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The Presidential Years: 2012–2017

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The Presidential Years offers a fascinating account of how one of the country’s most respected veteran politicians reshaped the functioning of Rashtrapati Bhavan and responded to tumultuous events as the country’s first citizen, leaving behind a legacy that will be hard to match. Pranab Mukherjee became President of India after having spent several decades in politics, and there was great speculation over how he would approach his new bipartisan role after having been associated with a political party for so many years of his life. By the time he had served his term, Mukherjee had won the respect and admiration of people from across the political spectrum, including those who were his rivals when he was a political figure. He had the occasion to work with two prime ministers, belonging to two parties who were (and are) fiercely opposed to each other, and he managed to do so with aplomb.

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 5, 2021

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149 people want to read

About the author

Pranab Mukherjee

12 books22 followers
Pranab Mukherjee is an Indian politician who was the 13th President of India. A man of unparalleled experience in governance, he has the rare distinction of having served at different times as Foreign, Defence, Commerce and Finance Minister. He was elected to the Upper House of the Parliament (Rajya Sabha) five times from 1969 and twice to the Lower House of the Parliament (Lok Sabha) from 2004. He was a member of the Congress Working Committee, the highest policy making body of the Party for a period of 23 years. A powerful orator and scholar, Shri Mukherjee’s intellectual and political prowess as well as remarkable knowledge of international relations, financial affairs and parliamentary process are widely admired. He has been acclaimed for his role as a consensus builder on difficult national issues through his ability to forge unity amongst the diverse political parties that form part of India’s vibrant multi-party democracy.

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5 stars
42 (28%)
4 stars
34 (23%)
3 stars
52 (35%)
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13 (8%)
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Ruchi Patel.
1,148 reviews95 followers
January 27, 2021
I have skipped the rating part here as I feel too obliged that I got to read this and I am too nervous to review this book. So I have decided to rather discuss about this book. I will mention key features and content. Initially I believed that it will be difficult to interpret because of terminologies and discussion. So I took my time and picked up but during the introduction only, my myth was broken. During the oath ceremony, the president felt goosebumps. That was something realistic. And by that, I think I connected with the writing. He has discussed some key events and incidents in the book. This book was everywhere on news before I picked it up. And I can proudly say that those all news headlines and descriptions were correct. Author has covered some important issues that we are well aware from media and newspapers but it was really interesting to read from the president’s point of view because we can easily judge one’s decisions until we are on that post or that chair. The president has responsibilities for entire nation. So we can’t imagine that dilemma. The book gave glimpse of all of those matters. The pictures included are interesting plus each picture tells a story or brings back memories. Overall quite informative and enjoyable read for me. A definitely five stars read. And a must read. Strongly recommended from my side.
Profile Image for Yoshita Sood.
159 reviews15 followers
August 18, 2021
(3.5/5) If you're expecting some sort of masala or breaking political scandal in this book, you'll be disappointed. Late Pranab Mukherjee has a written a very presidential book, for the lack of a better word.

The President of India is the nominal and titular head of the state with the real power with the executive. You can sense the maturity and responsibilities even an ex-president has while writing a personal book. One thing which I admire is Mukherjee's staunch support of the union cabinet's pov irrespective of his personal opinion, whether it was the UPA or the NDA. However he manages to convey his disapproval of some specific policies in a sentence or two.
Profile Image for Saurabh Pandey.
168 reviews8 followers
February 15, 2021
This is a collection of chapters which covers the journey of our former President, his views on the policies of both the current as well as the previous government. He has very briefly covered the constitutional scheme which has been questioned at times about the relations between the centre and state government.
You can read this book if you want to know in details about the tenure of Hon'ble President Pranab Mukherjee.
Profile Image for Jaiwanth.
8 reviews1 follower
July 30, 2021
You will be disappointed if you expect some groundbreaking exposé or some revealing new insider information.

He was surely keeping himself at bay from going into controversial territory, as his remarks on China, formation of Telangana and coalition politics are pretty meek and he has stronger opinions which he has not disclosed.

The author was a pretty dignified president in my opinion, and he has written this book in the same nerve.

You will enjoy this book if you have a niche interest on the president's role in Indian polity and external affairs, otherwise there's nothing here.
Profile Image for Preetam Chatterjee.
6,740 reviews355 followers
September 1, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Indian Government and Politics

The Presidential Years: 2012–2017 is the final volume of Pranab Mukherjee’s memoir series, and unlike the earlier books, this one carries the weight of quiet authority.

