This book, A fine family` by Gurcharan Das definitely inspires us not to get involved in any sort of religion based politics and riots. This will stop politicians, from asking the people to be Hindus, Tamil, Muslim, etc., before being human. This story has a backdrop as pre independence as well as the partition time. The traumatic situation of that time is depicted in a nice manner. Because of the partition many people had to adapt a new lifestyle. They suffered many problems. All these are extra-ordinarily expressed in this book.
Gurcharan Das is an author and also a management consultant. Gurcharan Das graduated with honors from Harvard University in Philosophy and also in Politics. He later attended Harvard Business School where he is featured in three case studies He is the author of the international best seller "India Unbound". He was also the CEO of Procter & Gamble India and Vice President or Procter & Gamble Far East between 1985 and 1992. Prior to P&G, he was Chairman and Managing Director of Richardson Hindustan Limited from 1981 to 1985, the company where he started as a trainee. In 1995, after a 30-year career in 6 countries, he took an early retirement to become a full-time writer. And thus starts his writing career. He writes a regular column on Sundays for the "Times of India" and "Dainik Bhaskar" and occasional guest columns for the "Wall Street Journal," "Financial Times" and "Time" magazine. Penguin has recently published his book of essays called "The Elephant Paradigm." In addition, he currently consults with a number of companies on global corporate strategy and is associated with a venture capital fund.
Synopsis:
`A fine family` is a remarkable book on Indian urban middle class. This is a creation of Gurcharan Das. Indian urban middle class has lost the most as they expected a lot from democratic India born out of the British Empire. The class of Indian society has given more than it has been rewarded. This book traces one such `khatri` family through World War I. It has also concentrates on different aspect as the Rowlatt Act of 1919, the softening of British Empire, the Quit India Movement, the error of Gandhi and his time in jail, rise of Jinnah and the two nation theory. He also gives importance to Lord Mountbatten and the Radcliffe Line, the ensuing riots on both sides of the border, the perceived loss of Hindu`s. In his writing, idealistic dreamer named Nehru, Indo-China ties, the rise of the Indian bureaucrats, the convoluted democracy led in succession by Nehru family, tyranny of Indira Gandhi, Sanjay inspired emergency and search for spirituality among the new Indian middle class has come up in an excellent manner. In this book the author relates the life of Bauji, who is a `khatri` lawyer from East Punjab. She represented the pre-independence progressive Indians. These people used education to further the development of their people, who will lead India from freedom to glory. But Bauji got caught on the wrong side of the Radcliffe Line and did not believe that his countrymen will turn the joyous occasion of their freedom to one of the most hateful episode of communal riots in the modern history. Like many other unfortunate but brave souls with similar experience, Bauji builds his life again in free India. And his life was better than his more fortunate countrymen. His grandson, Arjun, carries his torch of middle class honesty, stubborn sense of justice and good-natured industry. The boundaries of a rigid Hindu society are extended by these bold, sensuous `khatri` males.
`A fine family` is published by the famous publishing house Penguin India that is written by an amazing writer Gurcharan Das.
