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India: From Midnight to the Millennium and Beyond
At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, a new nation was born. It has 17 major languages and 22,000 distinct dialects. It has over a billion individuals of every ethnic extraction known to humanity. It has a population that is 32 percent illiterate, but also one of the worlds largest pools of trained scientists and engineers. Its ageless civilization is the birthplace of four major religions, a dozen different traditions of classical dance, and 300 ways of cooking a potato. Shashi Tharoors INDIA is a fascinating portrait of one of the worlds most interesting countriesits politics, its mentality, and its cultural riches. But it is also an eloquent argument for the importance of India to the future of America and the industrialized world. With the energy and erudition that distinguished his prize-winning novels, Tharoor points out that Indians account for a sixth of the worlds population and their choices will resonate throughout the globe. He deals with this vast theme in a work of remarkable depth and startling originality, combining elements of political scholarship, personal reflection, memoir, fiction, and polemic, all illuminated in vivid and compelling prose.
389 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
238 people are currently reading
3887 people want to read
About the author
Shashi Tharoor
76 books3,064 followersShashi Tharoor is a member of the Indian Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala. He previously served as the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information and as the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs.
He is also a prolific author, columnist, journalist and a human rights advocate.
He has served on the Board of Overseers of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva and a Fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University. He has also served as a trustee of the Aspen Institute, and the Advisory of the Indo-American Arts Council, the American India Foundation, the World Policy Journal, the Virtue Foundation and the human rights organization Breakthrough He is also a Patron of the Dubai Modern High School and the managing trustee of the Chandran Tharoor Foundation which he founded with his family and friends in the name of his late father, Chandran Tharoor.
Tharoor has written numerous books in English. Most of his literary creations are centred on Indian themes and they are markedly “Indo-nostalgic.” Perhaps his most famous work is The Great Indian Novel, published in 1989, in which he uses the narrative and theme of the famous Indian epic Mahabharata to weave a satirical story of Indian life in a non-linear mode with the characters drawn from the Indian Independence Movement. His novel Show Business (1992) was made into the film 'Bollywood'(1994). The late Ismail Merchant had announced his wish to make a film of Tharoor’s novel Riot shortly before Merchant’s death in 2005.
Tharoor has been a highly-regarded columnist in each of India's three best-known English-language newspapers, most recently for The Hindu newspaper (2001–2008) and in a weekly column, “Shashi on Sunday,” in the Times of India (January 2007 – December 2008). Following his resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs, he began a fortnightly column on foreign policy issues in the "Deccan Chronicle". Previously he was a columnist for the Gentleman magazine and the Indian Express newspaper, as well as a frequent contributor to Newsweek International and the International Herald Tribune. His Op-Eds and book reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, amongst other papers.
Tharoor began writing at the age of 6 and his first published story appeared in the “Bharat Jyoti”, the Sunday edition of the "Free press Journal", in Mumbai at age 10. His World War II adventure novel Operation Bellows, inspired by the Biggles books, was serialized in the Junior Statesman starting a week before his 11th birthday. Each of his books has been a best-seller in India. The Great Indian Novel is currently in its 28th edition in India and his newest volume. The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone has undergone seven hardback re-printings there.
Tharoor has lectured widely on India, and is often quoted for his observations, including, "India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.". He has also coined a memorable comparison of India's "thali" to the American "melting pot": "If America is a melting pot, then to me India is a thali--a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast."
He is also a prolific author, columnist, journalist and a human rights advocate.
He has served on the Board of Overseers of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva and a Fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University. He has also served as a trustee of the Aspen Institute, and the Advisory of the Indo-American Arts Council, the American India Foundation, the World Policy Journal, the Virtue Foundation and the human rights organization Breakthrough He is also a Patron of the Dubai Modern High School and the managing trustee of the Chandran Tharoor Foundation which he founded with his family and friends in the name of his late father, Chandran Tharoor.
Tharoor has written numerous books in English. Most of his literary creations are centred on Indian themes and they are markedly “Indo-nostalgic.” Perhaps his most famous work is The Great Indian Novel, published in 1989, in which he uses the narrative and theme of the famous Indian epic Mahabharata to weave a satirical story of Indian life in a non-linear mode with the characters drawn from the Indian Independence Movement. His novel Show Business (1992) was made into the film 'Bollywood'(1994). The late Ismail Merchant had announced his wish to make a film of Tharoor’s novel Riot shortly before Merchant’s death in 2005.
Tharoor has been a highly-regarded columnist in each of India's three best-known English-language newspapers, most recently for The Hindu newspaper (2001–2008) and in a weekly column, “Shashi on Sunday,” in the Times of India (January 2007 – December 2008). Following his resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs, he began a fortnightly column on foreign policy issues in the "Deccan Chronicle". Previously he was a columnist for the Gentleman magazine and the Indian Express newspaper, as well as a frequent contributor to Newsweek International and the International Herald Tribune. His Op-Eds and book reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, amongst other papers.
Tharoor began writing at the age of 6 and his first published story appeared in the “Bharat Jyoti”, the Sunday edition of the "Free press Journal", in Mumbai at age 10. His World War II adventure novel Operation Bellows, inspired by the Biggles books, was serialized in the Junior Statesman starting a week before his 11th birthday. Each of his books has been a best-seller in India. The Great Indian Novel is currently in its 28th edition in India and his newest volume. The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone has undergone seven hardback re-printings there.
Tharoor has lectured widely on India, and is often quoted for his observations, including, "India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.". He has also coined a memorable comparison of India's "thali" to the American "melting pot": "If America is a melting pot, then to me India is a thali--a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
June 10, 2014
If you like non-fiction and can read about India and its political history from a 400 pages book then this book is for you. Its largely written from the view point of an expatriate Indian, a Keralite and that of a Hindu. It was quite surprising for me as I never thought of Shashi Tharoor having such a patriotic inside view of India as he had spent most of the time outside it. Even when he speaks about Kerala its as if he has first hand experience of it. But the truth is that he was an expatriate Indian for a long time.
His writing is very convincing. Each issue is talked about with accuracy and certain places he takes sides too. He always has proper explanation for his stance and expresses it openly.
What was more surprising about this book is that there is a lot of Indira Gandhi bashing and in some places Congress bashing also in it. Now, this was some thing that I never expected from someone who belonged to the same party. And this is what has elevated Shashi Tharoor's place in my mind. He is not criticizing anybody without a reason.
I really did like this book but reading non-fiction that too history is not that easy. I had gotten bored in between because of the genre this book belonged to and not because of the book in itself. The book is very well written.
His writing is very convincing. Each issue is talked about with accuracy and certain places he takes sides too. He always has proper explanation for his stance and expresses it openly.
What was more surprising about this book is that there is a lot of Indira Gandhi bashing and in some places Congress bashing also in it. Now, this was some thing that I never expected from someone who belonged to the same party. And this is what has elevated Shashi Tharoor's place in my mind. He is not criticizing anybody without a reason.
I really did like this book but reading non-fiction that too history is not that easy. I had gotten bored in between because of the genre this book belonged to and not because of the book in itself. The book is very well written.
February 21, 2017
If India would've been a living lady, this book would've been her personal diary. I gave 5 stars to this book. I only do this with those books which change my life. Forget about all the information and knowledge that you would derive out of this masterpiece, the real gist of it lies in the astute observational inferences which goes a mile further by not only giving a realistic picture of India and its evolution, but also by explaining the reason behind it.
"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now that time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.........."" With these words, our country woke up to freedom and with freedom, a whole new direction and dreams with a diefied guide none other than Mr Nehru. But the principle error in diefying a human being or an organisation(INC) for that matter is that the very act of dissent becomes sacrilegious. It has often been observed that bad experiences teach wrong lessons and in this case it was India's perception of capitalistic traders turning into rulers(colonialism) which pushed it towards the embrace of soviet model of socialism. Our leaders could only see the equitable distribution of jobs , food and prosperity but they turned a blind eye towards excessive controls, overegualtion and parochialism of the ideology. 40 years of continued socialistic practises created an India which was unheard of in the ancient historical and mythological books, a corrupt immoral society which only desired to have power and pelf. Let's see how did this happen.
The basic assumption of socialism is that government holds the interest of its people above everything and based on that logic it should've control over all the major components of an economy which includes sectors like mining, petroleum etc. Now whatsoever minuscule amount of private entrepreneurship which was mushrooming was nipped in the bud under stupid regulatory rules like , to produce more and reinvest their profits they had to seek permission of the government. Rather than focusing on self improvement and innovation, government offices became new temples for the entrepreneurs, officials became the gods and wishes were of licenses and quotas. In time, as Indian culture has always been an epitome of, we endured. We realised that rather spending energy on creative endeavours, it's easier to gratify the needs of government officials as well as democrats. Unfortunately, decades of practise in managing government has led to a severe decline in creative energies of Indian population as it lost the very importance, utility and relevance.
It may seem to one that our country is doomed now and there's no hope and some would even say that's the popular opinion even among the natives. Is it so? Plenty of tomes can be found on how congress should've proceeded but that is something we came upon after the post-mortem didn't we? If only there was a pre-mortem maybe the course of the history of our country would've had spanned out differently. But there is one thing that congress did which it hardly gets credit for. It represented a multi-cultural India united and even proud of the diversity but as we know that it is an unfortunate weakness of a democracy that it cannot specify the time period in which it can deliver on to the promises to every community which eventually leads to the disenchantment of democracy and engenders sectarianism. Since then, more or less, it has always been about which community is moving forward and at which community's expense. Religious fundamentalism has taken its roots and is fostering at an alarming rate. An interesting interpretation of Hinduism is enunciated by Mr Tharoor in this book which says that Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which has not claimed to be the only path to attain salvation, doesn't consider itself to be infallible and establishes the concept of dualism that encapsulates life in a circle.
Now to quote the rainbow parts, since all the dirt has already been amply described, of the India since independence. What we really miss out on, as we are really not looking for it, is that while we continuously focus on what could or should've been done when there was time or opportunity but we really did endure that. Despite of all the negativities that impeded our growth; emergency, corruption, politicisation etc; we have still remained a shining star in the subcontinent, even though our shine kept flickering now and then but it remained there. Literacy, self sufficiency in case of food, private entrepreneurship are some of the major highlights post liberalisation which has brought India onto the global map and there are various ways in which we can continue these series of miracles. But in my personal opinion, the best method is through education be it social awareness, giving a fillip to creative forces of the natives, sex education and what not. Nothing works better than education. What we can really do is that work on the nuances of education by edifying people as to what consists of education and how really can it help and this includes examples like- spreading awareness regarding certain laws like women cannot be kept in jails after sunset and can only be arrested by a woman officer, financial literacy like helping people to open up Demat accounts and start through safe trading in government bonds then stock markets, educating people in tax laws like capital bonds which can save capital gain tax upto 50 lac.
Hope is a toxic intoxication they say, but I relate it to an elixir named felix felesis mentioned in Harry Potter which means liquid luck. Our country is rapidly changing from a place where " Anything is possible to be imbibed by people(unfortunately even the bad habits of intoxication)" to a place where " People cannot be trusted with their own freedom". I cannot provide you with any statistical data but just a humble apprehension that if we fail to take action now, our posterity won't be kind towards us. Especially with the current pace of intolerance that is growing. Someone has rightfully said(Mr Tharoor):
"History is its own revenge".
How?
Don't worry, our posterity will let us know;)
"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now that time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.........."" With these words, our country woke up to freedom and with freedom, a whole new direction and dreams with a diefied guide none other than Mr Nehru. But the principle error in diefying a human being or an organisation(INC) for that matter is that the very act of dissent becomes sacrilegious. It has often been observed that bad experiences teach wrong lessons and in this case it was India's perception of capitalistic traders turning into rulers(colonialism) which pushed it towards the embrace of soviet model of socialism. Our leaders could only see the equitable distribution of jobs , food and prosperity but they turned a blind eye towards excessive controls, overegualtion and parochialism of the ideology. 40 years of continued socialistic practises created an India which was unheard of in the ancient historical and mythological books, a corrupt immoral society which only desired to have power and pelf. Let's see how did this happen.
The basic assumption of socialism is that government holds the interest of its people above everything and based on that logic it should've control over all the major components of an economy which includes sectors like mining, petroleum etc. Now whatsoever minuscule amount of private entrepreneurship which was mushrooming was nipped in the bud under stupid regulatory rules like , to produce more and reinvest their profits they had to seek permission of the government. Rather than focusing on self improvement and innovation, government offices became new temples for the entrepreneurs, officials became the gods and wishes were of licenses and quotas. In time, as Indian culture has always been an epitome of, we endured. We realised that rather spending energy on creative endeavours, it's easier to gratify the needs of government officials as well as democrats. Unfortunately, decades of practise in managing government has led to a severe decline in creative energies of Indian population as it lost the very importance, utility and relevance.
It may seem to one that our country is doomed now and there's no hope and some would even say that's the popular opinion even among the natives. Is it so? Plenty of tomes can be found on how congress should've proceeded but that is something we came upon after the post-mortem didn't we? If only there was a pre-mortem maybe the course of the history of our country would've had spanned out differently. But there is one thing that congress did which it hardly gets credit for. It represented a multi-cultural India united and even proud of the diversity but as we know that it is an unfortunate weakness of a democracy that it cannot specify the time period in which it can deliver on to the promises to every community which eventually leads to the disenchantment of democracy and engenders sectarianism. Since then, more or less, it has always been about which community is moving forward and at which community's expense. Religious fundamentalism has taken its roots and is fostering at an alarming rate. An interesting interpretation of Hinduism is enunciated by Mr Tharoor in this book which says that Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which has not claimed to be the only path to attain salvation, doesn't consider itself to be infallible and establishes the concept of dualism that encapsulates life in a circle.
Now to quote the rainbow parts, since all the dirt has already been amply described, of the India since independence. What we really miss out on, as we are really not looking for it, is that while we continuously focus on what could or should've been done when there was time or opportunity but we really did endure that. Despite of all the negativities that impeded our growth; emergency, corruption, politicisation etc; we have still remained a shining star in the subcontinent, even though our shine kept flickering now and then but it remained there. Literacy, self sufficiency in case of food, private entrepreneurship are some of the major highlights post liberalisation which has brought India onto the global map and there are various ways in which we can continue these series of miracles. But in my personal opinion, the best method is through education be it social awareness, giving a fillip to creative forces of the natives, sex education and what not. Nothing works better than education. What we can really do is that work on the nuances of education by edifying people as to what consists of education and how really can it help and this includes examples like- spreading awareness regarding certain laws like women cannot be kept in jails after sunset and can only be arrested by a woman officer, financial literacy like helping people to open up Demat accounts and start through safe trading in government bonds then stock markets, educating people in tax laws like capital bonds which can save capital gain tax upto 50 lac.
Hope is a toxic intoxication they say, but I relate it to an elixir named felix felesis mentioned in Harry Potter which means liquid luck. Our country is rapidly changing from a place where " Anything is possible to be imbibed by people(unfortunately even the bad habits of intoxication)" to a place where " People cannot be trusted with their own freedom". I cannot provide you with any statistical data but just a humble apprehension that if we fail to take action now, our posterity won't be kind towards us. Especially with the current pace of intolerance that is growing. Someone has rightfully said(Mr Tharoor):
"History is its own revenge".
How?
Don't worry, our posterity will let us know;)
March 5, 2012
India from Midnight to the Millennium and Beyond by Shashi Tharoor was, in many ways, disappointing. It is not the overall readability of the book, or of the topics covered or of the beauty of the language used ; but it is the lack of expected depth of the book which gives that impression. And especially when its title makes one assume that it must cover the whole of Independent India’s history.
No one can deny that Mr. Tharoor remains a narrator without much parallel among the modern political observers of India. However, one could see only a few instances elaborated as the only ones which defined the period under consideration. Plainly speaking, too much of information and anecdotes have been provided on a handful of topics. This gives the book a handsome superficial width, but a depth as thin as a sheet (although not quite the alternate pronunciation).
At one instance he narrates an anecdote to hint at the success of affirmative action for removal of caste disparities in Kerala. The narrative gets almost an entire chapter on caste. Apparently, it happened to be one of national prominence as the all important author was personally involved. A lot of similar issues abound the book.
A good book, if you are fond of one-liners. But for them, I would rather read The Great Indian Novel by the same author.
Recommended: for people with less interest in the depth of political affairs, as they will at least find something in the political discourse which is interesting. It still remains a book, which might invoke some interest in the disinterested.
Not Recommended: There is hardly anything new for people who have been reading books of this genre for a long time. Not an advisable read for those in search of information.
Good one-liners and remarks make the book light and enjoyable. That provides the extra 0.5 in my ratings.
No one can deny that Mr. Tharoor remains a narrator without much parallel among the modern political observers of India. However, one could see only a few instances elaborated as the only ones which defined the period under consideration. Plainly speaking, too much of information and anecdotes have been provided on a handful of topics. This gives the book a handsome superficial width, but a depth as thin as a sheet (although not quite the alternate pronunciation).
At one instance he narrates an anecdote to hint at the success of affirmative action for removal of caste disparities in Kerala. The narrative gets almost an entire chapter on caste. Apparently, it happened to be one of national prominence as the all important author was personally involved. A lot of similar issues abound the book.
A good book, if you are fond of one-liners. But for them, I would rather read The Great Indian Novel by the same author.
Recommended: for people with less interest in the depth of political affairs, as they will at least find something in the political discourse which is interesting. It still remains a book, which might invoke some interest in the disinterested.
Not Recommended: There is hardly anything new for people who have been reading books of this genre for a long time. Not an advisable read for those in search of information.
Good one-liners and remarks make the book light and enjoyable. That provides the extra 0.5 in my ratings.
May 8, 2019
Shashi Tharoor - the man with the foreign accent, the snob who called us economy-class travellers cattle-class, a pseudo-secular who seemed totally out-of-touch with India and Indians. Maybe he could write a biting, irreverent satire like The Great Indian Novel but did he really know India's history, society and politics ? I thought he was a one-book wonder too.
Then in the past couple of years, due to friends and critics' recommendations, I read "Riot" which was on the communal tensions in the early 1990s and "An Era of Darkness" on the British Raj and finally "India : From Midnight to the Millenium". This irreverent man revers truth and can write with empathy ! And he knows far more than he lets on !
This book is part memoir, part commentary on India @50. Some parts were absolutely beautiful and the chapter on his memories of Untouchability as a child is one of the best short-stories that I have ever read. In characteristic style, Tharoor spares neither the socialists nor the communal forces. And what makes this book such a delight was that Tharoor digs deep and tries to understand the reasons behind each of our failings. This is not a quick-fix superficial work and I would place it at par with the popular India Unbound: The Social and Economic Revolution from Independence to the Global Information Age.
His recent books have not been up to the mark and unfortunately, we have lost a superb author because of his joining politics.
Then in the past couple of years, due to friends and critics' recommendations, I read "Riot" which was on the communal tensions in the early 1990s and "An Era of Darkness" on the British Raj and finally "India : From Midnight to the Millenium". This irreverent man revers truth and can write with empathy ! And he knows far more than he lets on !
This book is part memoir, part commentary on India @50. Some parts were absolutely beautiful and the chapter on his memories of Untouchability as a child is one of the best short-stories that I have ever read. In characteristic style, Tharoor spares neither the socialists nor the communal forces. And what makes this book such a delight was that Tharoor digs deep and tries to understand the reasons behind each of our failings. This is not a quick-fix superficial work and I would place it at par with the popular India Unbound: The Social and Economic Revolution from Independence to the Global Information Age.
His recent books have not been up to the mark and unfortunately, we have lost a superb author because of his joining politics.
June 9, 2015
Pongalswamy said, "When I was a kid, I used to hear my father and his friends discussing two topics - cricket and politics. I liked cricket. But I could never make head or tail of politics. Now, that I have attained my father's then age, I find myself talking with my friends two topics - cricket and politics."
Ah! Politics. India's biggest timepass.
Switch to any news channel. It will be the politicians and their archaic views will be the talking points. In order to have a wholesome understanding of what is happening in the present, we need to understand the past. And that's why I have developed a keen interest in the political history of post-independent India. Tharoor's "India : From Midnight to Millennium" is an effort in that line.
But a bit disappointing, I would say.
What this book lacks is a 'structure' , a 'theme'. It reads like a mess resulting from information diarrhea. Tharoor's well-read, well-travelled, cultured intellect is evident in each page, but also it presents his confused opinions vacillating between nationalistic optimism and west-bound cynicism. The non-linear depiction of political history also demands a good deal of prior knowledge, that might induce yawn in a novice reader.
No, No I am not suggesting the book is avoidable. Some of Tharoor's hard-hitting criticisms as well as constructive optimism are really impressive. But, I would strongly suggest to read Guha's India after Gandhi, before you attempt this one.
Ah! Politics. India's biggest timepass.
Switch to any news channel. It will be the politicians and their archaic views will be the talking points. In order to have a wholesome understanding of what is happening in the present, we need to understand the past. And that's why I have developed a keen interest in the political history of post-independent India. Tharoor's "India : From Midnight to Millennium" is an effort in that line.
But a bit disappointing, I would say.
What this book lacks is a 'structure' , a 'theme'. It reads like a mess resulting from information diarrhea. Tharoor's well-read, well-travelled, cultured intellect is evident in each page, but also it presents his confused opinions vacillating between nationalistic optimism and west-bound cynicism. The non-linear depiction of political history also demands a good deal of prior knowledge, that might induce yawn in a novice reader.
No, No I am not suggesting the book is avoidable. Some of Tharoor's hard-hitting criticisms as well as constructive optimism are really impressive. But, I would strongly suggest to read Guha's India after Gandhi, before you attempt this one.
February 5, 2010
It has been over a decade since Shashi Tharoor had written this book, the book seems to work in bits and pieces, Hard hitting in places but does not sustain the flow.Divided Pluralism is the backbone of the novel rather than pluralism. a degree of modern day cynicism is also added, he makes a vivid account of some of the problems concerning the country and is very apprehensive about the Indian Parliamentry structure(of which he is a part). More has been stressed on the Emergency era than any other period,throughout the book the cons dominate over the pro's.The book can be read for those who want to acquaint themselves more about the author and read a diplomatic view on the subject.
February 12, 2022
I'm still looking for a good, accessible overview or history of India's political economy. But this definitely isn't it.
Meandering and incoherent, it manages to make its 360 pages feel like twice that.
Though reading it was long - and dreary - motivating myself to pick it up between reading was far worse. I've started and finished 20+ books in the time I've been trying to avoid reading this.
The reading experience is best described as a duller, shallower, nonfiction Ulysses - if Joyce had written it in a catatonic state, then translated it into English with Google Translate.
Tharoor never choses a simple, accessible word when two - or better three - obscure, obsolete alternatives will suffice. Almost every sentence here was a chore. I dreaded new chapters - opening each of which was like unwrapping a brand new, disappointing, gift from a boring, self-important, verbose uncle (it goes without saying that each had no common thread or link from the last). I think he fancies it as a literary style, but it's just bafflingly pretentious, and obscures any insights that might be lying within.
...Although, obviously, there are few of those. A vaguely neoliberal conservative outlook reigns, but the viewpoints aren't articulated clearly enough as to affect your experience of reading the book. The "arguments" are mostly just a collection of anecdotes, newspaper clippings, or gripes with modernity, young people and leftists (I think - I passed in and out of most of them). The feeling is like being at the table next to a reactionary pub bore - at first you're entertained, then quickly overwhelmed.
He's also a hypocrite - he moans about those that leave India while revealing he left 20+ years ago. Since then he has returned only for annual visits (field studies for his dreary polemical). He moans about consumer culture; explaining with shock that a homeless woman who was begging told him he haven't given her enough money. In doing so he reveals that he gave said woman a TWO RUPEE coin. He criticises a disintegrated community spirit in Indian cities - a lack of neighbourliness - yet thinks she should be grateful for this miserly amount. This, despite him being a career pen pusher at the United Nations. Only paragraphs before he had described staying in the luxury Indian hotels which that job afforded him.
