Books

India Today is almost completely unrecognizable from what it was the eve of is the colonial conquest. A sovereign nation, with a teeming, industrious population, it is an economic powerhouse and the worlds largest democracy. The question is how did it get to where it is now? Covering the period from 1800 to 1950, this study of about a dozen makers of modern India is a valuable addition to India’s cultural and intellectual history. More specifically, it shows how through the very act of writing often in English, Indian society was radically reconfigured. Writing itself became endowed with a charismatic authority, which continued to influence generations, long after the author’s death. By examining the life and works of the makers of contemprouorary India, this study assesses their relationship with British colonialism and Indian traditions. Through debate, dialogue, conflict, confrontation and reconciliation, India struggled not only with the British colonialism but also with itself and its own past, thus giving rise to a uniquely Indian version of liberalism and modernity. The religious and social reforms that laid the groundwork for the modern sub-continental state were proposed and advocated in English by prominent native voices. Merging culture, politics, language and literature, this path breaking volume adds considerably to our understanding of nation that locks set to achieve greater heights in the coming decades.