Emergency Retold

by Kuldip Nayar

It all started with a by-election in Orissa in 1972. Nandini Satpathy was elected to the state assembly after spending lakhs of rupees. Gandhian Jayaprakash Narayan raised the matter of corruption with the Prime Minister. Her defence was that the Congress had no money even to run the party office. When he found no response, he took the issue to the nation. One thing led to another until JP gave the call that the battle was between the people who wanted the government accountable and the government which was not willing to come clean.

Acclaimed author Kuldip Nayar, says the true story behind Emergency, why it was declared and what it meant is relevant now since the driving force was corruption and corruption is the watch word again. With a new preface, the author reacquaints the current reader with the facts, lies and truths in an easy-to-understand, analytical style. He reveals the untold atrocities committed and the chief perpetrators and their modus operandi. A revelatory must-read on the 18 dark months of Democratic Indias history.

About the Author: Kuldip Nayar

A veteran journalist and former member of Parliament, Kuldip Nayar is India's most well-known and widely syndicated journalist. He was born in Sialkot in 1923 and educated at Lahore University before migrating to Delhi with his family at the time of Partition. He began his career in the Urdu newspaper, Anjam and after a spell in the USA worked as information officer of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Govind Ballabh Pant. He eventually became Resident Editor of the Statesman and managing editor of the Indian news agency, UNI. He corresponded for the Times for twenty five years and later served as Indian high commissioner to the UK during the V.P. Singh government. His stand for press freedom during the Emergency, when he was detained; his commitment to better relations between India and Pakistan, and his role as a human rights activist have won him respect and affection in both countries.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, India, Politics, Indian Literature, Audiobook, Journalism

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Vaibhav Anand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember asking my mother if she remembered the Emergency in the 70's and she told me, "Yes, a lot of people went to jail; but corruption went away. Trains, buses used to be on time." That and the undeniable fact that Indira Gandhi had induced the Emergency to satiate her hunger for power, had been my narrow viewpoint on the Emergency. I came across Nayar's book and picked it up, wanting to know what had really happened.

I loved Nayar's 'Emergency Retold'. Except for certain parts where Nayar lends voice to lengthy diatribes by leaders against the Emergency, the narrative is taut and thriller-like. If you think the Congress leaders of today are sycophantic (towards that magnificent buffoon Rahul Gandhi), you must read 'Emergency Retold' to understand where the seeds of this sycophancy were sown. The Indira/ Sanjay combine killed the spirit of the Congress to such an extent that sycophancy became the norm as opposed to the exception.

A fantastic record of Indira's India in the 70's.

[Hajarath Prasad Abburu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Prime Minister of India (Mrs. Indira Gandhi) used the services of an IAS for 18 days before his resignation was accepted and also was helped by a State Government's officials who arranged rostrums, electricity and PA systems for her election campaign in her constituency. And she won by more than one hundred thousand majority than her nearest rival, Raj Narain. The court found fault with her 4 years later and declared her victory illegal and barred her from Indian Politics for 6 years.

Such was the integrity of Judiciary.

And then Mrs. Indira Gandhi appealed in Supreme Court, made constitutional amendments,
1.to recognize the resignation date as the date on which it was printed in gazette and
2. To allow Prime Minister to use government machinery and employees for election practices, obtained the assent from the State Assemblies, Upper and Lower Houses, and The President in just over 5 days and made the Supreme Court declare the High Court ruling null and void.

Such was the audacity of Legislative.


The Opposition party leaders and political activists who were detained for 19 months were released barely 2 months before the elections which were announced by an overconfident Indira Gandhi. The fundamental rights weren't even restored to the citizens. The press censorship hadn't been lifted yet. Despite all this, the people ousted Indira Gandhi out of power ruthlessly. The Congress couldn't even open their tally in 4 states and 1 Union Territory. They threw Congress, flag bearer of Indian Independence Struggle out of the office and with them the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty too, for the first time in the history of Independent India.

