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| genre = [[Non-fiction]] | | genre = [[Non-fiction]] | ||
| subject = [[History of the Republic of India|History of India]] | | subject = [[History of the Republic of India|History of India]] | ||
| publisher = [[ | | publisher = [[Ecco Press]] ([[HarperCollins]]) in the US, [[Picador (imprint)|Picador]] in India | ||
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]]) | | media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]]) | ||
| country = India | | country = India | ||
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}} | }} | ||
'''''India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy''''' is a non-fiction book by Indian historian [[Ramchandra Guha|Ramachandra Guha]] | '''''India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy''''' is a non-fiction book by Indian historian [[Ramchandra Guha|Ramachandra Guha]]. First published by [[HarperCollins]] in August 2007.<ref name=":1">{{cite news|first=Amit|last=Chaudhuri|author-link=Amit Chaudhuri|date=21 April 2007|title=Review: India After Gandhi|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/apr/21/featuresreviews.guardianreview3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=All in the Family | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/books/review/Chotiner-t.html?pagewanted=all | newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=26 August 2007 | first=Isaac | last=Chotiner | access-date=27 August 2018 }}</ref> | ||
The book covers the history of the India after it gained independence from the [[British Empire|British]] in 1947.<ref name=":1" /> A revised and expanded edition was published in 2017.<ref>{{YouTube|id=HIdAuVT97og|Ramachandra Guha and Barkha Dutt - INDIA AFTER GANDHI, Delhi launch}}</ref> | The book covers the history of the India after it gained independence from the [[British Empire|British]] in 1947.<ref name=":1" /> A revised and expanded edition was published in 2017.<ref>{{YouTube|id=HIdAuVT97og|Ramachandra Guha and Barkha Dutt - INDIA AFTER GANDHI, Delhi launch}}</ref> | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
In November 1997, Peter Straus, then head of [[Picador (imprint)|Picador]], met | In November 1997, Peter Straus, then head of [[Picador (imprint)|Picador]], met Ramachandra Guha and suggested that he write a history of independent India. Straus had read an article by Guha in the Oxford journal ''Past and Present''. He suggested that since Indian historians typically stopped their narratives with Indian independence in 1947, a scholarly analysis of modern Indian history post-independence would be of interest. Guha signed a contract in March 1998, with a delivery date for the book specified for March 2002.<ref name="ScrollGuha">{{Cite web |url=https://scroll.in/article/844028/how-ramachandra-guha-came-to-write-india-after-gandhi-the-first-popular-post-1947-history |title=How Ramachandra Guha came to write 'India After Gandhi', the first popular post-1947 history |last=Guha |first=Ramachandra |date=2017-06-18 |website=Scroll.in |access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref> | ||
In writing the book, Guha consulted the private papers of several important Indian personalities, as well as newspaper records, housed at the [[Nehru Memorial Museum and Library]], New Delhi. The private papers of Indian independence activist and politician [[C Rajagopalachari]] and [[PN Haksar|P N Haksar]], [[Indira Gandhi]]'s principal secretary 1967 and 1973, were especially useful to Guha's research. Guha sent across his final draft to Straus in 2006, and the book was published in 2007.<ref name="ScrollGuha"/> | In writing the book, Guha consulted the private papers of several important Indian personalities, as well as newspaper records, housed at the [[Nehru Memorial Museum and Library]], New Delhi. The private papers of Indian independence activist and politician [[C Rajagopalachari]] and [[PN Haksar|P N Haksar]], [[Indira Gandhi]]'s principal secretary 1967 and 1973, were especially useful to Guha's research. Guha sent across his final draft to Straus in 2006, and the book was published in 2007.<ref name="ScrollGuha"/> | ||
=== Expanded edition === | === Expanded edition === | ||
Guha re-organized Part Five chronologically (in the earlier edition this section followed a thematic approach), added two chapters based entirely on new material (Progress and its Discontents & The Rise of the BJP Systems), and | Guha re-organized Part Five chronologically (in the earlier edition this section followed a thematic approach), removed a chapter (A People's Entertainments), added two chapters based entirely on new material (Progress and its Discontents & The Rise of the BJP Systems), and rewrote the epilogue (A 50–50 Democracy) for the 10th anniversary edition. | ||
== Contents == | == Contents == | ||
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== Reception == | == Reception == | ||
''India after Gandhi'' was chosen Book of the Year by ''[[The Economist]]'', ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' and ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook Magazine]]'', among others.<ref name=":0">{{Cite press release|title=Poets Dominate Sahitya Akademi Awards 2011|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]]|date=2011-12-21|url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/pdf/award-2011.pdf|access-date=2011-12-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508031321/http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/pdf/award-2011.pdf|archive-date=2012-05-08}}</ref> The book was one of the best non-fiction books of the decade (2010–2019) as per ''[[The Hindu]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Best non-fiction books of the decade|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/best-non-fiction-books-of-the-decade/article30413098.ece|work=The Hindu|date=28 December 2018}}</ref> | ''India after Gandhi'' was chosen Book of the Year by ''[[The Economist]]'', ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' and ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook Magazine]]'', among others.<ref name=":0">{{Cite press release|title=Poets Dominate Sahitya Akademi Awards 2011|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]]|date=2011-12-21|url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/pdf/award-2011.pdf|access-date=2011-12-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508031321/http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/pdf/award-2011.pdf|archive-date=2012-05-08}}</ref> | ||