In the previous volumes, he wrote as a participant, a strategist, and a minister negotiating the messy world of coalition politics and party intrigue. Here, however, he writes as the custodian of the Constitution, reflecting on his years in Rashtrapati Bhavan with the calm detachment of someone who had stepped away from the fray yet remained deeply attentive to the pulse of the nation.

Mukherjee’s prose continues to be steady and unembellished, but the very restraint adds gravitas. He walks the reader through five years that were politically crucial for India—the twilight of the UPA-II government, the transition to the Narendra Modi era, and the changing political landscape that followed.

What makes the narrative compelling is that it is not weighed down by sentimentality; instead, Mukherjee approaches each episode with a constitutionalist’s lens, reminding the reader of the delicate balance between the executive, the legislature, and the President’s own limited yet significant role.

The book contains moments of candour that stand out. Mukherjee does not shy away from noting the failings of the Congress in 2014, especially its inability to project effective leadership, though he does so without malice. At the same time, he records with fairness his professional interactions with Narendra Modi, reflecting his belief that the President’s duty is to rise above party politics and engage with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet with dignity and impartiality. His descriptions of state visits, ceremonial duties, and his effort to modernise Rashtrapati Bhavan might sound procedural in another writer’s hands, but with Mukherjee they carry the weight of history, for he saw them as part of the living fabric of Indian democracy.

There are also poignant reflections on what it meant for him personally to assume the role. Mukherjee, who had been so close to becoming Prime Minister at various points, now stood as the constitutional head of the Republic, witnessing power rather than wielding it. Instead of regret, he displays acceptance—a sense that this was the role destiny had carved out for him, and he embraced it fully, ensuring that the office of the President retained its dignity and relevance in an age of intense political polarisation.

This final memoir also works as a mirror to India itself in those years—a nation experiencing rapid political change, debates about identity and governance, and a shift in power equations. Mukherjee presents all of this without polemics, almost like a historian compiling his final notes. There is serenity in his approach, but also a quiet warning: democracy depends not on grand rhetoric but on institutions, conventions, and the careful adherence to constitutional propriety.

Reading The Presidential Years after the earlier volumes feels like completing a long journey with Mukherjee—from the stormy corridors of power to the calm halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

It is not a dramatic finale, but a dignified one, consistent with the man himself: reflective, balanced, and principled. If his earlier memoirs were about the struggles and strategies of politics, this one is about perspective, closure, and the statesman’s last word.
Profile Image for Amit Pamnani.
93 reviews6 followers
February 5, 2021
THE PRESIDENTIAL YEARS by Pranab Mukherjee
This book is a keeper! It says it all when I start to write the review about this book.
The Presidential years by Pranab Mukherjee provides an insight into Presidents day to day activities and also about the operations of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Pranab Mukherjee has given a detailed experience as a President of India, his thoughts, his views and his suggestions towards the decisions taken by the Government of India during his tenure.
It’s almost like reading a journal which he might have written during his tenure and then he got it published for us all to read.
He explains the powers of the President, and then he writes about his experience with the two Prime Ministers he worked with including Dr. Singh and Narendra Modi and how they were both different in their approach. He describes the speeches which he gave, the preparations he used to make before the speech, and then he discusses various issues with delicate matters like the article 356, then dealing with mercy petitions, foreign policies, his visits to different countries and meeting with their heads of states etc.
Then, how they handled the two most important turning points in recent years in India’s history, namely the demonetization and implementation of GST. He gives his view on both the implementations and whether they succeeded or not in their goal.
It’s an interesting book, written in a very clear, concise language, and it gives reader an insight into an everyday life of a President. It was very interesting to read about the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the number of rooms it has, the banquet facilities, the hospitality section of the Bhavan, the gardens, the number of dignitaries it has hosted over so many decades etc.
The reader will get to know exactly what the powers of a President are and how he doesn’t interfere with day to day politics of the nation. It’s interesting to read about his visits to other countries and how he dealt with each one of them in a different way.
The book also has some interesting pictures of the President with various dignitaries of the world, making this book a compulsory addition to any book lovers’ book shelf.
I would give it a 5 on 5 and would not want to part with this book and would love to pass it on to my future generations so that they know more about Pranab Mukherjee as a person and as a President.


Profile Image for Romita Mukherjee.
488 reviews15 followers
February 12, 2021
"I personally believe that the office of the President of India is not to be sought. It is to be offered."

Power comes with the position and so comes responsibilities and obligations. " The Presidential Years" is the author's account of his journey as the President of India along with fleeting glimpses from his political career in the past.
Through this book, the author attempts to walk the readers through the various responsibilities and duties taken up by him and the challenges faced by him as the head of the state.

As the citizens of the country, there are times when we comment upon the actions of people in power without comprehending the entirety of the situation. However, this book gave me some serious insights regarding the numerous aspects that the head of the state needs to take into consideration before coming to a decision.
It also brought into light the immense pressure the head of the state is always in and how their every action is under scrutiny at every step.

I really appreciated the late President's approach in delivering his duties and his ways of dealing with complicated circumstances. His detailed analysis of some of the most significant episodes added depth to the narrative.
I enjoyed learning about the steps and initiatives he has taken in the hope of making India a better country.

From establishing a strong camaraderie with our neighbouring countries to strengthening the already existing bonds, from reviving the cultural and literary history of the Rashtrapati Bhawan to making the same accessible to the common people - the author's commitment towards his duties and responsibilities is commendable.

I am glad I got to read this book and I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Happy Reading.
Profile Image for Kausik Venkatesan.
16 reviews
January 4, 2022
[3.5/5]

Pranab Mukherji is one of my favourite politicians. A veteran of Indian politics, he has held many roles and responsibilities, held coveted posts in governments and was known for his calm and practical approach to solving problems. I definitely agree with the person who said he was the best prime minister India never had. Always the troubleshooter and No2 (well because he was considered too headstrong compared to the more pliable MMS). True to the post he held, and it's nature, the book does not spring too many surprises and is pretty ceremonial :P. He is quite diplomatic most of the time and only rarely gives a candid opinion.

Pros
(1) One gets inside perspective into the way the president thinks.
(2) He discusses at length the process and systems in a democracy - the judiciary, articles, ordinances. the emergency etc. To someone who knows a bit of politics, this isn't particularly new, but viewing it through his lens is. The wealth of knowledge he carries is evident, as is his knowledge of Indian politics.
(3)I dont think any president of India has a memoir - so we get a glimpse into presidential life, the responsibilities and burdens.
(4) I love his commentary on various leaders, their nature etc.
(5) The photos <3 !!

Cons
(1) It is pretty vanilla - insightful enough to titillate your senses a bit then goes to the next topic. It is very clear that he is being overly cautious not to disclose too much - we do not really know what Pranab the individual is thinking, not wearing the hat of the president.
(2) Though a pretty slim book, there are portions where some topics are pretty drawn out and boring.

A decent one time read.
Profile Image for Himani.
171 reviews10 followers
February 16, 2021
As a former president of free & democratic India, Pranab Mukherjee has done justice to the people by writing this book.

Talking about all the crucial issues that keep on coming up in the news now and then and are a topic of debate most of the times, Pranab Mukherjee has given me a lot of transparency when he talks about Article 365 which imposes President's rule in states, sometimes misused but still significant & How the Judiciary has given relief to people when they needed it the most but there are aspects to be noticed when it comes to the efficiency or filling of vacancies as we have 20 Judges per 10 lakh people( Allahabad HC has the high number of vacancies)

The best part of the book is when India's Foreign policy, it's relations with the neighbours are talked about which gives me so much clarity about past relations as well and how we as a country should approach thy neighbour.

I liked the book as I had the apprehension that our Late Former President would have used a strong vocabulary and I might lose interest but it was an opposite experience.

I appreciate how the President worked on the mercy petition cases during his tenure & that he wrote about Capital punishment & how it should not be an electoral issue rather a debatable subject.

I will highly advise the book if you're a Political Non-Fiction reader or want to gain some insights on contemporary issues.
Profile Image for Rishi Prakash.
382 reviews28 followers
April 21, 2021
I picked up this book from my father's shelf so it was kind of bonus to get one without buying it!

The book is a true reflection of how Pranab Da was in real- non-controversial and friendly with all! He rose slowly in the party by taking everyone along and also got many of the opposition leaders on his friends list because of his affable nature and that is exactly what comes out in this book as he has not spoken at all on any of the controversial topics and hence it is kind of let down for me!

This is a book that should be read to understand how an Indian President actually operates. He lays out the various problems and issues faced by him and how he dealt with them. I found his views on India's federal nature very illuminating. He discusses Judiciary, the issue of Mercy petitions, foreign policy, his visits as a President, his interaction with various leaders which was informative. The best part of the book is when India's Foreign policy, it's relations with the neighbours are talked about which gives me so much clarity about past relations as well and how we as a country should approach thy neighbour.