They say the plural of anecdote isn't data. For Tharoor, the plural of anecdote is wading pointlessly through 360 inarticulate pages. You could read this book backwards and you'd experience the same level of narrative structure and progression. You could also just dip in at random.
Or best of all, just don't bother.
EDIT: The book just about justifies it's minimum score of 1 star (although I would have given it 0 if I could) because it did contain references, in passing, through the verbiage, to genuinely interesting historical events I had no knowledge of in Indian politics. They were well worth googling and I did learn some things - unfortunately it was all from Wikipedia.
Meandering and incoherent, it manages to make its 360 pages feel like twice that.
Though reading it was long - and dreary - motivating myself to pick it up between reading was far worse. I've started and finished 20+ books in the time I've been trying to avoid reading this.
The reading experience is best described as a duller, shallower, nonfiction Ulysses - if Joyce had written it in a catatonic state, then translated it into English with Google Translate.
Tharoor never choses a simple, accessible word when two - or better three - obscure, obsolete alternatives will suffice. Almost every sentence here was a chore. I dreaded new chapters - opening each of which was like unwrapping a brand new, disappointing, gift from a boring, self-important, verbose uncle (it goes without saying that each had no common thread or link from the last). I think he fancies it as a literary style, but it's just bafflingly pretentious, and obscures any insights that might be lying within.
...Although, obviously, there are few of those. A vaguely neoliberal conservative outlook reigns, but the viewpoints aren't articulated clearly enough as to affect your experience of reading the book. The "arguments" are mostly just a collection of anecdotes, newspaper clippings, or gripes with modernity, young people and leftists (I think - I passed in and out of most of them). The feeling is like being at the table next to a reactionary pub bore - at first you're entertained, then quickly overwhelmed.
He's also a hypocrite - he moans about those that leave India while revealing he left 20+ years ago. Since then he has returned only for annual visits (field studies for his dreary polemical). He moans about consumer culture; explaining with shock that a homeless woman who was begging told him he haven't given her enough money. In doing so he reveals that he gave said woman a TWO RUPEE coin. He criticises a disintegrated community spirit in Indian cities - a lack of neighbourliness - yet thinks she should be grateful for this miserly amount. This, despite him being a career pen pusher at the United Nations. Only paragraphs before he had described staying in the luxury Indian hotels which that job afforded him.
They say the plural of anecdote isn't data. For Tharoor, the plural of anecdote is wading pointlessly through 360 inarticulate pages. You could read this book backwards and you'd experience the same level of narrative structure and progression. You could also just dip in at random.
Or best of all, just don't bother.
EDIT: The book just about justifies it's minimum score of 1 star (although I would have given it 0 if I could) because it did contain references, in passing, through the verbiage, to genuinely interesting historical events I had no knowledge of in Indian politics. They were well worth googling and I did learn some things - unfortunately it was all from Wikipedia.
September 18, 2018
The book starts off well enough. Mr. Tharoor talks about the India after independence and it's gradual transformation until the emergency in a simple way. With many anecdotes to support his statements. But somewhere after the first third & the first half of the book, it starts to become more theory & commentary rather than an analysis.
The personal anecdotes in the first part, lend it an authenticity and a certain level of personal engagement that is absolutely missing in the second half. Perhaps indicative of how the author himself has become a mere spectator in the workings of his country having moved abroad. Expat Indians are guilty of sermonising about the ways of India. While it is true that there multiple problems that plague our country, moving away makes us view the goings-on in the country with rather tinted glasses and that is exactly what Mr. Tharoor is guilty of.
And it is perhaps the reason that this commentary is just reflective of his nostalgia for and of India that results in continual repetition of statements and excessively verbose chapters in the second half. And also why he tries to deal with multiple subjects which he only manages to scratch the surface of and never quite go into depth unlike in the beginning of the book.
That being said, I must add that reading this book, almost two decades after it was written, which has seen Mr. Tharoor return to India and his joining the Indian National Congress was quite amusing. The man joins the very party that he declares responsible in this book for much of India's stagnation. What is worse, is his hypocrisy in now standing by and saying nothing as his party whitewashes the legacy of the very person he is most critical of - Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
Unlike the reviews featured in the cover, there is little that is insightful or informative in this book. It may, however, slightly improve your vocabulary.
The personal anecdotes in the first part, lend it an authenticity and a certain level of personal engagement that is absolutely missing in the second half. Perhaps indicative of how the author himself has become a mere spectator in the workings of his country having moved abroad. Expat Indians are guilty of sermonising about the ways of India. While it is true that there multiple problems that plague our country, moving away makes us view the goings-on in the country with rather tinted glasses and that is exactly what Mr. Tharoor is guilty of.
And it is perhaps the reason that this commentary is just reflective of his nostalgia for and of India that results in continual repetition of statements and excessively verbose chapters in the second half. And also why he tries to deal with multiple subjects which he only manages to scratch the surface of and never quite go into depth unlike in the beginning of the book.
That being said, I must add that reading this book, almost two decades after it was written, which has seen Mr. Tharoor return to India and his joining the Indian National Congress was quite amusing. The man joins the very party that he declares responsible in this book for much of India's stagnation. What is worse, is his hypocrisy in now standing by and saying nothing as his party whitewashes the legacy of the very person he is most critical of - Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
Unlike the reviews featured in the cover, there is little that is insightful or informative in this book. It may, however, slightly improve your vocabulary.
February 27, 2010
Tharoor, a gifted writer, takes us on tour of India's economy, politics, caste system and religious beliefs in the post-Gandhi period.
He conveys the message of India's harmonious pluralism while simultaneously expressing his understandable cynicism towards Hinduism and Indira Gandhi.
Most of his insights are very accurate for this vibrant country with multiple dichotomies. However, certain chapters are presented as an auto-biography/ personal beliefs versus an objective analysis of India's future prospects.He fails to fully describe solutions to India's political and economic issues .
Most NRIs can relate very well to this book (myself included), but preaching about India's shortcomings without providing possible resolutions render it a weak summary. Nevertheless, Tharoor's literary style is unique and well-constructed use of words make it a worthwhile read.
He conveys the message of India's harmonious pluralism while simultaneously expressing his understandable cynicism towards Hinduism and Indira Gandhi.
Most of his insights are very accurate for this vibrant country with multiple dichotomies. However, certain chapters are presented as an auto-biography/ personal beliefs versus an objective analysis of India's future prospects.He fails to fully describe solutions to India's political and economic issues .
Most NRIs can relate very well to this book (myself included), but preaching about India's shortcomings without providing possible resolutions render it a weak summary. Nevertheless, Tharoor's literary style is unique and well-constructed use of words make it a worthwhile read.
August 19, 2016
This is one of the best books I've read about India. I had been meaning to read something on post-independence India for a long time and this book did not disappoint. The author makes a great case for democracy, pluralism and "unity in diversity", while at the same time explaining how India has evolved to its current state since independence. Roots of many things in Indian politics, society, economy, etc. which my generation takes for granted, are elucidated in a way that even an outsider can understand. His objective and balanced analysis of democracy (especially the democracy in India), of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and their impact, Emergency, liberalisation of economy, etc. makes the book a delight to read.
June 24, 2018
4 1/2 stars :)
I'm clearly on a post-independence Indian history reading spree. This is the first time (perhaps quite late) that I've read Shashi Tharoor, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book was written in the late 1990s, and tracks India's history from 1947 to it's 50th birthday in 1997. He examines the course of our history, calling into question our trajectory and the way forward. He raises four questions at the beginning of the book, that he attempts to answer in the rest of the book:
1. The Bread vs freedom debate: Can democracy effectively alleviate poverty, and improve conditions in India, or do its inbuilt inefficiencies only impede rapid growth?
2. Centralisation vs federalism debate: should federal govt have more power than state or local or is it best to have less centralisation? What is the best balance?
