In store for 2022: Books that may shake up politics, reshape ideologies

An autobiography, biographies of political leaders and insights on policy decisions await release

A much-awaited autobiography of Ghulam Nabi Azad, a new biography on Ambedkar, a history of Delhi University and works on policy directions for the urbanscape take — by leading politicians — are among the most-awaited contributions in store for the Indian ideological and political landscape in the new year.

Not to be left behind, academicians and journalists are also offering new insights into Indian politics with biographies of George Fernandes and Ram Vilas Paswan, inside stories of how prime ministers took certain decisions and leaders who influenced Indian politics.

Surely atop the list is Ghulam Nabi Azad's autobiography, as readers from across the political spectrum would be eager to know what the quintessential loyalist politician, who has finally rebelled against the Gandhi family, has to say about the latest turn in his life.

Also Read — A dip into the best of 2021 - Fiction

The publisher 'Rupa' keeps under wraps the glimpses of what Azad, who on Sunday described himself as a "24 carrot Congressman", wants to tell and just said this, "This is the political journey of one of India’s most seasoned politicians, which also reflects the journey of the country’s politics, from the mid-1970s to the present."

Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, a prolific writer, would be offering readers a biography of BR Ambedkar. Through the book Ambedkar: A Life, Tharoor seeks to set the record straight on the life and times of a “much-lauded yet often misunderstood leader”.

Tharoor's latest book, a collection of his essays, had hit the stands in the second half of this year.

Diplomat-turned-politician and Union Minister Hardeep Puri also takes time out of his busy schedule, this time, to edit an anthology — 100 Years of Delhi University — where alumni from various fields pen their memoirs and views about the institution.

After 2018 saw Varun Gandhi come up with his Rural Manifesto, this time, he has turned his lens on urban India. Varun’s new offering Urban Manifesto seeks to understand India’s urban journey through diverse aspects, including healthcare, education, water and sanitation, among others.

The eternal rebel, George Fernandes, is also getting a new biography in The Life and Times of George Fernandes, penned by academician Rahul Ramagundam. Published by 'Penguin', it documents the course of the Socialist Party in India from its inception in the 1930s to its dissolution into the Janata Party in the late 1970s.

The publisher says that the book focuses particularly on a trail of opposition parties that worked to displace the long-ruling Congress Party from its preeminent position.

Also Read — Books to look forward to next year

A biography of another socialist leader is that of the late Ram Vilas Paswan, penned by journalist Sobhana K Nair. Published by 'Roli Books', Ram Vilas Paswan: A Biography tells the story of the rise of a Dalit leader from his native Khagaria to Lutyens Delhi.

Veteran political journalist Neerja Chowdhury is offering the inside stories of some of the momentous decisions taken by prime ministers. Publisher 'Rupa' described How Prime Ministers Decide as the "most explosive book on Indian politics of the past 20 years".

The book is expected to provide inside information about "Indira Gandhi's ruthless strategy to topple the Janata government and return to power in 1980, Rajiv Gandhi’s handling of the Shah Bano case, VP Singh's decision to implement the Mandal Commission report, PV Narasimha Rao’s failure to protect the Babri Masjid, AB Vajpayee’s decision to go ahead with the explosion of tactical nuclear devices, Manmohan Singh’s management of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, and Narendra Modi’s disastrous demonetisation of much of the country’s currency."

Another veteran journalist Rashid Kidwai’s new book Leaders Politicians Citizens: 50 Figures Who Influenced India’s Politics by 'Hachette' will also hit the stands next year.

The book captures the essence of 50 leaders — some famous, some infamous, some unmistakably at centre stage, others on the fringes of it — and brings the highs and lows of the careers of some of the most prominent actors and a sneak peek into lesser-known aspects of their lives and personalities.

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