At
the launch of Ambedkar: A Life at Kitaab Kolkata organized by Prabha Khaitan
Foundation. Anindita Chatterjee, Bashabi Fraser, Madhuri Halwasiya, Malika Varma, Shradha
Saraf, Shashi Tharoor, Suhel Seth, Esha Dutta, Nitin Bahl, Sangeeta Datta.
Kolkata (West
Bengal) [India], January 03: Parliamentarian and author Shashi
Tharoor’s latest book Ambedkar: A Life, was recently launched
at the Kitaab Kolkata event organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) at the
ITC Sonar presented by Shree Cement. The event was
attended by bibliophiles, young and old, members of Ehsaas Women and FICCI FLO.
Suhel Seth, management consultant, author, columnist and public speaker, was in
an hour-long conversation with the author and kept the excitement of the
audience on the ledge.
The biography of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is
neither the first one nor the last, but Shashi Tharoor’s
meticulously-researched work adds a new perspective to one of India’s most
revered icons and an intellectual giant. In Tharoor’s words, “Dr Ambedkar’s
greatness cannot be reduced to any one of (his) accomplishments because all
were equally extraordinary.”
Tharoor lucidly provides a panoramic view of Ambedkar’s
illustrious life while sharing deep insights and anecdotal references into his
multi-faceted personality and life’s turning points – historical decisions,
social ostracism and stigmas, political leanings, endless struggles and course,
his strong personality which made him stand up for the causes he espoused
including his brutally honest and scathing views about Gandhi ji.
Madhuri Halwasiya, Ehsaas Women of Lucknow, introduced
the author and conversationalist to the audience, and Suhel Seth set the pace
of the discussions stating reasons why one should read Tharoor’s book. “It is
unarguably one of the finest books [on Ambedkar]. First, it
contextualizes the person who we have credited with the making of the Indian
Constitution. Second, it paraphrases its profiles. It puts into context the
enormous intellectual struggle that Dr Ambedkar had to wage with people who were
his contemporaries. Third, it also tells you that while a lot has changed,
nothing has,” Seth said.
Shashi Tharoor stated a fourth reason to read the book –
“The book is mercifully brief. It’s just 200 pages long. Especially in today’s
Tik Tok or Whatsapp generation, nobody would read any of those substantial
biographies. So I thought it would be good to write something short and
accessible to today’s young people.”
Self-questioning – Why (read) Ambedkar and why now?
Tharoor said, “You realize that there is probably no other Indian who has more
statues of him around the country. Perhaps Gandhi might have slightly more. But
there is no village in India without a bust or a statue of Ambedkar. In these
circumstances, he probably is the most revered Indian. He is also somebody
whose stature has grown after his death, which is not true for so many other
great figures of the times.”
Suhel Seth touched upon chronicling various historical
landmarks in 1927; Ambedkar decided that he needed political weaponization to
further the cause of what was then called the depressed classes, as in 1932
when Ambedkar had to ask Gandhi ji to call off his fast-unto-death, and first
fissures between the two giants occurred. Shashi Tharoor commented on
Suhel Seth’s point, “When you write a biographical account of someone like
Ambedkar, these are some of the romantic inflection points.”
Tharoor touched upon Ambedkar’s strong political stances
and decisions that shaped his career. “The portfolio he was given by Nehru in
the Cabinet was law, but he resigned on the issue of the Hindu Code Bill. When
he tried to introduce it, he was massively opposed by the Congress Party, and I
believe slightly unfairly, as he believed that Nehru had not fought hard enough
for him. Nehru did fight. But the traditional parties still had the upper hand,
and they were reluctant to proceed with reforms as far-reaching and ambitious
as Ambedkar thought. The manner in which he was treated after his resignation
was truly shocking. It’s a constitutional right for a party minister to explain
his resignation but he wasn’t allowed to speak on the grounds that he hadn’t
submitted the text of his resignation speech in advance,” said Tharoor.
Anindita Chatterjee, executive trustee, of PKF,
mentioned, “As a foundation, we are constantly promoting literature, culture
and social work. It’s not just one particular book. It is a book which has
substance, a book which everybody should know about.”
Kitab is a signature event of the Prabha Khaitan
Foundation conceptualised by Mr Sundeep Bhutoria which provides a forum for
writers, poets, intellectuals and thinkers to launch their books and share
their thoughts and views on varied topics leading to thought-provoking and
stimulating intellectual discourses and discussions.