3. Pluralism vs fundamentalism debate: is secularism essential in pluralist society or should India find refuge in its religious identity? Is the definition of what it is to be Indian and Hindu going to increasingly narrow or can we thrive as a pluralist state, and use our diversity as a strength rather than a weakness
4. The coca-colonization (globalization) vs self-reliance debate - does entry of western consumer goods help or hurt India? Should we worried about the economic reforms that have brought in the multinationals?
This book was originally published 20 years ago, so a fair amount has happened since then, but I really enjoyed the history till date for a few reasons.
First, I grew up during the license raj, and so reading about the extremely protectionist economic policies always strikes a chord for me, since I would covet the western array of chocolates, sweets and foods that my cousins, outside India, had access to. I remember when Lehar Pepsi first came to India, how excited we all were, and the quick succession of brands that followed it. This is perhaps a personal indulgence of a particular childhood nostalgia.
Secondly, some of these questions are still relevant now - the increase in fundamentalism, the increase of the "anti-national" rhetoric and the fact that things like civic sense are still lacking, while there is a fair amount of corruption still. The pluralism debate is very relevant still, as is the centralisation vs. decentralisation one.
What I like about Tharoor is he makes a solid attempt to investigate both sides of the coin before drawing a conclusion, and in making the case for both sides, invites the reader to pick their own side. He has included a lot of statistics and details to back these up, which also helps one feel more secure that there are numbers upon which to base any conclusions you might draw.
Often however, the narrative lagged under the sheer number of examples and statistics, and hence the pace slowed down somewhere around the "bread vs. freedom" debate chapter. The beginning and the end of the book had a much easier to read narrative style. However I'm not as much a nonfiction reader, so this may be a completely personal phenomenon.
Overall I think this book is highly educational and informative, and I do feel like you get enough information about both sides of the story to draw your own conclusions. I cannot wait to read more of his writing. Happy reading!
I'm clearly on a post-independence Indian history reading spree. This is the first time (perhaps quite late) that I've read Shashi Tharoor, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book was written in the late 1990s, and tracks India's history from 1947 to it's 50th birthday in 1997. He examines the course of our history, calling into question our trajectory and the way forward. He raises four questions at the beginning of the book, that he attempts to answer in the rest of the book:
1. The Bread vs freedom debate: Can democracy effectively alleviate poverty, and improve conditions in India, or do its inbuilt inefficiencies only impede rapid growth?
2. Centralisation vs federalism debate: should federal govt have more power than state or local or is it best to have less centralisation? What is the best balance?
3. Pluralism vs fundamentalism debate: is secularism essential in pluralist society or should India find refuge in its religious identity? Is the definition of what it is to be Indian and Hindu going to increasingly narrow or can we thrive as a pluralist state, and use our diversity as a strength rather than a weakness
4. The coca-colonization (globalization) vs self-reliance debate - does entry of western consumer goods help or hurt India? Should we worried about the economic reforms that have brought in the multinationals?
This book was originally published 20 years ago, so a fair amount has happened since then, but I really enjoyed the history till date for a few reasons.
First, I grew up during the license raj, and so reading about the extremely protectionist economic policies always strikes a chord for me, since I would covet the western array of chocolates, sweets and foods that my cousins, outside India, had access to. I remember when Lehar Pepsi first came to India, how excited we all were, and the quick succession of brands that followed it. This is perhaps a personal indulgence of a particular childhood nostalgia.
Secondly, some of these questions are still relevant now - the increase in fundamentalism, the increase of the "anti-national" rhetoric and the fact that things like civic sense are still lacking, while there is a fair amount of corruption still. The pluralism debate is very relevant still, as is the centralisation vs. decentralisation one.
What I like about Tharoor is he makes a solid attempt to investigate both sides of the coin before drawing a conclusion, and in making the case for both sides, invites the reader to pick their own side. He has included a lot of statistics and details to back these up, which also helps one feel more secure that there are numbers upon which to base any conclusions you might draw.
Often however, the narrative lagged under the sheer number of examples and statistics, and hence the pace slowed down somewhere around the "bread vs. freedom" debate chapter. The beginning and the end of the book had a much easier to read narrative style. However I'm not as much a nonfiction reader, so this may be a completely personal phenomenon.
Overall I think this book is highly educational and informative, and I do feel like you get enough information about both sides of the story to draw your own conclusions. I cannot wait to read more of his writing. Happy reading!
Read
December 26, 2015Never read books from Shashi Tharoor before but once I started to read this one, it seems like I can't put it down. The questions he had raised made me think of my concepts and ideologies about India. The dogmas he questioned against like whether Democracy is at all necessary for economic development and whether India is really secular are hard to answer. India has solved the problem of communalism but it failed to bring the feeling of belongingness or Indianess among its citizens. He mingled facts about India and his personal stories so well which makes you turn pages. The correlation he sought between literacy and riots is shocking that proves with increase in literacy more poor and illeterate people vote than the educated ones. The poor are of the idea that they can change the system whereas the graduates think that there votes would hardly matter. He discussed the same yet preached as different visions of different parties in India and how corruption is getting entangled with politics. He also administered the rights of NRI and their responsibility in shaping up the new India. He had shown statistics how Kolkata has loosened its spirit of cultural and heritage and remained as a copier of events in India. He pinpointed evry state and showed paths of improvement. He proved why most of the educated Indians have started living in two or three metro cities (most of them abandoning India altogether).
He busted the myths that most people confuse secularism with atheism. Secular India never interrupts in people religion but only because of a few religion is forming a base of differentiation. This book is not about the post independance India and its flaws, it is about the age old concepts, beliefs, principles dogmas which the political parties somehow forcefully enforcing upon us and the educated masses are eventually getting succumbed to it.
He busted the myths that most people confuse secularism with atheism. Secular India never interrupts in people religion but only because of a few religion is forming a base of differentiation. This book is not about the post independance India and its flaws, it is about the age old concepts, beliefs, principles dogmas which the political parties somehow forcefully enforcing upon us and the educated masses are eventually getting succumbed to it.
November 6, 2022
India from midnight to the millennium and beyond unravels Indian’ness marked by the epoch of post-independence India. Tharoor chisel’s the sculpture of indian identity against the backdrop of the country’s political, economic and religious past, so as to delineate the shape of indian secularism, democracy, economic liberalisation and non-alignment that define the country today. While Tharoor’s analysis is outdated by 20 years, culture within india remains somewhat constant; etched by regional traditions and religious history that define it.
Therefore as an individual, whose peripatetic life, has led to obscure his sense of identity, this book has served to ingrain my indian roots, as it will for many other non-residential indians. Throughout his book Tharoor, discusses 3 immortal ills that have plagued indian conscience, and how india has or should overcome them. Principally these include, antagonism towards minorities within the framework of a secular constitution, the fitness of socialism to uplift the population out of poverty, and the debate of what is more important social justice or democracy.
While I respect Tharoor’s prose, his writing style can often obfuscate the message he is trying to deliver. Thus making the read more difficult than it should be. Combined with his nature to repeat many topics previously discussed, the book becomes a drag towards the end and realistically I couldn’t treat the last chapter of the book with the same integrity as I did with the previous chapters.
Therefore as an individual, whose peripatetic life, has led to obscure his sense of identity, this book has served to ingrain my indian roots, as it will for many other non-residential indians. Throughout his book Tharoor, discusses 3 immortal ills that have plagued indian conscience, and how india has or should overcome them. Principally these include, antagonism towards minorities within the framework of a secular constitution, the fitness of socialism to uplift the population out of poverty, and the debate of what is more important social justice or democracy.
While I respect Tharoor’s prose, his writing style can often obfuscate the message he is trying to deliver. Thus making the read more difficult than it should be. Combined with his nature to repeat many topics previously discussed, the book becomes a drag towards the end and realistically I couldn’t treat the last chapter of the book with the same integrity as I did with the previous chapters.
February 6, 2017
Here is what I will take away from this book -
1. Tharoor's understanding of Hinduism, and his well-reasoned arguments that justify why Hindu nationalists are actually disloyal to the very religion they claim to uphold.
2. His view of India as an expatriate - and observations about the nation that only an expatriate can make.
3. His theory about the decline of the Indian intellectual. His belief that with time we think less and less about the intellectual, laughing at their dissent and shunning them as reclusive madcaps. As an educated Indian, I see this happening all around us with the party at the centre ridiculing anyone that questions their actions.
