Chandrashekhar – Jase Jagalo Tasa

A Reflective Monologue by a True Socialist

The English-language press had bestowed the adjective “rugged” upon Chandrashekhar. He was indeed a rugged man, yet his mind was refined and imbued with modern ideas. In his youth, he wrote poetry and served for some time as the editor of a PSP journal.

Chandrashekhar was a man from rural India, but he was by no means unsophisticated. He did not become another Devi Lal. Although he came from a rural background, he never exploited farmers’ grievances as a political victim card.

Guided by Gandhi’s principle that rural development must be rooted in the broader national interest and grounded in egalitarian, transformative ideas, Chandrashekhar shaped his political career.

In this book, Chandrashekhar brings to life India’s multidimensional social existence, marked by numerous contradictions. He observes that the forces of globalization have caused immense erosion of popular culture.

In the book, Chandrashekhar remarks, “The truth is that politics does not operate on the basis of truth.”

— Ambarish Mishra