Things could have turned out very differently. Today’s entire generation is shaped by decisions Narasimha Rao made – from mobile phones to large welfare schemes. I have memories of the changes in the 1990s. I grew up in Bandra in Mumbai and am a child of liberalisation. What was the catalyst for the book? How do you think Rao is relevant to this generation? I have criticised his stand during anti-Sikh riots and the political corruption he indulged in.” “I interviewed 110 people and the only thing I went by was the evidence I had. Sitapati says he didn’t come to the book with any preconception. Though the work is thorough, the timing of the release gives an impression that it might become a tool in the hands of the ruling dispensation to corner the Congress leadership, which discredited Rao.
The Harvard University graduate signed the contract with Penguin in April last year. Vogel’s biography of Deng Xiaoping, responsible for the transformation of China in the ‘80s, the political scientist decided to explore the change India went through in the ‘90s through the political and personal story of the leader in those tumultuous times. There is intrigue, betrayal and affairs, all backed by scholarship. Vinay Sitapati has presented the duality in Rao’s personality through a gripping narrative without resorting to speculation. He was brave enough to tear apart the red tape but when it came to protecting the social fabric of the country, he sounded squeamish.
“Half Lion” is an apt title to describe the former Prime Minister, known to speak many languages. Narasimha Rao returned to opinion pages because a young scholar has managed to bring his life and legacy between covers. Almost consigned to footnotes of contemporary history, this July, P.V.
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