better my understanding of the events. Overall an excellent book! I've become a fan of Vir Sanghvi after reading this book and look forward to reading other books of his too.
November 13, 2015
"What is clear however is that Shastri hated Mrs Gandhi". This is just one of the many revelations that the author makes in the racy narration of the political events that changed the face of Indian Polity and economy between the eventful years from 1963 to 2014. The period covered is a long one. However, to the credit of the author, he touches almost all the major events during this period. He isn't diplomatic when it comes to expressing his views about individuals. Vir Sanghvi call Morarji Desai "cranky, autocratic and self-proclaimed Gandhian". Not many will disagree with this. However, he does appear a trifle biased against P V Narsimha Rao. He calls him a "big time manipulator". Vir Sanghvi quotes copiously from other contemporary authors and critics to drive home his points. He is certainly influenced by what Sanjay Baru had to say about UPA 1 and UPA 2 though the credentials of Sanjay Baru are quite doubtful. The author concludes that "rapport between Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh ....had broken". I wonder whether that was true.
October 20, 2016
This book is a very short summery on Indian political history. It has started from 1971 to 2014 and author has highlighted the event in very short description. Book started with death of Nehru and its takeover by Mrs. Indira Gandhi. 40% book is covered by Indira Gandhi political journey. So it’s seems that author is leaned towards Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
Moreover, author has done great job to point out important topics and insight view of Indian politics. Like India, History of Indian politics is more dramatic and unpredictable. First three chapters are dedicated to raise and Fall of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, her internal relation with congress leader, their role in starting after death of Nehru. Indira Gandhi has image was a strong women who were initially so much depended, then raise as an iron lady, in later stage dependent on Sanjay Gandhi (while big brother Rajiv Gandhi was Indian Airlines Polite)...........
For Full Review, Please click the Link
https://indianindology.wordpress.com/...
Moreover, author has done great job to point out important topics and insight view of Indian politics. Like India, History of Indian politics is more dramatic and unpredictable. First three chapters are dedicated to raise and Fall of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, her internal relation with congress leader, their role in starting after death of Nehru. Indira Gandhi has image was a strong women who were initially so much depended, then raise as an iron lady, in later stage dependent on Sanjay Gandhi (while big brother Rajiv Gandhi was Indian Airlines Polite)...........
For Full Review, Please click the Link
https://indianindology.wordpress.com/...
April 20, 2015
This book delivers what it promised. A take on the Indian political scenario in the past 40 years written concisely in 150 pages. This small size is the USP of the book, but I did feel the craving for more information while reading certain sections.But then that is beyond the scope of what Vir Sanghvi intended to do.
This book might be as unbiased to any political party as it ever can be. But then you never know. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading every page of this book and the knowledge that I gained about Indian political history is just great.
Recommended to all the Indian youths who are interested in Indian history.
This book might be as unbiased to any political party as it ever can be. But then you never know. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading every page of this book and the knowledge that I gained about Indian political history is just great.
Recommended to all the Indian youths who are interested in Indian history.
October 7, 2015
The only way to read Vir Sanghvi’s Mandate: Will of the People is by using Tavleen Singh’s Durbar as a reading guide.
Vir Sanghvi could have done himself and everyone else a favour and published the book as a blog.
The first chapter is probably the only one anyone should read to trace back to the "birthing moment" what is everyday fare in Indian politics now. The personality cults, the dynastic entitlements, the charm in appealing to the minorities.
Everything else? Nothing that Google can't teach you.
Vir Sanghvi could have done himself and everyone else a favour and published the book as a blog.
The first chapter is probably the only one anyone should read to trace back to the "birthing moment" what is everyday fare in Indian politics now. The personality cults, the dynastic entitlements, the charm in appealing to the minorities.
Everything else? Nothing that Google can't teach you.
February 22, 2015
An introduction to political events of the last few decades in India. Recommended as a short-cut for those who need to know "Why did Indira Gandhi declare emergency?" , "What exactly is the Bofors deal?" and other such details without dipping into heavier tomes like Guha's "India after Gandhi".