Such was, is, and will always be the power of freedom loving common man :)

[Amit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I looked emergency imposed during 1975, only through the prism of political significance and occasional references. This book completely changed it. The emergency was imposed just to secure one leader's position and chair only, subsequent to a judicial verdict. Just to secure the political future and uncertainty of one person, the country was pushed into emergency. We, the un-informed may not realise the significance. But this one word or action, simply took away the liberty and freedom of expression of worlds largest democracy. Media was gagged, political opponents were put into Jail for no reason. The "internal disturbance" was given as a reason for imposing emergency. The abuse of MISA to silence critics and political opponents, put the rule of law and principles of natural justice, to the shame. And sadly all organs of governance, bureacracy, Police, judiciary, simply toed the line. The poor and gullible were shown the Greater paradise through 21 point programme. India being a trustless society, reposes too much trust on few individuals, and worships them. The perils of authoritarianism and totalitarian rule, can never leave India, given our history of hero worshipping. Long live, Indian Democracy. 👆

[Baidhurya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched, fast paced account of Indian emergency

[Pardhu Madipalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The darkest period of democracy in India is inarguably during the Internal Emergency in India between 1975-77. It was declared by Mrs Indira Gandhi who made the entire legislature and executive, two pillars of the Indian government, act to her will and there by becoming a psuedo-tyrant of the nation.

Kuldip Nayar, an esteemed journalist and a former Member of Parliament (Upper house – Rajya Sabha), narrated the arduous events of the period. Beginning with the Raj Narain’s petition against Indira Gandhi, Kuldip recounted how she started getting things under her control, how she tried to bribe the judge and when she failed how she with the help of his son, Sanjay Gandhi, ran the whole Government from a single office.

Indira Gandhi wanted to hold the grip on the people by using whatever means possible and she chose the most effective but temporary tool – fear. The most important functionary that enables the successful operation of democracy – the press was crippled by censoring every single item to be published. Opposition voices were suppressed. All the major leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, LK Advani including Kuldip were put behind the bars. Sanjay without any official post neither in the party nor in the Government became the de-facto PM. Kuldip chronicled these horrors by providing accounts of different victims, although some of the speeches included in the book are a little long and boring.

Though Kuldip did not narrate the whole story of what happened to him when he was in jail and these narratives will be in his upcoming book. The book is more about Indira’s destruction of humane values as there are not many details about what the opposition did exactly to counter the Government’s atrocities. If you want to know what Congress did to India in the 1970s, this is a must-read.

For my other reviews, go to my blog Dreamer's Jotter.

[Ramachandra M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an eye opener. For political novices who do not have an iota of knowledge about emergency and its ill effects, I strongly recommend this book. The great Kuldip Nayar has elucidated the whole 19 months period in a catchy manner.

[Krishnanjali Jha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fierce insight into the horrors of emergency but sometimes remains superficial by providing unsubstantiated details.

[Nitin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most excellent books I've read of late, that chronicles the details of the Emergency. So far, had only heard some isolated stories from my grandparents and parents. But this account is exhaustive and detailed

[Satya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emergency Retold by Kuldip Nayar is a third person narrative and includes his findings, interviews, reports regarding emergency imposed by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, former Prime minister of India.
It all started when Raj Narain, the lost opponent of Mrs. Gandhi filed a case in Allahabad court regarding corrupt practices adopted by her during the elections. The charges were that she used government servants help to build rostrums and the other was that she had used an officer to further her election prospects. The court held her guilty. Because of internal resistance in the Congress party and protests from opposition parties, She asked Fakhruddin Ali-then President of India to impose an internal emergency to consolidate her power.
This book consists of four chapters: Towards dictatorship- It narrates circumstances which led to the imposition of emergency, Murk Thickens- This contains how Sanjay and his friends, people close to Mrs. Gandhi used emergency to gain personal favors, atrocities committed on opposition, normal people, End of the tunnel- This contains information on what led to Mrs. Gandhi calling off emergency despite Sanjay Gandhi and Bansi Lal against it, The Judgement- It contains how people defeated Congress by voting for Janata Party.
This book contains a clear account of atrocities committed during the emergency, Curbing of freedom of Speech of press, how Congress amended the law to suit its needs and many other unknown things that happened during the emergency.
Before reading this book I have heard arguments supporting emergency like family planning, low inflation rate etc. But in a democracy not only ends but means matter as well. Yes, there may be a low inflation rate during the emergency but I think such measures were not necessary for achieving that. This holds true for other so-called achievements as well.
The blurb of the book doesn't match the content. But on the whole, it is one book every Indian must read.

[Hrishikesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

By a curious twist of fate, I began reading this on the 26th of July (the date on which, in 1975, Mrs. Gandhi strangled Indian democracy). Kuldip Nayar tells the inside story - down to every single, spine-chilling detail. A grim reminder of the internal enemies India has had to face, and a very important reminder for Today.

[Jenil Desai · Rating 3 out of 5]

लेखक जाने माने पत्रकार , संपादक रहे हैं। परन्तु मुझे इनसाइड स्टोरी जैसा ज्यादा लगा नही, इमरजेंसी की ये सारी बातें कही न कही सुनते पढ़ते आए हैं, ४ या ५ प्रसंग छोड़ दे तो उसके सिवा यह इमरजेंसी के सारे कालखंड घटनाओं का विवरण हैं, या फ़िर विरोध पक्ष द्वारा संसद में दिया गया भाषण या फिर कोर्ट का जजमेंट। ज्यादा जानने की अपेक्षा थी इसलिए शायद पढ़ के ज्यादा प्रसन्नता या संतोष का भाव नहीं आया....

[Anand Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emergency - Retold

Emergency - Retold written by Kuldip Nayar is the comprehensive description of India’s darkest phase. Kuldip Nayar - veteran journalist and former member of Parliament was a reporter at the Indian Express at the time of Emergency. He is an author of more than a dozen books and continues writing weekly columns.

On 25th June, 1975 shortly before midnight, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under the advise of the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency. This was in the backdrop pf the Raj Narain case where Justice Sinha of the Allahbad High Court held Mrs. Gandhi to be guilty of electoral malpractice. Mrs. Gandhi’s win in the election was declared void and she was asked to vacate the position of the Prime Minister and thereafter a ban was imposed for 6 years barring her to participate in active politics. Internal Emergency was imposed so that she would not have to vacate the office.

The series of events which took place afterwards were never thought of. Almost all the leaders of the major political parties who were not in line with the ideology of Mrs. Gandhi were arrested and put behind bars for indefinite period. The fundamental rights were suspended and the period was used to settle personal scores with people. Mass atrocities were carried out on the population. Sanjay Gandhi the son of Indira Gandhi though he was not part of the government machinery went over each and every file that came to the Prime Minister’s office.

Sanjay Gandhi rose above the ranks at this time and he was seen to be the successor to Mrs. Gandhi. He was seen as an implementer and a man of action. He committed mass atrocities on the people living in the slums for the beautification of Delhi and razed them to ground. The sterilization project that was carried out by him was a barbarian act. Headmistresses were given power to detain children and force their parents to undergo sterilization. Numerous deaths occurred due to forced sterilizations. Sanjay Gandhi used to travel at the expense of the government and was feared by everyone. He used the income tax and excise authorities and the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate those who didn’t fall in line.

The constitution was amended so as to let Mrs Gandhi off the hook in the Raj Narain case. Another amendment was made so that the detention could be made legal. Writs of habeas corpus were suspended. Numerous complaints were sent to the Prime Minister’s office but none were taken into consideration.

The jails were flooded over their maximum capacities and the prisoners were tortured. The political prisoners who were held under detention were treated in the same manner. The legislature, executive and the judiciary were all controlled by one person and one family. The media was censored and nothing was published until and unless it was cleared by the censors that is the people authorised by the government

The aftermath of this Emergency was seen with the ousting of the government by the JP movement. JP Narayan convinced all the opposition parties to come together and fight the Congress. He was a Gandhian and had played a significant part in the Independence Struggle.