4. Finally, his book filled up the little nuggets of modern Indian history that Mr. Guha may have overlooked in his magnum opus - India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy. Apart from this, there is no comparison between the two books. Because this book veers more towards opinion while Guha's is a retelling of history as it happened.
1. Tharoor's understanding of Hinduism, and his well-reasoned arguments that justify why Hindu nationalists are actually disloyal to the very religion they claim to uphold.
2. His view of India as an expatriate - and observations about the nation that only an expatriate can make.
3. His theory about the decline of the Indian intellectual. His belief that with time we think less and less about the intellectual, laughing at their dissent and shunning them as reclusive madcaps. As an educated Indian, I see this happening all around us with the party at the centre ridiculing anyone that questions their actions.
4. Finally, his book filled up the little nuggets of modern Indian history that Mr. Guha may have overlooked in his magnum opus - India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy. Apart from this, there is no comparison between the two books. Because this book veers more towards opinion while Guha's is a retelling of history as it happened.
March 21, 2013
A well written book which gives insights in to lot of interesting things in India, however not as comprehensive like 'India after Gandhi' by Mr.Guha. Mr Tharoor's disagreement with the socialistic approach of Nehru is well known and he has every right to be disappointed as the economic indicators were pointing in the negative direction. However he should have also considered Nehru's herculean effort in uniting the country against communal forces. He might well be the single person responsible for India not following the Pakistani way of mixing politics with religion. I enjoyed the narration of kerala and the chapter where he touched upon his interest in Lord Ganesha. A must read for all those who have interest in History, who are willing to come out of text books and are rational enough to understand the hidden agenda of Youtube Historians :)
March 27, 2017
I've mixed feelings about this book. Shashi Tharoor definitely has a great flair for the English language. But his wordiness/verbosity in this book can sometimes be just annoying. While I did note down some of the anecdotes or authors that Shashi Tharoor pointed out, I didn't really find any original ideas. It felt like a hodgepodge of liberal and patriotic ideas written in a "sophisticated" manner. Don't get me wrong, I do agree with his sentiments. But I just feel a little let down since the book didn't really challenge any of my preconceived notions or perspectives.
The book serves as a nice summary of Indian politics over the last few decades. He does cite several authors and analysts whose work might be interesting. I intend to check that out. The chapter with Charlis was heart-warming. Overall, a decent read.
The book serves as a nice summary of Indian politics over the last few decades. He does cite several authors and analysts whose work might be interesting. I intend to check that out. The chapter with Charlis was heart-warming. Overall, a decent read.
August 14, 2013
Tharoor's perspective connotes to that of an educated Indian eager to see India among the top developed country. And this book depicts the growth of the world largest democracy from his viewpoint. Not as comprehensive as other history books and has an increasing propensity towards occidental values and system. He is quite blunt when it came to ridiculing the emergency era and has quite few ideas about India's emergence as political and economic power. Just an average read because it is not academically useful nor it shows any radical ideas that other writers missed out about India.
July 26, 2021
A brilliant narration of India. It is astonishing how little I knew of my own country till I read this book. I think I have become a big Tharoor fan, like who isn't! His language, articulation and intensity of thoughts are astounding.
Our journey from post independence Nehruvian days, the emergence (pun intended) of Indira, the shining and dimming days of Rajiv and then the liberalization and the days that followed - there's so much I got to learn!
A must read if you are an Indian, especially if you are staying/ working abroad or dealing with international and/or diverse teams.
Our journey from post independence Nehruvian days, the emergence (pun intended) of Indira, the shining and dimming days of Rajiv and then the liberalization and the days that followed - there's so much I got to learn!
A must read if you are an Indian, especially if you are staying/ working abroad or dealing with international and/or diverse teams.
July 16, 2008
Fantastic look at the movement in India culture since its indenpendence, interweaving a personal story with historical trends in a very helpful way. Written by someone with a life story that makes him uniquely apt at seeing Indian culture from both inside and out.
February 17, 2010
A good book. Tharoor has written this book sitting at his desk with mostly bookish research. I personally liked Ed Luce's book Inspite of the Gods better. For a more in depth research read India after Gandhi by R. Guha
August 31, 2016
shashi tharoor is a charming man, he is well read, he has the industry to write books... but that's it.
His original ideas are charmingly pedestrian...
Buy this books of a cross-section of interesting times around 'emergency' and the decline of congress
His original ideas are charmingly pedestrian...
Buy this books of a cross-section of interesting times around 'emergency' and the decline of congress
September 18, 2012
Good read about India. Very well written! Writing style is awesome!
July 26, 2022
Hmmm.... not sure how to feel about this.
This book is about the first 50 years of the nation of India post-British independence. Starting the book, I was impressed by the analogies and stories that the author uses to demonstrate his point that Indians need to come together as one rather than differentiating themselves based on region, religion, caste, language, and color. I then read the background on the author and how he was involved in the UN and Indian politics.
A few things that the author wrote about really rubbed me the wrong way, though. The main thing is when he says that Gandhi "had done more than anyone else on Earth to establish" the new state of India. This misleads the reader to believe that Gandhi was the only participant in the "fight" for independence. This completely negates the importance and involvement of dozens of freedom fighters who actively opposed the British and were jailed for decades because of this. Gandhi takes the light away from them and onto himself, a man who is more flawed than most realize. Gandhi promoted apartheid in South Africa, thinking that the Africans deserved less rights than the British rulers and the Indian workers in the country. He also denied his wife access to western medicine when it could have saved her life but happily accepted it himself when he was in need. He also attempted to prove his "morality and chastity" by sleeping naked next to teenage girls to show how he could control his urges. Utterly disgusting and despicable.
One thought that the author brought up that actually really struck me was about the notion of non-violence, something touted by Gandhi and adopted by many freedom fighters, including MLK. The author says that non-violence is inflicting the suffering on oneself and not the opponent to show the strength of your convictions. Gandhi often demonstrated this through his hunger strikes until the British agreed to certain changes. I'd never heard of this definition of non-violence, and it definitely made me think more on the topic.
Overall, this book had interesting points and facts that I enjoyed reading. I do think the the author imposed a lot of his views about religion (often he made Hinduism seem like a moral high group compared to the other religions present in India, often talking about Sikh terrorism and Muslim "outbursts.") This made it slightly frustrating to get through and read.
This book is about the first 50 years of the nation of India post-British independence. Starting the book, I was impressed by the analogies and stories that the author uses to demonstrate his point that Indians need to come together as one rather than differentiating themselves based on region, religion, caste, language, and color. I then read the background on the author and how he was involved in the UN and Indian politics.
A few things that the author wrote about really rubbed me the wrong way, though. The main thing is when he says that Gandhi "had done more than anyone else on Earth to establish" the new state of India. This misleads the reader to believe that Gandhi was the only participant in the "fight" for independence. This completely negates the importance and involvement of dozens of freedom fighters who actively opposed the British and were jailed for decades because of this. Gandhi takes the light away from them and onto himself, a man who is more flawed than most realize. Gandhi promoted apartheid in South Africa, thinking that the Africans deserved less rights than the British rulers and the Indian workers in the country. He also denied his wife access to western medicine when it could have saved her life but happily accepted it himself when he was in need. He also attempted to prove his "morality and chastity" by sleeping naked next to teenage girls to show how he could control his urges. Utterly disgusting and despicable.
One thought that the author brought up that actually really struck me was about the notion of non-violence, something touted by Gandhi and adopted by many freedom fighters, including MLK. The author says that non-violence is inflicting the suffering on oneself and not the opponent to show the strength of your convictions. Gandhi often demonstrated this through his hunger strikes until the British agreed to certain changes. I'd never heard of this definition of non-violence, and it definitely made me think more on the topic.
Overall, this book had interesting points and facts that I enjoyed reading. I do think the the author imposed a lot of his views about religion (often he made Hinduism seem like a moral high group compared to the other religions present in India, often talking about Sikh terrorism and Muslim "outbursts.") This made it slightly frustrating to get through and read.
