Swaraj : A Lasting Legacy : Constitutional and Political Developments 1773-1947

Contents: Introduction. 1. Merchants turn masters. 2. East India company with royal charters. 3. The Company under Parliamentary control. 4. The great uprising of 1857 and after. 5. British rule in a new Avtar. 6. The councils in India 1858-1892. 7. Morley Minto reforms. 8. Experiment with devolution local self Government. 9. Indian India. 10. Too late and too little. 11. Montague Chelmsford reforms. 12. In the aftermath of reforms. 13. Towards the new constitution. 14. The constitution of 1935. 15. The last lap. Appendices. Select bibliography. Index.

For the Indian sub continent as for the rest of the colonial world the twentieth century peaked at Independence. Triumph duly brought its rewards in terms of national self determination international recognition and representative government. Looking back the years of struggle and sacrifices of concerted endeavour and supreme achievement seem much the more admirable.

Historical events in retrospect do not as a rule apportion blame but try to get at the objective reality. It is therefore all the more necessary to tell the reader how a particular development was handled by those who were placed at the decision making level without questioning their authenticity. History as some one has said is a harsh task master. One does not escape its whip lash by fighting shy of looking it in the eye.

This message the author has endeavoured to keep in sight while reciting the great Indian epic of political emancipation of self less sacrifices unflinching determination and unwavering perseverance. The book in short is structured to unfold in some detail the political and constitutional drama enacted over a time space of three quarters of a century happily resulting in lifting India from the depths of bondage to the Zenith of its glory. (jacket)