The Promise of India: How Prime Ministers Nehru to Modi Shaped the Nation (1947–2019)

On 15 August 1947, most Indians had stars in their eyes as they looked ahead to a glorious future as a free country. Since then, they have pinned their hopes on subsequent prime ministers to deliver on that elusive promise. In this thoroughly researched and deeply engaging book, Jaimini Bhagwati chronicles the key policy decisions of all the premiers from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi, and examines how well they steered the nation on the path of progress and development. With his long experience in the corridors of power, Bhagwati offers fascinating inside information and fresh insights into each PM's governance. For instance, Nehru, a cautious 'socialist', in fact acted according to the prevailing wisdom when creating the Planning Commission; Rajiv Gandhi had started the liberalization process well before P.V. Narasimha Rao; and Modi became the first PM to negotiate directly with the head of China. Establishing a novel method of comparison, Bhagwati also assesses the PMs on the values of Charisma, Competence and Character, enabling the reader to understand their individual personalities and foibles. As it sheds new light on all the significant landmarks in India's independent history-including the country's unification, the Emergency, the Mandal Commission, economic reforms, the Pokhran nuclear tests and demonetization-The Promise of India provides an incisive overview of India's political culture and what keeps its democracy ticking.