Popular Indian Political Books
Political books are read with great interest in our country, especially those which involve stories or accounts related with the glorious past of India. People relish those based on its struggle for independence and the issues that our nation grapples with. They are based on recollections of experiences or existing situations going back to the time of writing.
Given below are few popular Indian political books that are a must-read.
The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
It is special because it was penned by our first Prime Minister when he was serving his sentence in prison. It traces the history of India since the time of Indus Valley Civilisation. It describes the arrival of Aryans and goes to the rule of British Empire. It gives a snapshot of the long past of our country that has been quite eventful.
The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen
This one runs a series of essays about how our history got an influence and shaped up its distinct cultural identity. In this book, the Nobel-prize winner economist talks about the way heterodoxy existed in the Indian society. He sketches down our vibrant past which he believes had a deep impact on our mindset.
India After Independence by Bipan Chandra
This book analyses the challenges faced by our country and the achievements it has made in the past five decades of colonial legacy and struggle for freedom. It shows the uniqueness of the Indian experience in the order of Third World while combining development with the democracy and its civil liberties. It analysed the Indian economy with the reforms since 1991 other than the objective observations of Jawaharlal Nehru, Jayaprakash Narayan, Indira Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre
It traces down the Indian independence movement between 1946 and 1948. What follows is a series of events which unfold during this time. It includes the crucial details about who drew the line between India and Pakistan and what compelled him. Also, compelling are the interviews of Lord Mountbatten who was the last viceroy in British India.
Shoes of the Dead by Kota Neelima
Based on farmer suicides in India, this Shoes of the Dead highlights the plight of the rural poor. It shows how the farmers who largely depend upon the monsoons for crop success, are compelled to bear failures in the absence of it. The successive crop failures are what make him sink in debt. So, he blames his own destiny for the same as the government refuses to accept the reality and denies compensation pushing them into a vicious circle of poverty. It is the fight of the dead and their loved ones who can only put themselves in their shoes.
