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A
the complete story of post-Indepen dence
pracharak who became one of
India but they tell a substantial slice. The
India’s most inclusive prime
first special issue in our 70 Years series rec-
ministers, running a successful
ognised the contribution of 70 institutions
coalition. Another pracharak who came to
responsible for building India. This special
power in a historic election which rede-
issue tells the story of men and women who
fined campaigning. A visionary prime
have had great opportunities, faced enor-
minister whose daughter, also a prime
mous challenges and overcame impossible
minister, changed the way politics was
adversities. Any selection of changemakers
conduc ted. A musician who took the sitar
to the world, a yogi who made transcenden- and rule-breakers from the pantheon of In-
dia’s icons is what historian Sunil Khilnani
tal meditation a global brand, a Carnatic
calls “an exercise designed to provoke”. But
musician—daughter of a devadasi—whose
india today has assemb led an array of fine
bhajan moved Mahatma Gandhi to tears.
writers to assess, explain and amplify the
A princess who founded institutions
dedicated to healthcare, sport and women’s essence of these 70 men and women. The
writers vary from those who have worked
rights. An entrepreneur who taught India
closely with their subjects to those who
that creating wealth was most egalitarian;
have studied them at length.
a batsman who convinced a
The profiles are accompanied
nation it could win in cricket;
by marvellous illustrations
and an actor whose fear of
which bring out their personal-
failure makes his work ethic
i ties. The result: sometimes
inspirational and renders him
int imate, always informative
relevant in every era.
pen portraits of 70 remarkable
India’s history is made of
lives in a collector’s issue.
these iconic men and women.
For 70 years, India has
Their struggles have under-
been witness to traumas,
lined the national narrative,
triumphs and tragedies. It is a
redefined its history. They are
FIFTY-FIFTY
Our August 18, 1997,
million mutinies now, but it is
movers and shakers because
special issue
also a million possibilities. Its
they transformed the status
story can never fully be told.
quo. They were and are change
It is a nation in conversation with itself, as
agents who altered the world, nation,
it sizes up its pantheon of icons every few
society, the arts, the game. So the Father of
years. Sometimes it shrinks them, at other
the Nation gave the world a new mantra of
times it rediscovers them. The greatness
non-violence for freedom and gave India
of its soul lies in its constant search and its
its Independence. A dynamic engineer
eternal journey. Where even death is not
metamorphosed a struggling cooperative
into a thriving national enterprise and cre- the end. Nayantara Sahgal writes of what
poet Sarojini Naidu said when she saw a
ated a White Revolution in the country. A
man weeping upon hearing that Gandhi
humble yarn agent created a new share-
had died: “Would you rather he died old
holding class in the country and changed
and decrepit in his bed? This was the only
the stock markets. A quiet, social activist
death good enough for him.” A blinding
gave women a sense of dignity by empow-
insight and many more in this issue. It
ering them to recognise the worth of their
makes me proud that India was shaped by
work. A bureaucrat effortlessly changed
such inspirational personalities. I am sure
metropolitan transport by building
you will feel the same.
underground trains in cities. There are, of
course, many more—politicians, econo-
mists, scientists, artists, sportstars—who
have come to define India as we know it .
india today’s 70 Movers and Shakers,
the second in our series celebrating 70 years
(Aroon Purie)
of India’s Independence, may not be telling
SE P T E M BE R 2 5, 2 017
INDIA TODAY
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