Overview

The gripping story of Indira Gandhi's premiership—and the profound influence she had on India Indira Gandhi's ascent as prime minister of India in 1966 was entirely unforeseen. But she soon emerged as one of the most powerful political leaders of her times, who transformed the world's largest democracy. She served as prime minister for a remarkable fifteen years, leaving behind a complex and deeply controversial legacy. In this fascinating account, Srinath Raghavan tells the story of Indira Gandhi's political career and the momentous changes that India experienced under her leadership. From her tentative start in high office to her remarkable electoral victories, the dark days of the Emergency of 1975–77, and her assassination at the hands of her bodyguards in 1984, Raghavan sheds new light on her politics and government, as well as on her adversaries and critics. He shows how the 1970s were the hinge on which the history of the country turned—and how Indira Gandhi transformed the new postcolonial nation into the India of today.

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Reviews

“A masterful study.”—Sanjay Ruparelia, Financial Times “By far the single most sophisticated treatment of Indira Gandhi’s political life, and the economic, political, strategic and legal context that shaped her political choices. With lightly carried erudition, Raghavan gives an analytically sharp history of a decisive period in the making of modern India.”—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, author of The Burden of Democracy “Srinath Raghavan has given us a skilful, gripping, and clear-sighted political biography of Indira Gandhi. He has also achieved something more: this is a revelatory account of how the long 1970s paved the way for India’s contemporary transformations, brimming with insight and sharp analysis.”—Sunil Amrith, author of The Burning World “A tour de force. Drawing upon recently declassified files, Raghavan constructs a masterly account of India’s political history in the long 1970s, locating its multiple crises in a global context.”—Niraja Gopal Jayal, author of Citizenship and its Discontents “Acclaimed historian Srinath Raghavan has turned in another extraordinary book, remembering Indira Gandhi’s India with the global 1970s as its backdrop. Concentrating power but expanding representation, the Emergency emerges as a hinge between the reign of developmentalist elites reaching impasse and a neoliberal and populist age since.”—Samuel Moyn, author of Liberalism against Itself “A riveting, indispensable history of Indira Gandhi’s extraordinary political career by India’s finest political historian. Raghavan masterfully weaves the intricate drama of high party politics—psychological dynamics and key personalities—around a cohesive understanding of the larger social and economic forces that wrought Indian democracy as we know it today.”—Karuna Mantena, author of Alibis of Empire

“By far the single most sophisticated treatment of Indira Gandhi’s political life, and the economic, political, strategic and legal context that shaped her political choices. With lightly carried erudition, Raghavan gives an analytically sharp account of a decisive period in the making of modern India.”—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, author of The Burden of Democracy “Srinath Raghavan has given us a skilful, gripping, and clear-sighted political biography of Indira Gandhi. He has also achieved something more: this is a revelatory account of how the long 1970s paved the way for India's contemporary transformations, brimming with insight and sharp analysis.”—Sunil Amrith, author of The Burning World “A tour de force. Drawing upon recently declassified files, Raghavan constructs a masterly account of India’s political history in the long 1970s, locating its multiple crises in a global context.”—Niraja Gopal Jayal, author of Citizenship and its Discontents “Acclaimed historian Srinath Raghavan has turned in another extraordinary book, remembering Indira Gandhi’s India with the global 1970s as its backdrop. Concentrating power but expanding representation, the Emergency emerges as a hinge between the reign of developmentalist elites reaching impasse and a neoliberal and populist age since.”—Samuel Moyn, author of Liberalism against Itself  

Author Information

Srinath Raghavan is professor of international relations and history at Ashoka University, New Delhi. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including India’s War: The Making of Modern South Asia and Fierce Enigmas: A History of the United States in South Asia.

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