Gujarat is probably the only state in the entire world that has given birth to two iconic leaders celebrated as fathers of the nation in two different countries. While Porbandar-born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is revered in India, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, born in Paneli-hardly 150km from Probandar helped establish Pakistan. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a proud soldier of Gandhi's nonviolent freedom movement, led the integration of nearly 560 princely states to create modern India, and also played a key role in transforming the predominantly British civil service into India's trusted steel frame. Suffice to say, whenever India faced a political vacuum or instability, someone from Gujarat has stepped up to meet the challenge.
Krishna, inarguably India's most loved god and cultural icon, chose to live and die in Gujarat even as he settled the political dispute in Hastinapur. Several millennia later, Gandhi and Patel did a similar job by giving strength and direction to India's freedom struggle. After the dark days of Emergency, Morarji Desai, another son of Gujarat, took the lead in saving the spirit of democracy. In 2014, it was the turn of Narendra Modi to offer India a stable government after decades of hung parliaments.
Gujarat showed India that an unpopular government could be brought down by a public movement when the Navnirman Andolan forced the Congress government of Chimanbhai Patel to quit in 1974. Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani chose to launch his rath yatra, which changed the face of Indian politics forever, from Somnath in Gujarat.
Denne historien er fra December 18, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Denne historien er fra December 18, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock
