www.booklink.in

Title: Evolving with Subramanian Swamy

AUTHOR: Roxna Swamy

PP: 264

PRICE: Rs.524

Publisher: Self Published

Biographies are an important document, particularly if it is about a public figure. Biography of Subramanian Swamy, written by his wife Roxna Swamy, certainly creates interest. His deep involvement during the critical phases of India’s Modern history, his enmity and friendship with the who is who of Indian politics and above all, his ability to gel with a cross section of people ranging from Nobel laureates in Economics, to the Right wingers back home, the company of sharp legal brains in courts where he is usually found with his PILs, to the TV studios defending what he feels is correct; Swamy shares varied platforms with ease.


Its a self published biography because publishers were too timid to publish the unedited saga. Propelled by exciting snippets and warm insights , this book tells us of a different perspective on various issues that actually were projected with different shades. The author of the book is Swamy’s wife, Roxna Swamy who is a PG in Mathematics from Harvard University and a PhD from IIT Delhi. She is also an advocate. Wives indeed enjoy unique vantage point which no other author howsoever good will ever enjoy. Roxna Swamy has had a very close view of politics in India – the comic and the tragic, the historic and the venal. It is all there in the book, shorn of political correctness and hypocrisy – but instead narrated with a refreshing candour. It sheds light on the monopolistic power of the erstwhile media and those in power to mute voices that were inconvenient – to the current rise of the internet age that lends truth and offers platform to men like Swamy. It is refreshing to see pages in the book where the writer acknowledges that Swamy was incorrect, despite the best of his intention.

The book starts with the meeting of the Swamys as students in Harvard, followed by their return to India when Swamy was offered professorship to occupy the chair on Chinese studies at the DSE, was later denied and offered Readership. Swamy joins IIT Delhi as Professor only to wage a long legal battle with the institute. The appointment to both prestigious institutes remained stuck because of his views that were not in accordance with the prevailing wisdom of left liberals, who occupied the appointing chairs and exercised their choice with impunity. Roxna's book tells us what one had to undergo in the India of 1960s and ’70s for a difference of opinion.

This is followed by the emergency heroics of Swamy that can be astonishing for the younger generation who did not live through the emergency, those who cry ‘Fascism’ at the drop of a hat. Probably they will know how an autocratic regime functions and what actually denial of rights amount to. Here, the entry of Swamy into his home disguised as a TV mechanic during emergnecy and his short impudent Parliamentry address could be a plot for cinematic thrillers! Personal heroics can be traumatic for the near ones, more so when the government of the day isn't impressed. Swamy's family too faced the heat during emergency, but then like many others they survived.

This book also mentions the rivalry of Swamy with Vajpayee and gets into its origin which traces back to the emergency days. It also mentions the current apprehensions of some top leaders of BJP with Swamy. ‘As long as an “aspirant” “knows his place” and does not do anything to threaten another politician’s ascendancy, he will be tolerated, even advanced’, writes Roxna.

Overall the author deserves an applause for saying it like it is, for providing us the unedited version! The content of the book is as blunt as the subject of the book and that is what makes it an engrossing read. Roxna's book is a compelling page turner.