The book was one of the best non-fiction books of the decade (2010–2019) as per ''[[The Hindu]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Best non-fiction books of the decade|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/best-non-fiction-books-of-the-decade/article30413098.ece|work=The Hindu|date=28 December 2018}}</ref> | |||
The book won the 2011 [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for English|Sahitya Akademi Award for English]].<ref name=":0" /> | The book won the 2011 [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for English|Sahitya Akademi Award for English]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
| Line 73: | Line 75: | ||
{{Sahitya Akademi Award for English}} | {{Sahitya Akademi Award for English}} | ||
{{Authority control}} | |||
[[Category:History books about India]] | [[Category:History books about India]] | ||
[[Category:Sahitya Akademi | [[Category:Sahitya Akademi Award–winning works]] | ||
[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]] | [[Category:Indian non-fiction books]] | ||
[[Category:2007 non-fiction books]] | [[Category:2007 non-fiction books]] | ||
[[Category:HarperCollins books]] | [[Category:HarperCollins books]] | ||
[[Category:21st-century Indian books]] | [[Category:21st-century Indian books]] | ||
Latest revision as of 12:21, 13 January 2026
 Cover of 10th anniversary edition | |
| Author | Ramachandra Guha |
|---|---|
| Translator | Sushant Jha (Hindi) |
| Country | India |
| Language | English |
| Subject | History of India |
| Publisher | Ecco Press (HarperCollins) in the US, Picador in India |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 898 pp (First Edition), 919 pp (Revised and Updated Edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-330-50554-3 |
India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy is a non-fiction book by Indian historian Ramachandra Guha. First published by HarperCollins in August 2007.[1][2]
The book covers the history of the India after it gained independence from the British in 1947.[1] A revised and expanded edition was published in 2017.[3]
Background[edit | edit source]
In November 1997, Peter Straus, then head of Picador, met Ramachandra Guha and suggested that he write a history of independent India. Straus had read an article by Guha in the Oxford journal Past and Present. He suggested that since Indian historians typically stopped their narratives with Indian independence in 1947, a scholarly analysis of modern Indian history post-independence would be of interest. Guha signed a contract in March 1998, with a delivery date for the book specified for March 2002.[4]
In writing the book, Guha consulted the private papers of several important Indian personalities, as well as newspaper records, housed at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. The private papers of Indian independence activist and politician C Rajagopalachari and P N Haksar, Indira Gandhi's principal secretary 1967 and 1973, were especially useful to Guha's research. Guha sent across his final draft to Straus in 2006, and the book was published in 2007.[4]
Expanded edition[edit | edit source]
Guha re-organized Part Five chronologically (in the earlier edition this section followed a thematic approach), removed a chapter (A People's Entertainments), added two chapters based entirely on new material (Progress and its Discontents & The Rise of the BJP Systems), and rewrote the epilogue (A 50–50 Democracy) for the 10th anniversary edition.
Contents[edit | edit source]
- Prologue: Unnatural Nation
- Part One: Picking up the Pieces
Freedom and Parricide—The Logic of Division—Apples in the Basket—A Valley Bloody and Beautiful—Refugees and the Republic—Ideas of India
- Part Two: Nehru's India
The Biggest Gamble in History—Home and the World—Redrawing the Map—The Conquest of Nature—The Law and the Prophets—Securing Kashmir—Tribal Trouble
- Part Three: Shaking the Centre
The Southern Challenge—The Experience of Defeat—Peace in Our Time—Minding the Minorities
- Part Four: The Rise of Populism
War and Succession—Leftward Turns—The Elixir of Victory—The Rivals—Autumn of the Matriarch—Life Without the Congress—Democracy in Disarray—This Son also Rises
- Part Five: A History of Events
Rights and Riots—A Multi-polar Polity—Rulers and Riches—Progress and its Discontents—The Rise of the BJP Systems
- Epilogue: A 50–50 Democracy
Publication history[edit | edit source]
- First edition – 2007/2008
- 10th anniversary edition (2016/2017) – revised, expanded and updated (first updated edition)
Translations[edit | edit source]
India After Gandhi was translated into Hindi as Bharat Gandhi Ke Baad by India Today journalist Sushant Jha New Delhi.[5] This book has been translated into Hindi in two volumes as Bharat: Gandhi Ke Baad and Bharat: Nehru Ke Baad and published by Penguin. The Tamil version of the book is published in the name Indhiya varalaaru Gandhikku pin - Part 1 & 2 by Kizhakku and translated by R. P. Sarathy. The Bengali version of the book is published in the name "গাঁধী-উত্তর ভারতবর্ষ" by Ananda Publishers Private Limited and translated by Ashish Lahiri.
Reception[edit | edit source]
India after Gandhi was chosen Book of the Year by The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and Outlook Magazine, among others.[6]
The book was one of the best non-fiction books of the decade (2010–2019) as per The Hindu.[7]
The book won the 2011 Sahitya Akademi Award for English.[6]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chaudhuri, Amit (21 April 2007). "Review: India After Gandhi". The Guardian.
- ↑ Chotiner, Isaac (26 August 2007). "All in the Family". New York Times. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ↑ Guha and Barkha Dutt - INDIA AFTER GANDHI, Delhi launch Video at YouTube
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Guha, Ramachandra (18 June 2017). "How Ramachandra Guha came to write 'India After Gandhi', the first popular post-1947 history". Scroll.in. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
- ↑ "Bharat Gandhi Ke Baad". Penguin India. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Poets Dominate Sahitya Akademi Awards 2011" (PDF) (Press release). Sahitya Akademi. 21 December 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ↑ "Best non-fiction books of the decade". The Hindu. 28 December 2018.