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The Man who Saved India

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The Man who Saved India

Written by: Hindol Sengupta
Narrated by: B Andrew
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There is perhaps no political figure in modern history who did more to secure and protect the Indian nation than Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. But, ironically, seventy years after Patel brought together piece by piece the map of India by fusing the princely states with British India to create a new democratic, independent nation, little is understood or appreciated about Patel's enormous contribution to the making of India. Caricatured in political debate, all the nuances of Patel's difficult life and the daring choices he made are often lost, or worse, used as mere polemic. If Mahatma Gandhi was the spiritual core of India's freedom struggle and Jawaharlal Nehru its romantic idealism, it was Sardar Patel who brought in the vital pragmatism which held together the national movement and the first ideas of independent India. A naturally stoic man, Patel, unlike Gandhi or Nehru, wrote no personal history. He famously argued that its was better to create history than write it. This is why even his deepest misgivings and quarrels have been easily buried. But every warning that Patel left for India - from the dangers of allowing groups to create private militias to his thoughtful criticism on India's approach to Kashmir, Pakistan and China - are all dangerously relevant today. It is impossible to read about Patel, who died in 1950, and not feel that had he lived on, India might have been a different country. It is also impossible to ignore Patel and understand not only what the idea of India is but also what it could have been, and might be in the future. The Man Who Saved India is a sweeping, magisterial retelling of Sardar Patel's story. With fiercely detailed and pugnacious anecdotes, multiple award-winning, best-selling writer Hindol Sengupta brings alive Patel's determined life of struggle and his furious commitment to keep India safe. This book brings alive all the arguments, quarrels and clashes between some of the most determined people in Indian history and their battle to carve out an independent nation. Through ravages of a failing body broken by decades of abuse in and outside prison, Patel stands out in this book as the man who, even on his death bed, worked to save India. Hindol Sengupta's The Man Who Saved India is destined to define Patel's legacy for future generations. Asia India Politicians Politics & Activism South Asia World
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Critic Reviews

'It is dangerous to put dreamers in power. Sardar Patel's pragmatism was the perfect antidote to Nehru's idealism in the early years of Independence. If only Patel had lived longer, India would have been spared the excesses of the License Raj and the Kashmir problem. This is one of the messages of this lively, highly readable book.'
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it was very informative and gave me a true picture of sardar Patel's strong character hope everyone who cares about Indian history should read it nehru made so many blunders about handling pakistan and china which we are still paying for wish sardar patel had not listened to Gandhi ji and become the country's first prime minister listening to Gandhi ji and nehru were his biggest mistakes

sardar pa tel

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loved it and opened my eyes even more on atrocities of congress even during pre-idependence.
Sardar should always be respected by every Indian for giving us India.

great insight to the forgotten legend

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Loved and struggled to finish and felt Patel's role was commendebly indispensable for united India.

A book every Indian need go through

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Really loved it, its a great insight on a womderful man india ever had and was narrated very well.

Great Book

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The only book I'd read about Patel was by Rajmohan Gandhi two decades ago while I was a student in Ahmedabad. Came across this new Patel biography. Thought maybe it will have new revelations.

While this is a good biography, I somehow don't think it's offering newer or better insights that the Rajmohan Gandhi biography.

Good one on Patel

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