So the book is for you if you're a Political Non-Fiction reader or want to gain some insights on contemporary issues.
Profile Image for Vivek.
478 reviews25 followers
March 23, 2021
Hooter: A personal journal through his years as President of India

The two non politically correct opinions Pranab shared and went viral is pretty much the only bit in the entire book that feels heartfelt. Kinda like the movie whose best parts are in the trailer. The rest feels heavily edited with emotions pulled out of it. He talks about how he maintained his constitutional neutrality every time they was an issue in Congress and you could feel that he had taken to heart how he had been shunted from being a probable Prime Minister to a ceremonial President. The book captures some of the duties he performed as the President continuing to open up the veil of mystique in the office of the President to the common man. I guess it was the pain of a man who knew he could have beaten any contender in the boxing ring whilst he was made to sit ringside.

The most interesting part of the book is the collection of photographs he shares with the whose who from over the years part of his official engagements.
Profile Image for Shrestha Anupam.
34 reviews2 followers
October 16, 2022
Tbh, expected better from someone of Pranav Da's calibre. What was expected to be a highly insightful peek into the Indian polity turns out to be merely a general narrative mainly detailing the President's visits and India's relations with foreign countries. The not-so-subtle self-praise that this book is layered with doesn't help much either.

Can be definitely skipped!
Profile Image for Aditya Ajith.
21 reviews12 followers
April 29, 2021
Amidst all the mess I managed to finish this, slowly and steadily in whatever time I got in the last 2 weeks. Good read. Tall leader who oversaw the change of regimes. Just a recollection of memories of his years in the presidential Office.
17 reviews
January 27, 2021
Read this book if you want to understand why Pranab da is one of the best presidents of India and how useless position of president in India is.
12 reviews
March 17, 2021
Nothing interesting or worth reading than occasional one or two 'sensational' statements that made to media
1 review
March 30, 2021
Good read

A candid account of what he did in his Presidential tenure and his opinions on various issues concerning India and the World.
Profile Image for Sambuddha Mukherjee.
16 reviews
October 7, 2022

প্রণব মুখার্জ্জীর আত্মজীবনীর লাস্ট পার্ট, আগের দুটো পার্ট লকডাউনে কমপ্লিট করেছি। প্রায় ৩০০ পাতার বই। আমার অতি শ্রদ্ধার একটা মানুষ, ২০১২ থেকে ২০১৭ অব্ধি রাষ্ট্রপতি থাকাকালিন তাঁর অভিজ্ঞতার ঝুলি সঞ্চিত আছে।

এইসময়ের পররাষ্ট্রনীতি, ভারতরাষ্ট্রের আন্তর্জাতিক ভূমিকা, দেশের রাজনৈতিক ও আভ্যন্তরীণ অবস্থা স্থান পেয়েছে তাঁর insightful কলমে। পাশাপাশি ৩৭০ ধারা প্রত্যাহার, GST আরোপ, ইয়াকুব মেননের মৃত্যু, সার্জিকাল স্ট্রাইক থেকে শুরু করে নোটবাতিল- উঠে এসেছে দেশের আরো নানা বাস্তবতা ও তথ্য।

নাম না করে রাহুল গান্ধী ও গান্ধী পরিবারের রাজনৈতিক অযোগ্যতা ও যোগ্য নেতৃত্বের অভাবে কংগ্রেসের ভরাডুবি হওয়ার কথা বলেছেন। যা বাস্তব সত্য। বেশ অবাক লাগার মত করে নরেন্দ্র মোদীর প্রশংসাও আছে। আবার, সার্জিকাল স্ট্রাইককে যে রাজনৈতিক হাতিয়ার বানানো হচ্ছে, তার কড়াভাবে বলেছেন। বিভিন্ন ইস্যুকে তুলনা করেছেন তিনি কীভাবে বিদেশমন্ত্রী, অর্থমন্ত্রী, প্রতিরক্ষামন্ত্রী হিসেনে সামলেছিলেন আর NDA সরকার কীভাবে সামলাচ্ছে তারও।
8 reviews
May 3, 2021
This book offers a very strong account of functioning from the point of view of the President’s office, and helps us appreciate the dynamics of the relationship between the President and the Government, something very interesting to see especially when the President was appointed by the previous government.
I feel the book also offers a good starting point for people to see how the Presidency brings value to the governance of the country, a question often asked, especially given in Pranab Da’s own words “In a parliamentary form of democracy, such as that in India, the President is considered a titular head, with real power lying with a popularly elected government led by the PM.”

The book also sheds light on the relationship that Pranab Da had with the PM and the government, and explained in what areas he was able to make an impact with his prior experience in active politics (foreign policy, Judiciary etc.)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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