3 Review(s)

Renowned Indian historian Ramachandra Guha profiles nineteen Indians who contributed significantly to the formation and evolution of our nation as a republic in his book, Makers of Modern India. It is edited and introduced by him, based on the excerpts from some of his rarest and the most compelling writings and speeches. Summary of the Book The men and women whose vital roles in making the modern India discussed in this book were not only important political activists, but they also wrote with persuasiveness, power and deliberation. Dr. Guha asserts in his illuminating introduction, talks about those times as ‘the most contentious times in the most interesting country in the world’. The makers inspired the countrymen with their ideas and writings. They took us from the subcontinent’s first rendezvous with contemporaneousness in the nineteenth century, through the sequential stages of the freedom movement. This book emphasizes the little-known facets of important historical figures including Tagore and Nehru. It also talks about thinkers who have been unfairly forgotten, like Tarabai Shinde and Hamid Dalwai. Although their perspectives were sometimes complementary, and sometimes contradictory, their ultimate goal was the same. The topics they discovered and studied include nationalism, religion, language, caste, gender, colonialism, democracy, secularism and the economy – all of which were momentous in improving the human condition in our country. Some of those issues are still persistent to this day not just in India, but elsewhere in the world as well. Makers of Modern India will certainly enhance the knowledge of its readers. Dr. Guha once again offers a riveting read based on his years of study and expertise in Indian history. About Ramachandra Guha Ramachandra Guha is one of the most revered Indian historian and writer. He is well known for his books: India after Gandhi, Makers of Modern India and Gandhi before India. Dr. Guha completed his fellowship at the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and he currently serves as the Sundaraja Visiting Professor in the Humanities at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is also a columnist for Hindustan Times and The Telegraph. He has been honoured with the prestigious Padma Bhushan and Sahitya Akademi Award among several other recognitions. He currently resides in Bangalore.