Madhavrao Scindia : A Life

unlike Some Princes who claim descent from the SUN AND THE MOON I?M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE?VE RISEN FROM BEING SONS OF THE SOIL PEASANTS REALLY JUST ORDINARY MARATHA FARMERS WHO ROSE ON THEIR OWN SWEAT AND BLOOD.? Suave educated secular and with a reputation for unwavering honesty Madhavrao Scindia did not conform to the conventional image of the Indian politician. Despite his liberal outlook and his whole- hearted espousal of democratic values Madhavrao son of the last ruling king of Gwalior did not forget his heritage: he was inextricably linked with the people of Gwalior and Guna who unfailingly voted for him in all the nine elections he contested. To the world at large he was a successful minister and a leading light of the Congress party but at heart he remained a simple family man who did not allow either his ancestry or his political status to define him. What made Madhavrao Scindia one of the most fascinating figures in contemporary Indian politics? The answer lies perhaps in the way Madhavrao chose to live. Born with life?s plan neatly laid out for him?the title to a 21 -gun salute state; a political career chosen for him by his mother; and vast estates in several cities?he sought instead to tread a path that was neither predictable nor easy. Madhavrao Scindia?s life reads very much like the plot of a grand novel. There is the bitter falling out with his mother the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia a powerful force of the Jana Sangh; a host of minor and major characters ranging from intriguing courtiers to wily politicians; a battle with at least two Congress governments (the first during the Emergency and the second during Narasimha Rao?s regime) and finally Madhavrao?s tragic and untimely death. This is the story of a man who was born a maharaja but chose to live as a democratic citizen of India. Vir Sanghvi and Namita Bhandare bring alive his tale in this riveting biography that is as much a chronicle of modern Indian politics as it is a portrait of a fascinating life. Vir Sanghvi is arguably the best-known Indian journalist of his generation. The founder- editor of Bombay magazine Vir Sanghvi has been the editor of Imprint Sunday and the Hindustan Times. Sanghvi also has a parallel career as an award- winning television presenter and has hosted several successful programmes on the Star TV network NDTV and Discovery Travel & Living. One of India?s most serious food writers he won the Cointreau Award the international food business?s Oscar for Best Food Literature Book in the world for his book Rude Food (named after his weekly column). In addition to Rude Food he writes a weekly column on current affairs Counterpoint for the Hindustan Times and another weekly column Pursuits for Mint. Namita Bhandare studied journalism at Stanford University before returning to India to work for several newspapers. In 1991 she joined Sunday magazine where she rose to become Features Editor. After a stint with India Today she joined the Hindustan Times where she launched and edited the paper?s new Saturday edition. She has edited several books as part of the Hindustan Times leadership series and has also presented a television programme on media views. She writes a fortnightly column on social trends Looking Glass for Mint.