February 12, 2016
book that has done no research on writing about such important politial events in
india except for reading some random newspapers. Quite disappointed. no value add at all. Surprising such a old journalist writing a chetan bhagat type novel on indian political history
india except for reading some random newspapers. Quite disappointed. no value add at all. Surprising such a old journalist writing a chetan bhagat type novel on indian political history
April 14, 2015
A quick, interesting book that would've left a more lasting imprint if not for an abrupt ending.
3.5 to 4 stars. Recommended.
3.5 to 4 stars. Recommended.
May 18, 2018
//just ignore everything he wrote about Manmohan Singh.
April 14, 2020
Good book to know about India political history! Well written 👍
April 2, 2019
Mandate: Will of the people by Vir Sanghvi
The Great Indian Elections are just right the corner and with this book being #primereading recommendation for the month, I said why not.
This is a quick refresher course on the politics of India since 1971. It is such an interesting read that you will not take more than a sitting to finish it. Vir Sanghvi again has a flair for storytelling. The Indian politics has so much drama that I am amazed nobody has picked it up for a movie so far. But then when you plan a movie it can't just showcase a person as God you have to show their flawed human side too. Given the extend of goonism previaled throughout the history of the country's politics there are not many who'll brave this mandate.
Congress has been on the driving seat for the most part of Independent India therefore that what this book mostly covers along with the few years of Vajpayee government. I was amazed to find how little I knew about our history. Yes I do had little idea about events which happened but had actually no knowledge about how and what caused them. None of this is part of our history books and what we know is just excerpts and not history as whole which leaves a lot to ask for. Though as Vir Sanghvi himself claims that this is just his perception of the events but I glad to get to know about at least some side of events as a starting point.
Book was released in 2017 so there is literally nothing covered of the Modi government. May be rightly so as there is no to publish half baked events but I would have loved to read something about it. May is that is the cliffhanger for the next part of the book. Do read the recent history of your country and preferably a neutral version.
The Great Indian Elections are just right the corner and with this book being #primereading recommendation for the month, I said why not.
This is a quick refresher course on the politics of India since 1971. It is such an interesting read that you will not take more than a sitting to finish it. Vir Sanghvi again has a flair for storytelling. The Indian politics has so much drama that I am amazed nobody has picked it up for a movie so far. But then when you plan a movie it can't just showcase a person as God you have to show their flawed human side too. Given the extend of goonism previaled throughout the history of the country's politics there are not many who'll brave this mandate.
Congress has been on the driving seat for the most part of Independent India therefore that what this book mostly covers along with the few years of Vajpayee government. I was amazed to find how little I knew about our history. Yes I do had little idea about events which happened but had actually no knowledge about how and what caused them. None of this is part of our history books and what we know is just excerpts and not history as whole which leaves a lot to ask for. Though as Vir Sanghvi himself claims that this is just his perception of the events but I glad to get to know about at least some side of events as a starting point.
Book was released in 2017 so there is literally nothing covered of the Modi government. May be rightly so as there is no to publish half baked events but I would have loved to read something about it. May is that is the cliffhanger for the next part of the book. Do read the recent history of your country and preferably a neutral version.
October 1, 2019
An insider writer’s tale, abridged
The one thing that struck me when I came to the end of this book was that the book was too short for the subject it discussed. Not quite two-minute noodles, but not quite the (at least) six course meal it could have been.
Reading less than 140 pages of a digital book (less than 160 pages in the paperback version) on more than 40 years of Indian post-independence history is like eating just one spoonful of each offering in a twelve-course dinner. You get most of the taste, all right, though you wish that there had been more spoons of at least some of the courses where the flavor either escaped you or was a tantalizing wisp.
I wrapped up not sure if I had had dinner or a very late breakfast, but I liked what I had eaten.
Read, really.
It is obvious this book has been written by an author who had the inside track, who probably needed very little research apart from delving into what lay in his memory banks. I found it enjoyable; it confirmed a lot of suspicions I had been entertaining and it added quite a bit to my own memory banks.
