This book by Raja Sekhar Vundru, which explores the lives and ideologies of three of India’s most well-known political personalities — B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — is one I discovered to be fascinating and thought-provoking.
The well-researched book “Ambedkar, Gandhi, and Patel” explores the philosophies and personalities of three of India’s most significant figures. Their respective contributions to forming Indian society and politics in the early 20th century are carefully examined in the book.
This book, which I thought was especially amazing in terms of chronicling the development of India’s election system, which would later come to characterise democracy in the post-colonial age, was a great resource. Notwithstanding the fact that there have been numerous books on the discussions between Ambedkar and Gandhi. But, this book’s chronicling of constitutional history and the evolution of ideas that formed the basis of the constitution as we know it today set it apart from similar works.
Each democracy must have elections, and this book follows Ambedkar as he fights to protect the rights of “untouchables” in that fight. This book reveals why Ambedkar sacrificed everything to protect the rights of the oppressed through adult right to vote and electoral representation.
Through this book, Raja Sekhar travels back to the time before independence and recollects Ambedkar’s struggles and the lengths to which he went to ensure that scheduled castes were represented equally.
The author’s analysis of the connections that exist between the three leaders is one of the book’s most fascinating features. Although Ambedkar is frequently overlooked in favour of Gandhi as the indisputable leader of the Indian independence struggle, the author contends that Ambedkar was just as significant in determining India’s future. The author offers a thorough examination of Ambedkar’s contributions, noting the particular difficulties he encountered and his attempts to overcome them.
The horrific partition events and how things altered afterward are briefly discussed in the book. Particularly Patel’s position that Indian minority communities, especially those scheduled castes for which Ambedkar battled tenaciously, should not be granted electoral participation through reservations.
The author examines the influence of congress beliefs, notably those of Gandhi and Patel, on Indian society as well as their ideas on democracy, caste, and their goal for a free India. While Also found the chapter about Sardar Patel’s steadfast opposition to Ambedkar after Gandhi’s killing and his efforts to deny scheduled caste members their privileges to be the most intriguing in the book.
The book’s rigorous research is one of its highlights. Many primary and secondary sources, including letters, speeches, and biographies of the three leaders, have been consulted by the author. This enables readers to comprehend Ambedkar, Gandhi, and Patel’s characteristics and ideologies on a deeper level.
The book also discusses how historical events continue to influence the social and political situation in India today. The reader is directed towards Ambedkar’s unfinished task of ensuring that democracy is truly inclusive and egalitarian by reading this book, which is thought-provoking. A democracy in which the marginalized are actually represented.
Anyone interested in Indian history and politics, as well as anyone trying to comprehend the extensive social, economic, and political dynamics of contemporary India, should read it.
