(Book Review)
Rakesh Batayabal (Ed) The Penguin
Book of Modern Indian Speeches: 1877 to present, Penguin Books India, 2007,
916 pages Rs. 595/-
“History, real solemn history, I
cannot be interested in.... I read it a little as a duty; but it tells me
nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings,
with wars and pestilences in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and
hardly any women at all - it is very tiresome.
( Jane Austen : spoken by Catherine Morland in 'Northanger Abbey')
History never repeats itself. But men
are inherently inquisitive to know not only about their immediate past but also
about the events that shaped history. History as an academic discipline evolved
over a period of time to make people aware of the cultural and structural
transitions taken place within and across nations and communities. However, of
late, there is scant academic interest to pursue formal history courses by
students. Thus millions of people of the new generation hardly find the history
books and narratives by historians appealing. However recasting history has
been never an easy job. Even when historians attempt to narrate past events
with lot of research and archival investigation, the same are never spared of
criticisms and accusations of biases. Different schools of historians interpret
history from particular ideological positions and one would wonder whether
there is anything like true history. Similarly, people who control the learning
institutions from time to time tend to add, change, or delete particular
historic narratives and historic relics. Consequently, there emerged a feeling
that objectivity and positivism are never to be expected from history as it is
told today by many. It is imperative to
discover ways and methods to have access to uncorrupted history. One such
attempt to deliver true history in a very interesting way is to bring it to
people in its original form and content.
Rakesh Batayabal has made a very
valuable attempt to take Indian history to all those people who would like to
know straight from the ‘horse’s mouth’. That is precisely what he has done,
when he took pains to compile 161 historic speeches of more than 115 persons
who made history. Each speech clearly takes the reader to the historic, cultural
and social settings when the speech was delivered. Reader would definitely feel
that he is one among the audience and would experience both the emotional and
intellectual reverberations emanating from the speaker. The book is a rich
source for gathering unadulterated and diverse perspectives based on true
narration of historic events and social facts.
Speeches one by one aggregate to a critique of social, economic and
political transitions taken place in India since 1800s to late 1990s. Every social
and economic issue ranging from poverty, untouchability, colonial subjugation
to separatism and terrorism have been vividly depicted. Intellectual debates of
global ramifications centering on subjects as diverse as communism, ethnicity,
nationalism, revolution, communalism, racism and disarmament are very much
relevant today as they were during those historic moments of delivery. The
book, though a reliable source of Indian history, also deal with several
interdisciplinary themes which would provide definite theoretical and
scientific basis for future policy and research in the disciplines of
sociology, economics, public administration and public policy.
The real contribution of the book is not just its efforts to bring about
a systematic presentation of the story of evolution of modern India. But the
vital role it plays to make history interesting to common man. I am sure this
book will catch the instant attention of not only the academicians and students
but also the busy technocrats, professionals and the men in businesses who
would like to understand the unique Indian trajectory to become a global
player. David Mccullough has said that ‘history is who we are and why we are
the way we are’. And this book will definitely help every Indian find answers
to several of his existential questions.
Sibichen K Mathew
(Views are personal. Comments are welcome)
Click to read other book reviews by Sibichen
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