I found the writing style a bit dry, a bit lacking in passion, but at no point of my reading did my interest flag.
This book is all about political shenanigans. Real life shenanigans, involving politicians and political parties from the left, the right and the center. And often, real life shenanigans can be just as gripping as fictional ones.
Oh yes, I would recommend you read this book.
The one thing that struck me when I came to the end of this book was that the book was too short for the subject it discussed. Not quite two-minute noodles, but not quite the (at least) six course meal it could have been.
Reading less than 140 pages of a digital book (less than 160 pages in the paperback version) on more than 40 years of Indian post-independence history is like eating just one spoonful of each offering in a twelve-course dinner. You get most of the taste, all right, though you wish that there had been more spoons of at least some of the courses where the flavor either escaped you or was a tantalizing wisp.
I wrapped up not sure if I had had dinner or a very late breakfast, but I liked what I had eaten.
Read, really.
It is obvious this book has been written by an author who had the inside track, who probably needed very little research apart from delving into what lay in his memory banks. I found it enjoyable; it confirmed a lot of suspicions I had been entertaining and it added quite a bit to my own memory banks.
I found the writing style a bit dry, a bit lacking in passion, but at no point of my reading did my interest flag.
This book is all about political shenanigans. Real life shenanigans, involving politicians and political parties from the left, the right and the center. And often, real life shenanigans can be just as gripping as fictional ones.
Oh yes, I would recommend you read this book.
Read
July 12, 2019Infotainment in book form oweing to its conception as a TV series. It gives an overview of the past half a century focusing on elections and the leaders it gave and the machinations that it lead to. There is an abundance of personal anecdotal evidence in order to support the value judgements on the various leaders of this humongous nations. This eventually leads to their picturisation as flawed individuals than towering leaders.
A background of events being discussed will be essential if not immensely helpful in understanding the perception of the personalities being discussed in the book. It must also be kept in mind that because of its focus on a single aspect i.e. Elections, it is clearly unable to give a comprehensive picture of the times. In its defence, neither can one single book do this, nor does this book claim to do so.
It is however a easy and interesting read to start your journey on the complex trail of Indian politics.
A background of events being discussed will be essential if not immensely helpful in understanding the perception of the personalities being discussed in the book. It must also be kept in mind that because of its focus on a single aspect i.e. Elections, it is clearly unable to give a comprehensive picture of the times. In its defence, neither can one single book do this, nor does this book claim to do so.
It is however a easy and interesting read to start your journey on the complex trail of Indian politics.
June 23, 2023
“When things go wrong, they wrong completely”
Sanghvi distills India to a palatable form maintaining pace with his sarcastic flair.
He touches on almost every major event of the last 30 years often surrounding the facts with opinions of the people involved,once in a while feeling the blank space himself.
The biggest achievement of the book is its objectivity. It charts out the Indian history and its characters and leaves them in the ocean of time.
Rather than fixating on the timeline Sanghvi explores the motives behind the actions.
One can’t help but come to a conclusion just how much history is coincidental
In the realm of history kings and queens survive the knight, the pawns and the jokers are forgotten.
Sanghvi manages to create a structure that flows , the events in the book come alive through his writing.
Even though he covers a brief part of history, he does that with excellence and elegance.
Sanghvi distills India to a palatable form maintaining pace with his sarcastic flair.
He touches on almost every major event of the last 30 years often surrounding the facts with opinions of the people involved,once in a while feeling the blank space himself.
The biggest achievement of the book is its objectivity. It charts out the Indian history and its characters and leaves them in the ocean of time.
Rather than fixating on the timeline Sanghvi explores the motives behind the actions.
One can’t help but come to a conclusion just how much history is coincidental
In the realm of history kings and queens survive the knight, the pawns and the jokers are forgotten.
Sanghvi manages to create a structure that flows , the events in the book come alive through his writing.
Even though he covers a brief part of history, he does that with excellence and elegance.
June 9, 2020
I always pick up Vir Sanghvi 's books, whether on food or on politics and make sure I read his brunch column in HT every Sunday.
