Publisher's Synopsis
This intellectual history of twentieth-century Indian nationalist thought examines the relationship between three key figures of modern Indian history and the influence their ideas had in the shaping of society and politics in independent India. As leaders of the anti-imperialist struggle Gandhi Bose and Nehru not only devised various strategies to overthrow colonial rule but also grappled with vital issuesâ€"democracy federalism secularism social justice gender equality modernity national identity and international relationsâ€"regarding the future of India. They responded to the challenge of the modernizing' mission of the West by going through a process of self-scrutiny introspection and reform. At the same time they had to formulate programmes within the constraints of political consensus to advance their respective visions of a modern progressive and independent India.