The 21 month long period of the Emergency is considered the darkest phase in the history of India and a blatant attack on the democracy.

Mr. Nayar has described the whole phase in a very lucid manner and the reader can easily get a good idea of Emergency. However he has not been very accurate about the timeline and has mentioned dates here and there. It is a good book to get an overall idea about the Emergency and the events in the aftermath

[Shashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The darkest era of Indian political history recounted by Kuldip Nayar

here are two kinds of historical books. The first kind is the purely academic one. One with references from multiple sources and written from a 3rd perspective. The second kind of history book is the one which is written by the author while living through it.

Kuldip Nayar’s Emergency Retold falls under the second category. The first edition of the book is from 1977, immediately after the emergency imposed by Mrs. Indira Gandhi. For many historians and political activists, India’s emergency was the darkest time in the post-independence era. However, Mr. Nayar is no historian. He is India’s one of the most celebrated journalists, and therefore, he writes like one. Like he is living through the era.

When I write, he lived through the emergency. I mean it. Mr. Nayar was one of the thousands of politicians, activists, and social workers arrested under The Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) act. Like many other prominent politicians during that era, Mr. Nayar, was detained without a trial for speaking about liberal ideas in India. In the book, he presents a detailed account of the situation.

The book starts right at the onset of the declaration of the emergency. The Allahabad high court’s famous judgment of June 12, 1975 (which found Mrs. Gandhi guilty of misusing government officials and machinery for her 1971 poll campaign). One must know that before this decision, Mrs. Gandhi, the daughter of India’s first prime minister, was called as the incarnation of goddess Durga. Her fan following was such that Mr. DK Boorah, a prominent politician in Indian National Congress, coined the term ‘India is Indra and Indira is India’

Mr. Nayar’s emergency retold takes into account of all the events that happened in the following years. There are pages on the parliament sessions with the full-length speeches from politicians from both sides. There is, of course, mention of Sanjay Gandhi. Indra Gandhi’s eldest son, who was in his 20s and architected the entire emergency. If I were reading the book in a digital format, I could have guessed that Sanjay’s name was coming up nearly 10,000 times in various contexts.

Along with writing detailed information about his time in prison, Mr. Nayar also writes some selective stories about a few prominent personalities. The chapters about the atrocities over Lawrance Fernandes ( brother of prominent statesmen George Fernandes) and Madhu Danvate was incredibly moving. He also presents a detailed account of the Jai Prakash (JP) movement and tries to explain the various cogs in motion and how they fit into each other. He ends the book with the downfall of Mrs. Gandhi and the rise of Janta Dal into power.

Kuldip Nayar’s Emergency Retold is a must-read for someone who wants to understand India’s emergency era. This book is a starting point of many other books written around this topic. Mr. Nayar further wrote two books on Indian emergency. The first book is The Judgement: Inside Story of the Emergency in India (1977) and the second In jail (1978). His last book before his death in 2018 was On Leaders and Icons from Jinnah to Modi. He died at the age of 95.

[Akshay · Rating 4 out of 5]

 Title: इमरजेंसी की इनसाइड स्टोरी Author: Kuldip Nayar Genre: Political Non-fiction / History Language: Hindi Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) 

“History is written by the victors, but sometimes, it is rewritten by the witnesses.” — This line could very well summarize Kuldip Nayar's purpose in penning this work — to bring to light the untold truths of a dark chapter in Indian democracy.

Review:

इमरजेंसी की इनसाइड स्टोरी is not just a book — it is a document of conscience. Written by veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar, this work serves as a piercing exploration of the 21-month period (1975-1977) when India was under Emergency, declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Nayar offers a front-row seat to history, laced with his personal interactions, political reportage, and investigative rigor. From the midnight arrests of opposition leaders to the sterilization drives and media censorship, the narrative covers the breadth and depth of institutional breakdown. What makes this book exceptional is that it doesn't just report facts — it interprets motives.