November 25, 2024
Tharoor goes into a lot of details about a lot of things good and mostly bad about India from freedom up until the 1990's (this book was released in 1996 IIRC with some additions in 2006). He talks about religion, socialism, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi and whole about the Congress party and it's critiques even though he later joined the Congress party himself.
A lot of assumptions he makes don't hold up 25 years later (like the BJP never winning again since it can't gain majority based on a single religion based issue) and a lot has changed in India since the 90's but it's intriguing to see how India was up until the 90's and pre mass commercialization. Growing up in the 90's I always thought India as a country to live in was good and the middle class was relatively fine but the book showcases that we were probably shielded from the vast majority of issues by our parent's upbringing and the Bangalore Malleswaram bubble that we were living in.
The political drama itself which seemed like harmless turnover of people who had won and lost in elections now shows up to be a vitriolic powergrab by different sets of people from the same or different political parties.
There is a massive chapter about Indira Gandhi and her policies and more specifically about the application of the emergency powers in 1975. Although I'd heard about it growing up, there wasn't as much talk about the details or the effects of it on our family but Tharoor goes into details of why it was applied and the few positive and largely negative effects of the emergency. He goes into detail about the administrative style of Indira Gandhi and how from the outside it might have seemed charismatic but on the inside she was deeply mistrusting of her cabinet and directed all the decisions herself (or via Sanjay Gandhi).
One of the things that he goes into detail is the effect of pseudo-socialism practiced in India until the 90's where the government was responsible to provide for most goods and services to the public which made it susceptible to large amounts of corruption. This is something that is brought up in Edward Luce's "Inspite of the Gods" as well. India can longer be considered socialist from a commercial perspective but it still tries to be a welfare state but not very successfully given the size of the country and it's population.
He says a few times in this book of how the Indian population makes sure that it always votes for change in elections and also that national parties will no longer come to power on their given that most issues are local. This, however, has not held up since 2014 (since 2004 but there was a majority coalition then) with the BJP not only being in power in the center but also in a lot of states. It might change again in the future though.
And finally, the best chapter in the book is the chapter about Charlis. That chapter kept me hooked and was not only the wonderfully written but was the most rewarding in terms of the actual story as well.
A lot of assumptions he makes don't hold up 25 years later (like the BJP never winning again since it can't gain majority based on a single religion based issue) and a lot has changed in India since the 90's but it's intriguing to see how India was up until the 90's and pre mass commercialization. Growing up in the 90's I always thought India as a country to live in was good and the middle class was relatively fine but the book showcases that we were probably shielded from the vast majority of issues by our parent's upbringing and the Bangalore Malleswaram bubble that we were living in.
The political drama itself which seemed like harmless turnover of people who had won and lost in elections now shows up to be a vitriolic powergrab by different sets of people from the same or different political parties.
There is a massive chapter about Indira Gandhi and her policies and more specifically about the application of the emergency powers in 1975. Although I'd heard about it growing up, there wasn't as much talk about the details or the effects of it on our family but Tharoor goes into details of why it was applied and the few positive and largely negative effects of the emergency. He goes into detail about the administrative style of Indira Gandhi and how from the outside it might have seemed charismatic but on the inside she was deeply mistrusting of her cabinet and directed all the decisions herself (or via Sanjay Gandhi).
One of the things that he goes into detail is the effect of pseudo-socialism practiced in India until the 90's where the government was responsible to provide for most goods and services to the public which made it susceptible to large amounts of corruption. This is something that is brought up in Edward Luce's "Inspite of the Gods" as well. India can longer be considered socialist from a commercial perspective but it still tries to be a welfare state but not very successfully given the size of the country and it's population.
He says a few times in this book of how the Indian population makes sure that it always votes for change in elections and also that national parties will no longer come to power on their given that most issues are local. This, however, has not held up since 2014 (since 2004 but there was a majority coalition then) with the BJP not only being in power in the center but also in a lot of states. It might change again in the future though.
And finally, the best chapter in the book is the chapter about Charlis. That chapter kept me hooked and was not only the wonderfully written but was the most rewarding in terms of the actual story as well.
September 12, 2020
A book which covers the various endeavours Indian democracy has embarked upon since Independence, from Nehruvisn Socialism to the Economic reforms of 91 and beyond, the reasons behind them and repurcussions arising from them, both seen and unforeseen. It focusses more on the the Congress party, which to be fair was synonymous with Government for most of the first 50 years of Independence
I'd recommend this book to anyone who might be interested in knowing more about the behemoth that is Indian democracy along with the multitude of strings pulling and tugging at the fabric of its politcs.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who might be interested in knowing more about the behemoth that is Indian democracy along with the multitude of strings pulling and tugging at the fabric of its politcs.
May 21, 2020
It's brilliantly written : but to my mind that his admiration to the Nehru Gandhi dynasty is ubiquitous ; how lame he could preach this, when the history shows the wrongs of this dynasty. He even describes Nehru as " incorruptible " which is truly against the facts ; his own defense minister was involved in jeep scandal and he in fact knew it ; many of his cabinet ministers were corrupt and he did nothing.
Apart from his blaze of admiration towards this dynasty threading throughout the pages, what i liked the most is the chapter regarding untouchables, which quite resemble with many of us who are groomed and brought up in cities. The anecdote he provides that of his neighbour and his expanding horizon and it's underpinning with democratic process is truly an amazing experience.
Apart from his blaze of admiration towards this dynasty threading throughout the pages, what i liked the most is the chapter regarding untouchables, which quite resemble with many of us who are groomed and brought up in cities. The anecdote he provides that of his neighbour and his expanding horizon and it's underpinning with democratic process is truly an amazing experience.
December 16, 2017
In Ancient India Chankya wrote books on Politics and Economy CHANKYA NITI which laid foundation of these subjects in Takskshila and Nalanda (Ancient Indian School) as Economist and Father of Politics.
IFMTM name reminds me of Nehru ji’s dream of India from his speech at midnight hour when we got freedom and he became our first Prime Minister. I believe the author Dr. Shashi Tharoor International Civil Servant, Diplomat, Writer and now Indian Politician is second Nehru.
Dr Shashi Tharoor a gifted writer takes us on tour of India’s Economy, Politics, Caste System and Religious beliefs in the Post-Gandhi-period.
A person like me die heart romantic novel reader from literature background never read books on politics and economy except to clear my subisi exams in B.A. Hons English and M.A. English but once I started to read this one, it seems like I can’t put it down. The questions he had raised made me think of my concepts and ideologies about India.
Such a knowledgeable book on Indian Politics ,policies, events, Nehru- Gandhi Dynasty and information which must be utilized for students. All in one political science Book.
In Chapter 3 Unity, Diversity and Other Contradictions …From Milk Miracle to Malayali Miracle His Father’s great thought ( I firmly believe in it) that Hindu idea that religion is an intensely personal matter that prayer is between you and whatever image of your maker you choose to worship. Lord Ganesha his Ishtdeva stories and statues of Ganesh had begun drinking milk .In 1995 this miracle happened I was in 2nd year of my college we all offered milk and Ganesha Drank such a miracle experienced personally at home temple and outside temple to test the truth .All 5 siblings in our family spend whole day in this miracle unforgettable.
In Chapter 4 Sc/St of course Chalie’s real life Inspirational story from caste system in India. Mahatma Gandhi called Sc and St as HARIJAN means Hari ke Jan but our system is still playing on games on this caste and class system. The most important interesting thing I found while reading is his childhood name Neel( one of the name of Lord Shiva) Halwa, Keralite, Malyali Culture, Glimpses from his childhood all kept readers interest on track till end. His innocent answer to Charlie on asking for swimming page 86 Charlie Aren’t you swimming today? He shook his head and relied “water is dirty”. Charlie “ Not dirty.’’ He replied in Malayam.” The stream comes from a sacred river. Removes all pollution. This conversation Between author and Charlie clearly states that filth is in the Mind Body and Soul of human being God, Natural resources and a child’s heart free from all sort of pollution. The most fascinating is the way he weaves the past and present,facts and personal memoirs in a wonderful way.
