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Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India
History repeats; it also instructs. History familiarizes; it also warns.
These prophetic words find resonance in Undaunted, the latest book by P. Chidambaram, in
which he helps readers understand what has happened to India in 2018, rather than what has
happened in India.
Like every free citizen, thinker and liberal, he feels deeply and strongly about the developments
of the Modi era, which, in his own words, have been the ‘most challenging and adventurous that
I have spent as an Opposition politician’.
Carrying on undaunted by the power of the State, he writes boldly on a plethora of subjects—the
interference of the central government in institutions, the complete derailment of an economy that
was previously cruising at a growth rate of 7.5 per cent and the polarization of an ancient civilization
that threatens its very survival. He also casts a sharp eye on the sweeping changes in the political
battleground and the significant setbacks suffered by the government in the foreign policy arena.
In this collection of incisive essays published in 2018 as a weekly column in The Indian Express,
Chidambaram brings to bear a wealth of experience, mastery of the subject matter and an engaging
writing style to critically examine the most defining question of 2019—Are we facing the end of
the ‘idea of India’ given to us by our founding fathers?
Undaunted serves as a contemporary record of the most important events that affected the country—
for better or worse—in the year gone by.
These prophetic words find resonance in Undaunted, the latest book by P. Chidambaram, in
which he helps readers understand what has happened to India in 2018, rather than what has
happened in India.
Like every free citizen, thinker and liberal, he feels deeply and strongly about the developments
of the Modi era, which, in his own words, have been the ‘most challenging and adventurous that
I have spent as an Opposition politician’.
Carrying on undaunted by the power of the State, he writes boldly on a plethora of subjects—the
interference of the central government in institutions, the complete derailment of an economy that
was previously cruising at a growth rate of 7.5 per cent and the polarization of an ancient civilization
that threatens its very survival. He also casts a sharp eye on the sweeping changes in the political
battleground and the significant setbacks suffered by the government in the foreign policy arena.
In this collection of incisive essays published in 2018 as a weekly column in The Indian Express,
Chidambaram brings to bear a wealth of experience, mastery of the subject matter and an engaging
writing style to critically examine the most defining question of 2019—Are we facing the end of
the ‘idea of India’ given to us by our founding fathers?
Undaunted serves as a contemporary record of the most important events that affected the country—
for better or worse—in the year gone by.
- GenresNonfiction
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 26, 2022
Brilliant set of articles by P. Chidambaram. Only a person of his clarity and understanding could pen down such articles. They range from politics to state of the economy and international relations. Written in 2018 and on occasions depressing, they are all still relevant.
April 19, 2020
P Chidambaram is stoic, yet he is fierce.
This book is a compilation of articles and writing which was published in the year 2018, across various newspapers, but majorly Indian Express. As an old saying goes "Without data, you are just a man with opinion", Chidambaram knows he might be considered as an usual opposition without much data to back his claims. He knows that well. Solidly he defends his arguments with up-to-date data, only to make sure his party loses the 2019 election again, showing how much of the actual population involved in voting doesn't seem to be concerned about these numbers of growth and slump. This book is an excellent example for why a political campaign cannot be relied on decrepit tools such as newspaper articles, books and blogs, especially in an Indian scenario whose population is divided more than ever on the basis of caste, religion and class. Sure the voters might have their own reason to pick their candidate and the reasons discussed here in this book are of least importance to them.
The book contains writing on different subjects such as finance, budget, politics, Jammu & Kashmir, development and foreign policy. P Chidambaram is an eminent scholar in the fields of economics and law, yet he doesn't oppose or criticize the various judgement of the apex court, showing his utmost commitment to the democracy (or he does not want to be booked for contempt of court). His stand in the economic policy which can be called as left-of-center, views on J&K and much more topics which he discussed in this book are just mere reflection of his own party and he has portrayed it well enough to convince the reader why 2018 was a crucial year in Indian politics.
Personally, I found few topics to of much more importance, especially the foreign policy and budget which touched upon ever growing concern among the Indians with China at the top securing its hegemony in the Asian realm, while the South India has its much more bigger concern of ever depleting share of budget. The final two pages of Index are useful on academic viewpoint.
Once again, a book or a newspaper article is a poor choice for political campaign and after reading this book, one can believe that the fate of Congress would have been better today, if the contents of the book were made to reach the common citizen including the citizens of lower strata who have his never ending hope on Indian political parties, only to keep re-electing his candidate, elections after elections. Hope some day, these numbers and data make sense to the people of India.
This book is a compilation of articles and writing which was published in the year 2018, across various newspapers, but majorly Indian Express. As an old saying goes "Without data, you are just a man with opinion", Chidambaram knows he might be considered as an usual opposition without much data to back his claims. He knows that well. Solidly he defends his arguments with up-to-date data, only to make sure his party loses the 2019 election again, showing how much of the actual population involved in voting doesn't seem to be concerned about these numbers of growth and slump. This book is an excellent example for why a political campaign cannot be relied on decrepit tools such as newspaper articles, books and blogs, especially in an Indian scenario whose population is divided more than ever on the basis of caste, religion and class. Sure the voters might have their own reason to pick their candidate and the reasons discussed here in this book are of least importance to them.
The book contains writing on different subjects such as finance, budget, politics, Jammu & Kashmir, development and foreign policy. P Chidambaram is an eminent scholar in the fields of economics and law, yet he doesn't oppose or criticize the various judgement of the apex court, showing his utmost commitment to the democracy (or he does not want to be booked for contempt of court). His stand in the economic policy which can be called as left-of-center, views on J&K and much more topics which he discussed in this book are just mere reflection of his own party and he has portrayed it well enough to convince the reader why 2018 was a crucial year in Indian politics.
Personally, I found few topics to of much more importance, especially the foreign policy and budget which touched upon ever growing concern among the Indians with China at the top securing its hegemony in the Asian realm, while the South India has its much more bigger concern of ever depleting share of budget. The final two pages of Index are useful on academic viewpoint.
Once again, a book or a newspaper article is a poor choice for political campaign and after reading this book, one can believe that the fate of Congress would have been better today, if the contents of the book were made to reach the common citizen including the citizens of lower strata who have his never ending hope on Indian political parties, only to keep re-electing his candidate, elections after elections. Hope some day, these numbers and data make sense to the people of India.
February 25, 2024
Political statements only,
The articles were objective to extent that it appeared to be speeches made at election rallies. Every article was aimed at attacking one political party. In the book a political leader was visible but a writer was missing..
The articles were objective to extent that it appeared to be speeches made at election rallies. Every article was aimed at attacking one political party. In the book a political leader was visible but a writer was missing..
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews