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Last Among Equals: Power, Caste & Politics in Bihar’s Villages
Sanjay Sahni was living an ‘araam zindagi’ in Delhi, working as an electrician, until a chance encounter with a computer sent him hurtling into the labyrinth that is the NREGA—one of the world’s largest rural poverty alleviation programmes—and the corruption within. It led him back to his village, where eventually, he and his comrades (primarily women from the Dalit and most backward castes) formed the anti-corruption group Manrega Watch. Their tale is one strand of village politics, a story of resilience among citizens, those outside the system.
But what of the ‘insiders’? The complex local-state unit of the village has at the top a mukhiya, who, like the one in Sanjay’s village, wields great power, even to do harm. Ward members—closest to their constituents and the most socially representative group in the panchayati raj system—are at the bottom of this structure.
Development economist M.R. Sharan brings these two interweaving strands of insiders and outsiders together to tell a tale of hope: that those on the margins can challenge entrenched hierarchies. Through government action—reservation, decentralisation, transparency measures—and through citizen engagement, social movements and elections, change is possible, if not necessarily easy. Take the resourceful ward member, Kamal Manjhi, who repurposed the grievance redressal system to complain against the state: this was essentially a member of the local state, using a state mechanism to arm-twist another part of the state to do its job.
Last Among Equals eschews the usual sweeping narratives of national and state politics, reaching instead for the ‘swirling, vivid sub-narratives that escape easy categorisations’, the darkness of the material leavened with deep empathy. The result is a captivating, often searing narrative of how lives are lived in the villages of Bihar—and indeed in much of India.
But what of the ‘insiders’? The complex local-state unit of the village has at the top a mukhiya, who, like the one in Sanjay’s village, wields great power, even to do harm. Ward members—closest to their constituents and the most socially representative group in the panchayati raj system—are at the bottom of this structure.
Development economist M.R. Sharan brings these two interweaving strands of insiders and outsiders together to tell a tale of hope: that those on the margins can challenge entrenched hierarchies. Through government action—reservation, decentralisation, transparency measures—and through citizen engagement, social movements and elections, change is possible, if not necessarily easy. Take the resourceful ward member, Kamal Manjhi, who repurposed the grievance redressal system to complain against the state: this was essentially a member of the local state, using a state mechanism to arm-twist another part of the state to do its job.
Last Among Equals eschews the usual sweeping narratives of national and state politics, reaching instead for the ‘swirling, vivid sub-narratives that escape easy categorisations’, the darkness of the material leavened with deep empathy. The result is a captivating, often searing narrative of how lives are lived in the villages of Bihar—and indeed in much of India.
246 pages, Hardcover
Published December 6, 2021
26 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 4, 2022
This book is about a lot of things; life in rural Bihar, the plague of caste hierarchies, the resulting economic inequality, rampant corruption, state & judicial apathy, electoral politics, and ad hoc campaigning but it is primarily an ode to Sanjay Sahni (a migrant worker turned activist) and mazdoors of Muzaffarpur (mostly women) who through their collective action continue to push the envelope against economic injustice and exploitation. It is a truly inspiring account of citizens from the margins of society, knocking on rusty old doors of polity & bureaucracy and holding them accountable.
February 21, 2022
Sometimes a book comes your way and touches your chords. I was least expecting that to happen when I started this book by "Saran g" as the author is called in the Bihari dialect. But the book just blew me away with its honesty, a perfect weave of story telling with hard quoted facts, policies and their economics.
I was so intrigued by the protagonist Sanjay Sahni that I looked him up on google and read what ever I could find on him. Where do Sanjay Sahni and his 800+ MW workers (just one example) get their energies from to battle everyday, navigating through the caste and administration hierarchies of the state. Not to forget that "State is more central to the lives of the poor" as rightly put by the author. The struggles of Sanjay Sahni and migrant workers get so alive at times that you want to be with them and helping them out in which ever way one can.
A wonderful book to read on Bihar, rural India, casteism, policies and challenges in their execution, economics of it and the changes that have come through over the years. supporting data and the notes definitely help in understanding the right situations and not believe in hearsay.
I was so intrigued by the protagonist Sanjay Sahni that I looked him up on google and read what ever I could find on him. Where do Sanjay Sahni and his 800+ MW workers (just one example) get their energies from to battle everyday, navigating through the caste and administration hierarchies of the state. Not to forget that "State is more central to the lives of the poor" as rightly put by the author. The struggles of Sanjay Sahni and migrant workers get so alive at times that you want to be with them and helping them out in which ever way one can.
A wonderful book to read on Bihar, rural India, casteism, policies and challenges in their execution, economics of it and the changes that have come through over the years. supporting data and the notes definitely help in understanding the right situations and not believe in hearsay.
January 30, 2022
One of the best books out there on Indian developmental economics. If you haven't heard of Sanjay Sahni and his work in Bihar for the underprivileged , this should easily be a must read.
January 28, 2022
A brilliantly written book which is largely accessible despite coming from an academic, "Last Among Equals" taught me a lot about Bihar, village politics, the interplay of caste and village politics, as well as the power of people's movements on the ground in rural areas. It's easily one of the best books I've read on politics as well as rural development.
I wish more people, especially from India, would read this.
I wish more people, especially from India, would read this.
April 16, 2025
Every character in this book is so damn colorful. I really felt like I was there, with Sanjay and Saran-G and the Devis of SPSS, with them as they fought the mukhiyas, with them as they found little victories at NaREGA chowk, with them as every once in a while the lumbering giant that is the state of Bihar woke from its slumber and lazily swept its arm across the polity, upending their lives. M R Sharan narrates little interactions and stories that make the characters come to life, interactions that offer both deep insights into their lives and worldviews as well as pure delight. In one instance, Sharan meets one fantastic Mandesar Ram, who mentions his past work as a 'refinery escape holder'. Sharan tries to understand the nature of the work that bestows this unique job title, and remains confused, until it dawns on him days later that 'escape holder' may be "Bihari for 'scaffolder'".
The characters' arcs are grand sagas, many of them accomplishing extraordinary feats in the face of larger-than-life adversaries. It is a great credit to M R Sharan that the stories are narrated so well and the characters written so vividly, because the book is not really about them. The book is actually about Bihar, the organization of its rural societies, the dynamic between its castes, and the great bureaucratic state. Throughout the narration that follows the lives of the people of Ratnauli, Sharan interweaves this grander story of Bihar. The characters' interactions with an arm of the state bureaucracy is accompanied by a short history of the political economy around that department, or the history of its creation. An unpleasant caste interaction is given historical context. Decades of Patna High Court and Indian Supreme Court rulings are discussed to explain the formation and existence of a law, the narration gracefully giving way to a protagonist colliding with said law. Sharan moves between the immediate story of the characters and the broad story of history seamlessly, and the deeper understanding this context gives to a reader like me who has never visited Bihar and has a minimal understanding of its politics is priceless. The last time I read a book that did this so well was Sharanya Bhattacharya's Desparately Seeking Shah Rukh. This is by far the most powerful kind of political economy writing for a general audience.
M R Sharan also deeply understands the Indian bureaucratic state: he did, as I understand, play an important role in supporting Bihar's Public Grievance Redressal system during his work at IDFC. His comments on the bureaucracies are therefore incisive, and his descriptions of the characters' wars with them are imbued with the appropriate amount of exaltation.
I loved this book. It feels like essential reading to understand the political economy and governance in the heartlands of India. A phenomenal accomplishment of storytelling, journalism, and economics writing.
The characters' arcs are grand sagas, many of them accomplishing extraordinary feats in the face of larger-than-life adversaries. It is a great credit to M R Sharan that the stories are narrated so well and the characters written so vividly, because the book is not really about them. The book is actually about Bihar, the organization of its rural societies, the dynamic between its castes, and the great bureaucratic state. Throughout the narration that follows the lives of the people of Ratnauli, Sharan interweaves this grander story of Bihar. The characters' interactions with an arm of the state bureaucracy is accompanied by a short history of the political economy around that department, or the history of its creation. An unpleasant caste interaction is given historical context. Decades of Patna High Court and Indian Supreme Court rulings are discussed to explain the formation and existence of a law, the narration gracefully giving way to a protagonist colliding with said law. Sharan moves between the immediate story of the characters and the broad story of history seamlessly, and the deeper understanding this context gives to a reader like me who has never visited Bihar and has a minimal understanding of its politics is priceless. The last time I read a book that did this so well was Sharanya Bhattacharya's Desparately Seeking Shah Rukh. This is by far the most powerful kind of political economy writing for a general audience.
M R Sharan also deeply understands the Indian bureaucratic state: he did, as I understand, play an important role in supporting Bihar's Public Grievance Redressal system during his work at IDFC. His comments on the bureaucracies are therefore incisive, and his descriptions of the characters' wars with them are imbued with the appropriate amount of exaltation.
I loved this book. It feels like essential reading to understand the political economy and governance in the heartlands of India. A phenomenal accomplishment of storytelling, journalism, and economics writing.
December 1, 2025
"He who looks for large-scale social change must be possessed...by the passion for what is possible rather than rely on what has been certified as probable" - Hirschmann
Perhaps with this sentiment in mind, the Indian state proposes rural development programs. And perhaps the most ambitious amongst these is NREGA.
This story is about Sanjay Sahni, an electrician from Ratnauli, Bihar, who turned activist after a simple Google search 'NREGA Bihar' revealed that payment records for NREGA labourers in his village were fabricated. Throughout M.R. Sharan gives us a tour through various efforts such as reservations for the mukhiya post to have proportionate Dalit representation, Nal-Jal and Nali-Gali Yojna to provide infrastructure in villages, BPGRA to address public grievances against the state. In Bihar, the realities of implementing NREGA or any of the other efforts reflect the 'deeply entrenched caste system' - a phrase that comes alive in the many anecdotes in this book - that powers politics, especially in villages.
Perhaps with this sentiment in mind, the Indian state proposes rural development programs. And perhaps the most ambitious amongst these is NREGA.
This story is about Sanjay Sahni, an electrician from Ratnauli, Bihar, who turned activist after a simple Google search 'NREGA Bihar' revealed that payment records for NREGA labourers in his village were fabricated. Throughout M.R. Sharan gives us a tour through various efforts such as reservations for the mukhiya post to have proportionate Dalit representation, Nal-Jal and Nali-Gali Yojna to provide infrastructure in villages, BPGRA to address public grievances against the state. In Bihar, the realities of implementing NREGA or any of the other efforts reflect the 'deeply entrenched caste system' - a phrase that comes alive in the many anecdotes in this book - that powers politics, especially in villages.
December 23, 2025
I am a kind of a soothsayer apparently. What are the odds that I read a faithful and optimistic account of the fierily extraordinary MNREGA just a few days before it is cruelly dismembered. And only weeks after Bihar disappoints everyone. Thanks to this book - MNREGA never failed. As long as it is made to succeed, it will work. And Bihar never failed. Bihar is striving to succeed, provided hope is given, and it is jolted to life.
February 5, 2022
Being from Bihar I can relate to whatever M.R. Sharan have to say.
I also think in Bihar there is will of people to fight but then also to resist. The book kind of point it out.
However, what a journey and we'll described book.
I also think in Bihar there is will of people to fight but then also to resist. The book kind of point it out.
However, what a journey and we'll described book.
March 6, 2022
We are aware of the fact that Bihar is one of the poorest state in India. There are millions of problems particular to Bihar which make the day to day life a struggle for the most. There are caste hierarchies which run deep and dominate the life of those on the last rung. Sadly, there is little political will for bringing change but to perpetuate it for electoral advantage. Sometimes it seems it’s a wonder how this broke state is still functioning.
The grim realities of the state where I grew up are far more severe and shocking. This book is an attempt to bring a few of those to common consciousness. Ample research is done on Bihar and on the issues surrounding Bihar. It might be a hotbed for economists and social scientists to run their research but hardly anything comes to the public for reading. The book clears this academic barrier by giving it a lucid fictional sort of narrative with true tales. It is readable and interesting but does not water down the seriousness of the matter at hand.
The grim realities of the state where I grew up are far more severe and shocking. This book is an attempt to bring a few of those to common consciousness. Ample research is done on Bihar and on the issues surrounding Bihar. It might be a hotbed for economists and social scientists to run their research but hardly anything comes to the public for reading. The book clears this academic barrier by giving it a lucid fictional sort of narrative with true tales. It is readable and interesting but does not water down the seriousness of the matter at hand.
November 26, 2023
A Bihar saga worth one's time
This is a very personal chronicle. Quite honest and a very good mirror to understanding Bihar's subaltern political reality of today.
This is a very personal chronicle. Quite honest and a very good mirror to understanding Bihar's subaltern political reality of today.
May 23, 2023
In this poignant account of how power, caste and politics operate in Bihar's villages, M.R. Sharan recalls the case of Mandesar Ram, a ward member in Bihar, who wanted to get piped water delivered to households in his ward. He had a bank account opened for his ward, received funds from the state's treasuries, paid a contractor to lay pipes and taps. He then went on to install a pump to draw groundwater. But to run this pump, he needed electricity.
Mandesar is from a Dalit community (and so are a large share of households in his ward). Landlords - hailing from the dominant Bhumihar community - refused to let electric lines pass through their fallow, unused land, thereby stalling access to the electricity needed to get water in the pipes and taps in Mandesar's ward.
Reflecting on Mandesar's case, Sharan observes:
"Pipes and taps did not add up to running water. This is true of several such projects in densely packed, socially broken Bihar: they remain half-finished and mired in land disputes. Decentralisation can only get one so far. The combined powers of a Dalit ward member and a government-mandated decentralisation move can be overcome by nothing more than a bunch of scheming Bhumihar landlords."
Mandesar's case is not an exception. I happened to read this chapter just days after we analysed data from a household survey to understand access to piped drinking water in India. Even as the Jal Jeevan Mission is bringing tap water connections to more and more households each day, a little over a third of Indian households said that they relied on tap water as their primary source of drinking water (as of 2021-22), we found. This varied by caste - while almost half of dominant-caste households reported access to piped drinking water at the national level in 2020-21, this was true for only 30 percent of households belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) communities and 21 percent of Scheduled Tribes (ST) households.
There is much reason for heartbreak, shame and frustration enmeshed in all this evidence, but there is also a churning that can feel both defeatist and hopeful at the same time. Mandesar persisted, and eventually got what was his due. But caste-based discrimination continues to puncture people's access to their basic rights. While there's only so many battles anyone can fight, I do hope that in the din of our focus on all our grant-driven priorities, we don't lose sight of the bigger picture - our biggest battles are still very much here.
I'd say - Go.Read.The.Book.Now.
Mandesar is from a Dalit community (and so are a large share of households in his ward). Landlords - hailing from the dominant Bhumihar community - refused to let electric lines pass through their fallow, unused land, thereby stalling access to the electricity needed to get water in the pipes and taps in Mandesar's ward.
Reflecting on Mandesar's case, Sharan observes:
"Pipes and taps did not add up to running water. This is true of several such projects in densely packed, socially broken Bihar: they remain half-finished and mired in land disputes. Decentralisation can only get one so far. The combined powers of a Dalit ward member and a government-mandated decentralisation move can be overcome by nothing more than a bunch of scheming Bhumihar landlords."
Mandesar's case is not an exception. I happened to read this chapter just days after we analysed data from a household survey to understand access to piped drinking water in India. Even as the Jal Jeevan Mission is bringing tap water connections to more and more households each day, a little over a third of Indian households said that they relied on tap water as their primary source of drinking water (as of 2021-22), we found. This varied by caste - while almost half of dominant-caste households reported access to piped drinking water at the national level in 2020-21, this was true for only 30 percent of households belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) communities and 21 percent of Scheduled Tribes (ST) households.
There is much reason for heartbreak, shame and frustration enmeshed in all this evidence, but there is also a churning that can feel both defeatist and hopeful at the same time. Mandesar persisted, and eventually got what was his due. But caste-based discrimination continues to puncture people's access to their basic rights. While there's only so many battles anyone can fight, I do hope that in the din of our focus on all our grant-driven priorities, we don't lose sight of the bigger picture - our biggest battles are still very much here.
I'd say - Go.Read.The.Book.Now.
January 13, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It felt as if I was reading some Novel based on shyam Benegal's movie.
It's a brilliant work well woven around the MGNREGA/ NREGA workers of Ratnauli & Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
At one place author recognises the important role played by
the constitutional amendments which have legally safeguarded democractic rights of the workers at the panchayat level. We all know that legal safeguards are a first guarantee by the constitution for any democracy to become real for all.
We come across resilience of workers in asking for their rights from powerful mukhiyas who are upper caste people & are unwilling to share government grants.
Ward members who represent few hundred house holds& come from variety of caste, about their role & struggle for the use of grants, specially when they come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Loved the style of story telling through Sanjay sahni an electrician becoming the leader of an important people's movement. The Book strikingly talks about movement becoming bigger with the dominant participation of women, backward classes & Dalits.It heartening to see people succeed in getting their problems solved as ,at one place author says, ... you dream of a story where the scheming mighty fall because the many weak fight as one unbroken whole..... .
Movements succeed as struggles when they are strong from with in & outside support makes it relevant when driven by big ideas.
Staging dharnas, organising rallies, meetings, bringing awareness among workers by holding sabhas & by talking to the people on one to one basis shows their desire to improve and spark social change.
It's heart warming to see 24x7 availability of Sanjay , and to see people forcing apathetic state machinery deliver & work towards the rights of the workers.
In between we also come across the state elections & Sanjay's candidature , at one point when he is asked about how it feels to contest elections & ,his reply on lighter note made me laugh when he said it feels like a film shoot.
The Book made me sit on the edge of the chair when I read about big names & people supporting his cause like famous economist Jean Dreze, Shailja Tandon, and other students from good foreign Universities coming to help & just to be a part of the transformation which was happening in this small village of Bihar.
It's a brilliant work well woven around the MGNREGA/ NREGA workers of Ratnauli & Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
At one place author recognises the important role played by
the constitutional amendments which have legally safeguarded democractic rights of the workers at the panchayat level. We all know that legal safeguards are a first guarantee by the constitution for any democracy to become real for all.
We come across resilience of workers in asking for their rights from powerful mukhiyas who are upper caste people & are unwilling to share government grants.
Ward members who represent few hundred house holds& come from variety of caste, about their role & struggle for the use of grants, specially when they come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Loved the style of story telling through Sanjay sahni an electrician becoming the leader of an important people's movement. The Book strikingly talks about movement becoming bigger with the dominant participation of women, backward classes & Dalits.It heartening to see people succeed in getting their problems solved as ,at one place author says, ... you dream of a story where the scheming mighty fall because the many weak fight as one unbroken whole..... .
Movements succeed as struggles when they are strong from with in & outside support makes it relevant when driven by big ideas.
Staging dharnas, organising rallies, meetings, bringing awareness among workers by holding sabhas & by talking to the people on one to one basis shows their desire to improve and spark social change.
It's heart warming to see 24x7 availability of Sanjay , and to see people forcing apathetic state machinery deliver & work towards the rights of the workers.
In between we also come across the state elections & Sanjay's candidature , at one point when he is asked about how it feels to contest elections & ,his reply on lighter note made me laugh when he said it feels like a film shoot.
The Book made me sit on the edge of the chair when I read about big names & people supporting his cause like famous economist Jean Dreze, Shailja Tandon, and other students from good foreign Universities coming to help & just to be a part of the transformation which was happening in this small village of Bihar.
March 5, 2022
Of late, I have started reading more non-fiction centered on India and that is how I stumbled upon this gem of a find. As the name of the book suggests, it is a great take on the symphony of caste, power and politics in Bihar as serves as a great primer for people interested in giving a closer look at Bihar.
The journey and transformation of the protagonist around whom the author has built the narrative of the text is at the very least inspiring. It tells you that despite all odds, there are people who have no means and yet they willingly take on a rather strenuous journey to awaken and empower their brethren in what-ever means they can. It also shows you the power of a collective - not enough to jolt the Government overnight, but enough to keep nudging it slowly and painstakingly in the right direction - which is to serve people.
Underlying all this is the sad reality of India on the whole and not just Bihar - caste and how it affects one. As the book has tried its best to show, people have been marginalized over the ages and continue to be all because of the caste to which they are born. Despite the best intentions of the programs and policies of the Governments to bring everyone on a level playing field, it is in the end "people" on the ground who are tasked with implementation, who willingly or unwillingly fail to act in the best interests and either succumb of just uphold the same prejudices of yesteryears.
All in all, a great read.
The journey and transformation of the protagonist around whom the author has built the narrative of the text is at the very least inspiring. It tells you that despite all odds, there are people who have no means and yet they willingly take on a rather strenuous journey to awaken and empower their brethren in what-ever means they can. It also shows you the power of a collective - not enough to jolt the Government overnight, but enough to keep nudging it slowly and painstakingly in the right direction - which is to serve people.
Underlying all this is the sad reality of India on the whole and not just Bihar - caste and how it affects one. As the book has tried its best to show, people have been marginalized over the ages and continue to be all because of the caste to which they are born. Despite the best intentions of the programs and policies of the Governments to bring everyone on a level playing field, it is in the end "people" on the ground who are tasked with implementation, who willingly or unwillingly fail to act in the best interests and either succumb of just uphold the same prejudices of yesteryears.
All in all, a great read.
January 20, 2025
This book reintroduced me to my roots. With the vivid descriptions of rural bihar, I was back at nob gaon (naya gaon) with my paternal family, which now feels like a childhood dream. I grew appreciative of my homeland, yet with the help of this book I was able to recognize the evils deep rooted in that society.
This was probably the best book on caste division, abuse of power in Bihar (and Indian) politics, and the state of women in rural India, I have read till date. The book was in equal parts palatable for readers with less context about the region, its economics and politics, and at the same time, it provided rigorous RCTs with results and analysis that as an Economics graduate, I thoroughly enjoyed.
I found myself genuinely laughing at multiple instances and marvelling at the brilliant plot twists that were laid out on every other page. I was also emotionally invested in the story of the different characters introduced in the book, especially Sanjay Sahni. This made the pages go by fast. The book was brought together beautifully and can act as a great introduction to the politics of Bihar, MGNREGA and caste divide across the region.
This was probably the best book on caste division, abuse of power in Bihar (and Indian) politics, and the state of women in rural India, I have read till date. The book was in equal parts palatable for readers with less context about the region, its economics and politics, and at the same time, it provided rigorous RCTs with results and analysis that as an Economics graduate, I thoroughly enjoyed.
I found myself genuinely laughing at multiple instances and marvelling at the brilliant plot twists that were laid out on every other page. I was also emotionally invested in the story of the different characters introduced in the book, especially Sanjay Sahni. This made the pages go by fast. The book was brought together beautifully and can act as a great introduction to the politics of Bihar, MGNREGA and caste divide across the region.
August 20, 2023
“Here is the other thing about Bihar and hazy memories—rural Bihar, even more than rural India—seems to be afflicted by a general fogginess about the past: the windshield of memory is always misted up. What’s more, rather than try and fix it, everyone winks at it. This is most easily manifested in a general sort of genial impreciseness. For instance, Sanjay Sahni lives in Ratnauli. Pavittar Paswan—fellow-villager and comrade, balding and warm—lives in Natrauli. I once asked Sanjay about the two names. He said he had never noticed the difference between the two words until I pointed it out. Later, I asked Paswan-ji and his response was even more baffling: he could not tell them apart even after I had pointed it out. This is not an isolated case. The board for the town of Narsanda in Biharsharif reads ‘Lasanda’.”
January 9, 2022
When you are reading this book, you feel that you are reading a story that needed to be told. Many people who work in development sector join it to bring a change in small or big way, but are often met with frustrations of not being able to move the needle by slight bit. This book is one such story. The reality of what it takes to move something if you are trying to do the right thing for your community. It is also about the collective over individuals and it is also about how elites are capable of being so morally corrupt.
I was remarking to a friend when my gold chain got snatched in Costa Rica that when you are living in poverty, the line of morality is really not there. He remarked and this book shows that the line of morality has got nothing to do with wealth.
I was remarking to a friend when my gold chain got snatched in Costa Rica that when you are living in poverty, the line of morality is really not there. He remarked and this book shows that the line of morality has got nothing to do with wealth.
May 21, 2023
Last Among Equals is an eclectic mix. Part travelogue, part analysis, and reportage the author takes us on a whirlwind journey around Bihar where economics, power and caste collide.
The hero of this book is the little-known Sanjay Sahni, an immigrant from Bihar eking out a comfortable living as an electrician in Delhi. A chance encounter at a local internet café changes Sahni’s life. He gives up his life and career in Delhi and heads to his village in Bihar to organize a group of villagers to fight against the corruption and leakages in the MGNREGA Scheme.
Ultimately this is a searing narrative of how lives are lived in the villages of Bihar--and indeed in much of India.
The hero of this book is the little-known Sanjay Sahni, an immigrant from Bihar eking out a comfortable living as an electrician in Delhi. A chance encounter at a local internet café changes Sahni’s life. He gives up his life and career in Delhi and heads to his village in Bihar to organize a group of villagers to fight against the corruption and leakages in the MGNREGA Scheme.
Ultimately this is a searing narrative of how lives are lived in the villages of Bihar--and indeed in much of India.
September 28, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed (very slowly) reading this book. This is a thought-provoking book that delves into the multifaceted challenges faced by rural India, particularly in the context of Bihar. The book explores critical issues spanning political dynamics, economics, public health, corruption, female empowerment, and social transformation.
One of the uplifting aspects of the book that I found very inspiring is its focus on the role of technology in the empowerment of rural communities by bridging gaps and democratising access to information and opportunities, and its impact on rural India's advocacy efforts and female empowerment.
One of the uplifting aspects of the book that I found very inspiring is its focus on the role of technology in the empowerment of rural communities by bridging gaps and democratising access to information and opportunities, and its impact on rural India's advocacy efforts and female empowerment.
March 17, 2022
This book provides a fascinating insight into the relationship between social movements, local government and centralized government. The author makes a strong argument for decentralization, that is built through the narrative of singular, passionate, local movement builders. The author depicts a hierarchical, caste-based decision-making system that is jaded and embued with historic inequalities. There are windows into extremely troubling power structures that are perpetuated by social norms. Ye ...more
September 21, 2025
A good, short book giving a first-person account of political economy in rural Bihar, focusing on activism surrounding the NREGA scheme, which guarantees Indians up to 100 days of work on public infrastructure projects. The book is an interesting glimpse of how these politics work at the village level, but I don't know that it contains many insights that will be remembered after putting it down. Caste plays a role in the book, but mostly in how the political problem is set up. Any good book that deals with caste will likely cover the same ground.
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June 8, 2022Many books by academic economists -- even by those who do fieldwork -- devolve into a stapling-together of the author's research contributions. Many also have to be recommended with the caveat that they are well-written -- for an economist. This wonderful book avoids both pitfalls, giving a sensitively written portrait of life and activism in rural Bihar. Credit to Sharan for his restraint, and his literary skill.
January 22, 2022
First hand portrayal of life in Bihar, and the collective behaviour of society. Truly fascinating story of Mukhiya elections and the recent history attached to it's reforms.
I would say the author has given his blood and soul to this book, he lived in Bihar and saw things so closely which most readers can't even imagine.
I would say the author has given his blood and soul to this book, he lived in Bihar and saw things so closely which most readers can't even imagine.
February 6, 2022
Just Finished! What an enjoyable, thrilling piece. Indeed a breeze of fresh air in rekindling hope in democracy ! Reminiscing notes from my days of working with farmers in Bihar. Thanks a lot to M.R. Sharan for this brilliant sharing and WestlandBooks for publishing this masterpiece. Westland will be highly missed
January 9, 2022
Couldn’t have asked for a better book to start the new year.Bit biased as the book is about my beloved state of Bihar,where I grew up.Reading it gives me hope,that not all is lost and also that we might be in the slow but right lane in Bihar.I hope to read a lot about Bihar from Sharan g.
April 14, 2022
I found myself actively rooting for Sanjay Sahni and the SPSS/MW mazdoors with each page. Vicariously enjoyed fieldwork in rural India; Sharan's narratives are rich with details. A very inspiring read for all aspiring development economists.
January 7, 2023
Very good, personal account of one researcher’s attempt to make sense of how public programs and laws can help the marginalised in India. The key appears to be: self-organisation and agency, to exercise the rights (to access services, benefits) provided by the law but which woefully are denied.
May 13, 2024
An inspiring and eye-opening tale of rural India which is deep drowned in caste hierarchy and discrimination. It explains the struggle of lower caste communities, the politics of the last decades and its limitations. Importantly, it shows the power of technology. An engaging read.
December 25, 2021
This book is awesome. On the one hand you can get a picture of how mgnrega works... Which is the largest ever poverty alleviation programme ever took in history of India..அவசியம் படிக்க வேண்டிய ஒன்று
May 15, 2022
Insightful
December 13, 2022
very well written and researched
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