Overview
Churchill and India. It is a story where much is known but much remains concealed. A brilliant orator and a powerful leader, Winston Churchill stood against the tide of history. But how does postcolonial history view him? This book studies the extraordinary connection he had with India. Beginning with the early years of his career in India when he spent 22 months between 1896 and 1899 as a subaltern with the 4th Hussars, it traces his rise as a politician, his years as the Prime Minister of Great Britain during the Second World War, his profound distrust of the Indian Independence Movement, and his machinations in preserving the British Empire’s rule over India. Churchill’s failure to understand India and decolonization, and manipulation of events on the subcontinent add a different dimension to the man. His pervasive yet hidden shadow over the Indian subcontinent and his often-veiled role in the actions that led to Partition in 1947 are at the center of this study. Rich in archival sources, this book provides a fresh and holistic perspective on the final phase of the British Empire. It will be an indispensable resource to students and researchers of colonial history, imperialism, modern history, international history, Partition of India, and South Asian studies. It will also appeal to general readers interested in the history of Britain’s endgame in India.
Full Product Details
Author: Kishan S Rana
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint: Routledge India
Weight: 0.553kg
ISBN: 9781032352008
ISBN 10: 1032352000
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 30 September 2022
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Tertiary & Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
Ambassador Rana has delved deep into the archives to put a spotlight on Winston' Churchill's enduring contempt and denigration of India and its people. More than that, the multiple wounds he inflicted on this country through his years as one of Britain's most influential political figures are exposed in all their searing hurt. More importantly, the author traces the often invisible lines of history that link many of our current adversities to the racist prejudices and bigotry of this acclaimed sentinel of the British Empire. This is historical scholarship at its best. Ambassador Shyam Saran, former Indian Foreign Secretary More has been written about Winston Churchill than almost any other modern historic figure, but comparatively little has focused on his controversial and lifelong relationship with India, and even less has come from the pens of Indian writers. Drawing on his own career in politics and diplomacy, Kishan Rana is well placed to offer a different, new and important perspective. Allen Packwood, Churchill Archives Centre Director.archives@chu.cam.ac.uk
Author Information
Kishan S Rana is Former Ambassador of India. He is Emeritus Professor, DiploFoundation, Geneva and Malta; Emeritus Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi, India; and Archives By-Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge, UK.