The Mandate is a very quick read with all of Vir Sangjvi's style of writing and you will finish it in one or two sittings or 'readings'. This book ends inn2009, when UPA is in its last throes, and Narendra Modi slowly rising for the top post in India.. Starts from the time of 1971 with the seeds of dynasty implanted before by Jawaharlal Nehru. It has all the twists that happened in all the elections till 2009.
The emergency secrets are uncovered here and if you would want to know the the mandate of people and how political parties played it out, read the book.
#virsanghvi #djreads #themandate #theIndianelections
The Mandate is a very quick read with all of Vir Sangjvi's style of writing and you will finish it in one or two sittings or 'readings'. This book ends inn2009, when UPA is in its last throes, and Narendra Modi slowly rising for the top post in India.. Starts from the time of 1971 with the seeds of dynasty implanted before by Jawaharlal Nehru. It has all the twists that happened in all the elections till 2009.
The emergency secrets are uncovered here and if you would want to know the the mandate of people and how political parties played it out, read the book.
#virsanghvi #djreads #themandate #theIndianelections
August 14, 2020
My biggest find of 2020
This is the book I have been looking for at least a decade. Short, crisp, entertaining history of Indian politics post independence. Just the right amount of details. No long eulogies. Completely neutral.
The genius of the author is to only focus on the stories of elections. And to stop at the point Narendra Modi gets elected.
This is such a breezy read compared to the dry, UPSC-like alternatives like India After Independence.
Four things that I learnt from this book:
1. How close Mulayam Singh Yadav came to Prime Ministership. Twice
2. PV Narsimha Rao was Home Minister in Delhi during Sikh riots
3. Role of Mayawati and Jayalalitha in toppling coalition govts
4. AB Vajpayee never expected his party (BJP) to come to power in his lifetime
This is the book I have been looking for at least a decade. Short, crisp, entertaining history of Indian politics post independence. Just the right amount of details. No long eulogies. Completely neutral.
The genius of the author is to only focus on the stories of elections. And to stop at the point Narendra Modi gets elected.
This is such a breezy read compared to the dry, UPSC-like alternatives like India After Independence.
Four things that I learnt from this book:
1. How close Mulayam Singh Yadav came to Prime Ministership. Twice
2. PV Narsimha Rao was Home Minister in Delhi during Sikh riots
3. Role of Mayawati and Jayalalitha in toppling coalition govts
4. AB Vajpayee never expected his party (BJP) to come to power in his lifetime
August 8, 2021
Not an informative read
This isn't exactly the best book or material to go by to understand the will of the people. The Dramatic Decade, The election that changed India, Chinar Leaves etc and various such books written by former politicians or equally involved people on the government make for a better read.
Vir Sanghvi has set out to make a TV interview series instead of writing this book and should have stuck to it.
Also, in order to judge what the will of the people is, one can depend on any one written book and this book certainly doesn't provide and broadscope of understanding.
The 1 star rating is for the language and the writing, not the content.
This isn't exactly the best book or material to go by to understand the will of the people. The Dramatic Decade, The election that changed India, Chinar Leaves etc and various such books written by former politicians or equally involved people on the government make for a better read.
Vir Sanghvi has set out to make a TV interview series instead of writing this book and should have stuck to it.
Also, in order to judge what the will of the people is, one can depend on any one written book and this book certainly doesn't provide and broadscope of understanding.
The 1 star rating is for the language and the writing, not the content.
January 25, 2023
A concise but gripping retelling of India's political history told with a first-hand perspective and anecdotes. I'm woefully ignorant of our post-independence history and this serves as a fantastic primer for anyone wanting to both, wet their feet in the waters and get a brief understanding of what forms our governance. Of why we are where we are now and get a sense of where we would go from here. It's fascinating to see our leaders, past and present, as just humans. Flawed, emotional humans and how their whims affect us massively. After reading this, I'm probably ready to tackle the subject in depth. I hope Vir Sanghvi updates this with the Modi years included.
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