Strengths:

First-hand account: As a senior journalist and press advisor to Lal Bahadur Shastri, Nayar’s access was unmatched. Balanced tone: While the book is clearly critical of the Emergency, it avoids sensationalism. Revealing insights: The behind-the-scenes portraits of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and other power players are vividly drawn.

Weaknesses:

Some chapters can feel overly reportorial, lacking narrative cohesion. Occasional repetition of points dilutes the impact of some revelations.

Comparison with Contemporaries:

The Emergency: A Personal History by Coomi Kapoor Kapoor’s account is more emotive and personal, often leaning into the victim’s perspective. In contrast, Nayar maintains a journalistic detachment, offering a macro-political lens. The Sanjay Story by Vinod Mehta Focuses almost entirely on Sanjay Gandhi’s rise and methods. Nayar covers Sanjay extensively too but situates him within the broader political spectrum. India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha Though not centered on the Emergency, Guha’s treatment is scholarly and panoramic. Nayar’s book is more focused, anecdotal, and ideal for readers wanting to understand the day-to-day mechanics of authoritarianism.

Notable Revelation: The book alleges that Indira Gandhi’s decision to impose Emergency was less about national threat and more about avoiding disqualification from Parliament due to a court verdict against her — a claim supported by several documents and testimonies shared in the book.

Verdict:

इमरजेंसी की इनसाइड स्टोरी stands as one of the most credible and important works on the Emergency era. While not as emotionally resonant as some personal memoirs of the time, its factual richness and political sharpness make it indispensable for students of Indian democracy. The book doesn’t just tell you what happened — it asks why it happened and what it says about power, accountability, and public memory.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4 out of 5)

[Megha Kaveri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars because the option of 0.5 doesn't work. I prefer 3.5 stars though.

The book is an account, a live third person account of the Emergency. Kuldip Nayar was a journalist, who was imprisoned during the Emergency and had to undergo the injustice inflicted upon the masses.

The narrative is apt and the facts presented are amazing. The book has been written with a lot of background research and interviews with stakeholders and the affected parties. It critically examines the effect and the impact of Emergency in shaping up of the political destiny of the country. It does not mince words when describing the tyranny of Sanjay Gandhi during the phase or of the inability of Indira Gandhi to accept the truth of Sanjay.

I have read a similar book authored by Shri.P.N.Dhar, who was Indira Gandhi's secretary during Emergency. I had the feeling that Dhar was sympathetical and too soft towards the Gandhis and was in denial to see what really happened during the Emergency. This book by Kuldip Nayar does not do that mistake and gives us a neutral and blunt view of what is what.

Despite a few editing errors here and there, the book is good. Readers craving masala, stay away, for this one is dry and boring if you are expecting drama.

[Priyadarshi Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is literally an eye-opener. It is a must read for every politically aware citizen of our country.

After reading the book, the full chain of events appears like a "the snowball effect" to me... what started with a by-election in Orissa, changed the entire course of our country's history. According to the author, Mrs. Gandhi could still have won the election after the emergency. But her actions to place Sanjay Gandhi as her successor, and that also in a democratic setup, was not all accepted by the common people. Being surrounded by a group of "yes men", Mrs. Gandhi lost the very connection with the common people. She heard only what she wanted to hear.

Mr. Kuldip Nayar beautifully summarizes a lot of things in the following lines:

"What she did not realize was that cut off as she was she had lost contact with the masses. But she could have one satisfaction- she did disprove those who compared her with Hitler or Mussolini. They never had free and fair elections; she at least had that."

[Balwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about India where democracy was suspended after 20 years of independence. How few opposition leader and advocates kept fighting for peoples civil rights. 18 months time was real autocracy of mother and son. People could not stand against dictators. It was by change where Indira Gandhi announced election believing she will ne winner. But she lost election. This was first time opposition came to power in India. Its chilling experience where I was 14 years old.

Today generation cannot even imagine how tough was time in 70s. A must for young children to read and be reminded how cruel can government become, when institutions are fragile.

Kuldeep Nair has written in very simple words.

[JJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is informative regarding the emergency days. The events that led to the emergency and its aftermath are given in a detailed way. Overall a good one time read.

