As a title, The Dismantling of India promises delicious excavation into political skullduggery at multiple levels until, the subtitle hits, ‘in 35 portraits’, making the reader anticipate yet another set of biographies with sketches of all the usual suspects: Netaji, Gandhi, Savarkar, Dawood Ibrahim and Narendra Modi.
Evidently, first impressions are never to be trusted, for the book is a master class on how biographies are to be written, even as each essay emits unique perspectives that both beguile and delight. The writing is superlative. This compendium delivers what it promises and more—a deconstruction of the idea of India via the mechanism of its assembly by thought leaders. No mean feat and it takes the journalistic acumen and the sheer magical genius of TJS George to execute a book of such seriousness.
The biographies have all appeared in print before in the column held by the author in The New Indian Express for a record unbroken stint of 25 years, till 2022. Not only are these pen portraits crisp and relevant today, but the book format also does a service to those who may have missed reading the original in a selection that is pure gold. Indian publishing suffers from a rash of great topics butchered by bad writing, and a counterpoint such as this is so sorely needed. The book shows that the topics typically avoided by many can, in fact, be written about, irradiant with instinctive scholarship. The author has deftly tossed in anecdotes or trivia that reorient the reader’s perception of each public luminary in question.
Whimsy and invention inform the art of biography here. The piece on JRD Tata outlines the man via the art collections of Air India, TIFR and the Tata Group as well as the team of great art aficionados, who put together heritage collections of the finest modern Indian art. Nathuram Godse’s sketch takes a detour into political assassinations.
A succinct history of Mumbai’s underworld and crime network provides the backdrop to the D Company story, just as Harshad Mehta inspires a quick recap of white-collar crimes in the country. It is in the domain of the culture that the author comes into his own. Ustad Vilayat Khan and his music legacy are traced with finesse, a nuanced understanding of the complexities and the mystique that underlie Hindustani classical music training and performances. Each essay is unique. Each essay is impactful.
Even as the theme and the writing ensure this book is valuable, it turns priceless through a strange form of alchemy. The pen wielded here is powered by the widest erudition, research or cross-references from other books, cultures and events that cohere to make this the highest form of storytelling; a quality no more than a handful of living writers may claim. This is the voice of a man who has dedicated his life to learning. If this isn’t the pinnacle of non-fiction writing, it comes within a whisker. That said, there are moments the author is playful and wickedly funny. “The total construction cost (of the Taj Mahal Hotel) in those days as the 19th-century fused into the 20th was `4.21 crore, a fraction of the market price of an MLA in 21st-century India.”
Which personages represent the idea or evolution of today’s India is always open to debate. Perhaps the limitation of only 35 qualifiers restricts matters. Gender balance is somewhat skewed; apart from J Jayalalithaa and Indira Gandhi, the women included have come into public discourse less than four years or so, leaving stalwarts from the decades prior unsung. While male players from the Indian film industry are included, no women––Devika Rani, Nargis, Madhubala, Shabana Azmi or Alia Bhatt––make the cut.
Though the inclusion of Priya Ramani and her #MeToo story does punch for women’s rights, the absence of many notables are felt. Jayaprakash Narayan, VP Singh, Jyoti Basu and NTR lead a host of political and intellectual leaders who have changed the course of the nation’s polity and belong here.
Ultimately all readers must bow to an author’s vision of their work. Hopefully, future volumes will address these quibbles. A shout-out to the publishing team, the production matches the quality of the writing: superlative typesetting, a good-fit book size and quality portraits. Those wondering if books make viable gifts, this is perfect for the purpose. It is also ideal for overseas visitors who wish to know more about India. To the NRI, this would be a fragment of the homeland on their bookshelves. And to others, the proudest addition to book collections in 2022.