This book reminded of Pandit Nehru as if He is trying to convey or rectify India and its system which he left in between or wanted to complete. Dr Shashi Tharoor Scholar, Orator and A Gem as Writer and Politician.
Rajni Vashist
IFMTM name reminds me of Nehru ji’s dream of India from his speech at midnight hour when we got freedom and he became our first Prime Minister. I believe the author Dr. Shashi Tharoor International Civil Servant, Diplomat, Writer and now Indian Politician is second Nehru.
Dr Shashi Tharoor a gifted writer takes us on tour of India’s Economy, Politics, Caste System and Religious beliefs in the Post-Gandhi-period.
A person like me die heart romantic novel reader from literature background never read books on politics and economy except to clear my subisi exams in B.A. Hons English and M.A. English but once I started to read this one, it seems like I can’t put it down. The questions he had raised made me think of my concepts and ideologies about India.
Such a knowledgeable book on Indian Politics ,policies, events, Nehru- Gandhi Dynasty and information which must be utilized for students. All in one political science Book.
In Chapter 3 Unity, Diversity and Other Contradictions …From Milk Miracle to Malayali Miracle His Father’s great thought ( I firmly believe in it) that Hindu idea that religion is an intensely personal matter that prayer is between you and whatever image of your maker you choose to worship. Lord Ganesha his Ishtdeva stories and statues of Ganesh had begun drinking milk .In 1995 this miracle happened I was in 2nd year of my college we all offered milk and Ganesha Drank such a miracle experienced personally at home temple and outside temple to test the truth .All 5 siblings in our family spend whole day in this miracle unforgettable.
In Chapter 4 Sc/St of course Chalie’s real life Inspirational story from caste system in India. Mahatma Gandhi called Sc and St as HARIJAN means Hari ke Jan but our system is still playing on games on this caste and class system. The most important interesting thing I found while reading is his childhood name Neel( one of the name of Lord Shiva) Halwa, Keralite, Malyali Culture, Glimpses from his childhood all kept readers interest on track till end. His innocent answer to Charlie on asking for swimming page 86 Charlie Aren’t you swimming today? He shook his head and relied “water is dirty”. Charlie “ Not dirty.’’ He replied in Malayam.” The stream comes from a sacred river. Removes all pollution. This conversation Between author and Charlie clearly states that filth is in the Mind Body and Soul of human being God, Natural resources and a child’s heart free from all sort of pollution. The most fascinating is the way he weaves the past and present,facts and personal memoirs in a wonderful way.
This book reminded of Pandit Nehru as if He is trying to convey or rectify India and its system which he left in between or wanted to complete. Dr Shashi Tharoor Scholar, Orator and A Gem as Writer and Politician.
Rajni Vashist
May 22, 2018
There are books you want to read and then there are books that you may not really want to read but must do so. This is a fabulous offering by Shashi Tharoor and offers pretty deep insights into the post independence history of India.
While this may not be everyone's cup of tea, readers would do well to have this one in their cabinets. When it is Tharoor you do expect brilliant at times complicated English but enthralling language nonetheless, and that's exactly what he offers you in this book.
Something which stayed with me is his unbiased viewpoint of many significant events in Indian History. He hasn't spared the Congress either. Of course whether his other themes and view points are subjective or biased may evoke a debate but while reading the book your attention should be on Tharoor's observation and his attempt to offer a solution.
Divided pluralism, constitutionslity, the parochialism embedded within us, the NRI conundrum, era of Nehruvian empire and the sustained legacy that followed, his take on all issues whether political, social, economic, environmental or procedural. All this will keep you hooked. As an Indian they may not be new to you, but Tharoor does a great job of not just lamenting but offering realistic hope as well.
His rich experience is invariably brought to the fore and if the reader is nor alert he may lose the plot easily.
This is no quick fix read. Read at the pace it deserves to be read and you'll have something good to take away.
This is a must read if Indian History is what entices you or if you are looking to delve deeper into the world of knowledge this is a sure shot pick up. It won't get done quickly but once it does you'll be happy you read it.
While this may not be everyone's cup of tea, readers would do well to have this one in their cabinets. When it is Tharoor you do expect brilliant at times complicated English but enthralling language nonetheless, and that's exactly what he offers you in this book.
Something which stayed with me is his unbiased viewpoint of many significant events in Indian History. He hasn't spared the Congress either. Of course whether his other themes and view points are subjective or biased may evoke a debate but while reading the book your attention should be on Tharoor's observation and his attempt to offer a solution.
Divided pluralism, constitutionslity, the parochialism embedded within us, the NRI conundrum, era of Nehruvian empire and the sustained legacy that followed, his take on all issues whether political, social, economic, environmental or procedural. All this will keep you hooked. As an Indian they may not be new to you, but Tharoor does a great job of not just lamenting but offering realistic hope as well.
His rich experience is invariably brought to the fore and if the reader is nor alert he may lose the plot easily.
This is no quick fix read. Read at the pace it deserves to be read and you'll have something good to take away.
This is a must read if Indian History is what entices you or if you are looking to delve deeper into the world of knowledge this is a sure shot pick up. It won't get done quickly but once it does you'll be happy you read it.
January 9, 2009
Interesting book, well written and offered some interesting although not always unique or insightful content. The book is part history/part Tharoor's observations about various aspects of life in India. Sometimes I found some of the topics he chose to elaborate about too random and disjointed from the rest of the book in general. For instance, the whole "India at 49" chapter where he spends time talking about everything from Indian cooking to cricket to Bollywood seemed pointless except to arouse interest in India and Indian things (maybe because the book is targeted more to a non-Indian audience?). In any case, what spices the Indian housewife uses in cooking has little relevance to the story of India from midnight to millennium. Similarly, dedicating an entire chapter to his childhood in Kerala and his exposure to casteism was unnecessary, especially because the only insight he offers in it is that casteism is prevalent in rural India (anyone who has lived in India is well aware of this).
Overall, the book touches about various issues important to India but doesn't offer great insight or go into depth into too many of them. Someone who is fairly familiar with the contemporary history of India can skip this book. Otherwise, it is a good introduction to contemporary issues in India.
Overall, the book touches about various issues important to India but doesn't offer great insight or go into depth into too many of them. Someone who is fairly familiar with the contemporary history of India can skip this book. Otherwise, it is a good introduction to contemporary issues in India.
February 18, 2015
India: From Midnight to the Millennium and Beyond, is written in a limited context of an expatriate India. His thoughts about the economic and social development in India since the midnight of independence.
The book defines the difference in economic growth during the reign of Nehru vis-a-vis that when Narasimha Rao was in power. The economic reforms brought in by Manmohan Singh. The is a stark delineation against fundamentalism or communalism, whether it is of Hindus or Muslims. There are instances where Tharoor has even pummelled Indira Gandhi and Congress. The decisions made for India during and after the prime ministership of Ms Gandhi are thrashed by Tharoor. Great Deal of detailing on emergency is seen in the book, which was more untoward. This look more passive aggressive the way depicted in the book for his own political party.
At places the book becomes more of a narrative about own vantage point about a issue and looses the holistic view.
Finally the very optimistic Tharoor, makes headway for brighter future of India in years to come. Reduction of poverty, corruption, and establishment of secularism, not just in words but in action.
Overall, a good book but Id rather go for India Unbound by Gurucharan Das for similar account on India, since independence.
The book defines the difference in economic growth during the reign of Nehru vis-a-vis that when Narasimha Rao was in power. The economic reforms brought in by Manmohan Singh. The is a stark delineation against fundamentalism or communalism, whether it is of Hindus or Muslims. There are instances where Tharoor has even pummelled Indira Gandhi and Congress. The decisions made for India during and after the prime ministership of Ms Gandhi are thrashed by Tharoor. Great Deal of detailing on emergency is seen in the book, which was more untoward. This look more passive aggressive the way depicted in the book for his own political party.
At places the book becomes more of a narrative about own vantage point about a issue and looses the holistic view.
Finally the very optimistic Tharoor, makes headway for brighter future of India in years to come. Reduction of poverty, corruption, and establishment of secularism, not just in words but in action.
Overall, a good book but Id rather go for India Unbound by Gurucharan Das for similar account on India, since independence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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