The thing I didn't like was the writing. The writing doesn't have any flow and jumps from one event to another without any connection.

Half way through the book, you get a feeling that the book is one-sided and doesn't provide much info about the other side. Maybe this is because the writer was also a victim of the policies during emergency.

I was able to draw a parallel between those days and the present day. Some of the policies are still being followed but without declaring an emergency.

[Ammu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read a book on the emergency for quite a while, and that is how I learned of this book.
Kuldip Nayar’s vivid portrayal of the events that unfolded during the emergency, hooked me right from the beginning. The narration aided the reading process and made it quite enjoyable.
What could’ve been done better? The writing could have been more critical, and towards the end, the narration became simplistic and bleak. Apart from this, The Emergency is a good read for anyone trying to understand the series of events, incidents that shook the nation and destabilised its democratic pillars to the core.

[Kushagra Goyal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The decade of 2014 - 24 is called by many political observers in India as an undeclared emergency. To understand the events, one needs to know the history of the real emergency. The first hand account of the emergency from the eyes of a journalist at the thick of it. It illustrates to an Indian subject that the shadow of those two years is long enough that it imperils the present. The tactics and the unaccountability of the system that were not corrected by design or ignorance have come back to haunt the subjects. It is a true testament of the phrase, 'History repeats itself'.

[Arpana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emergency अमावस की वो काली रात थी जिसमें कितने लोगों ने अपनी जान गवाई,और उससे कई ज़्यादा लोगों ने पीड़ा सही, ये ना सिर्फ़ एक अति महत्वकांक्षि प्रधानमंत्री की ज़िद्द का सबब था बल्कि ये किसी की अंत की शुरुआत थी..अपने 11 वर्ष के कार्यकाल में श्रीमती गांधी ने बहुत सी देश हित में चीजें की, लेकिन उससे ज़्यादा अपने बेटे के प्रभाव में अपनी साख पर ब्ट्टा लगवा लिया,उनके लिए तरीक़े नही नतीजे महत्व रखते थे, ये किताब सम्पूर्ण इमर्जन्सी का सार हैं

[Avi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that tells you about one of the darkest period of independent India. Author focuses on the polticial environment and the things that led to declaration of emergency by Mrs Gandhi. Not a book that tells you about the things that common people were facing, however it gives you insight into what was happening across the nation. A brilliant read for those who have very less idea about what happened before, during and after the emergency.

[Rajesh Bhandari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure why nothing from this book has been added into India's formal history texts in schools .
Irrespective of what your political affiliations are, this is a book that every Indian should read.
More than an account of the horrific history, this book shows that there is a very thin line between a 'strong centralised democratic' system and fascism .

[Sumit Mohanty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A jarring account of our country that lingered under a labyrinthine neural network of autocracy, corruption and press censorship.
Given the abundance of Hitler/Mussolini references in our history, wonder what stops us from going indigenous over there?
Heartfelt thanks to Aniruddha Palriwala for this beautiful recommendation.

[Manav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book. Gives a detailed information about the whole emergency operation and its effect. It also gives the information about the dirty politics played by the ruling party and the psyche of the so called leaders of Indian government, how every measure was implemented just to fulfill the personal gains at any cost rather than any benefit to nation.

[Garima · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all Indians, specially the ones ( like me) who grew up hearing that the emergency brought discipline to the country. Extremely important lessons to be taken, our freedom should not be taken for granted. We need to guard it and treasure it. Hats off to the opposition leaders who had to fight their own country men the way they fought with the British.

[Dhyan Dinpal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for those who was not born or too young at the time of emergency. Every Indian should know about the emergency time which is a black spot on history of independent India.

[Deepanshu Aggarwal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fails to capture the seriousness behind the darkest moment in India's political history since 1947 : the emergency dictatorship imposed by the Congress Party's government led by Indira Gandhi.

[Ramya Viswanathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at the emergency months under Indira Gandhi. Informative. Could have been better edited.

[Jaidev Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plainly written. May not interest a lot of people. But an important book to keep history of India safe.