With rich culture and history since times immemorial, India, which is Bharat, has indeed come a long way, and has emerged victorious despite tremendous trials and tribulations- be it the largest and bloodiest genocide of the Hindus by the Islamic invaders; the British Raj; or the dangers posed by the enemies within. And while Bharat continues to grapple with an umpteen number of foes even to this day, this vast and beautiful country’s long journey, especially since its independence, is worth reading about, and understanding.
‘Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy, Diplomacy’, written by Utpal Kumar, is a well-researched book that offers a comprehensive analysis of India’s transformative journey from its imperfect start in 1947 to its current status as the fifth-largest global economy. ‘Bharat Rising’ not only sets the narrative right about ‘Naya Bharat’, but also calls the democratic, secular, and liberal bluff of the Nehruvian golden era of the 1950s and after.
Utpal Kumar has two decades of journalistic experience, and has written hundreds of articles in several newspapers and magazines, and is a strong nationalist voice in the mainstream media. ‘Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy, Diplomacy’ is his first book.
The book is divided into 2 sections; one chronicles India’s new historical awakening, as it talks about why new India is no longer apologetic about its civilizational past; and why Hindu Mandirs continue to be administered by the secular state when the same rule is not applied to the religious institutions of other religions; why UCC is important, but Hindus should tread carefully on the issue and more.
The other section talks about why India and the US-led West can be friends, if not frenemies, but not allies; why India has been duped so often and easily by China; why India and Pakistan can never be friends; and why Western liberal media writes India’s obituaries.
With a foreword from Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, ‘Bharat Rising’ is an earnest exploration, providing readers with a well-researched argument and a deeper understanding of India’s contemporary narrative.
Argumentative and deeply researched, ‘Bharat Rising’ combines the narrative style of journalism, and the rigour and discipline of academia. It is as much about the resetting of Lutyens’ world, as it is about a new India shedding its traditional distrust, if not distaste, for the country’s civilizational and cultural past.
Anu Lall, who is the founder of YogaSmith, and the author of four books; along with being a lawyer, who has worked in the pharmaceutical and technology industry in the USA, in Asia, and Europe, in her review of ‘Bharat Rising’, says, ‘People in my generation have grown up seeing India, which was always Bharat, from a Western lens. This lens had built-in filters that disengaged, distanced, and made us loathe anything that came from our civilizational wisdom. This lens was an essential requirement for the Macaulay system of education to be successful. It was our misfortune that we continued to operate with this lens, for seventy years even after Independence.’
‘The book, “Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy and Diplomacy” by Utpal Kumar, looks at Bharat through the elements of Dharma. The rights, duties, and conduct of Dharma should have defined India’s approach to Democracy and Diplomacy.’, adds Anu.
She further states, ‘The book explores how this has changed in recent years, while exploring many aspects of society, governance, social stratification, and our relationship with the rest of the world. The author evaluates how these elements operated in the shadows of the Nehruvian world. He underlines the change in these elements as the nation turns a new leaf finding confidence in its civilizational roots. As is evident from the title of the book, India is no longer in denial of its heritage.’
Reviewing Utpal Kumar’s first book, the founder of YogaSmith further says, ‘In the first section on Dharma and Democracy, the book explores the story of a historical awakening of Bharat, with the revival of temples and religious symbols at Kashi Vishvanath, Ujjain corridor at Mahakal Ji, the installation of the statue of Adi Shankaracharya Ji at
Kedarnath, Hanuman Ji Char Dham project, Jain pilgrimage route and Buddhist darshan yatras. The author makes a cogent argument about how these are not the rise of fanaticism, but Sanatan Dharma awakening driven by awareness and self-respect.’
Anu Lall adds, ‘The author goes on to make a very cogent argument, how Hinduism is ambushed from all corners, attacked on ideology and the core aspects of philosophy. There is cultural theft of religious background of arts like Bharatnatyam. In the wake of this silent warfare, there is a need to revive the missionary vigour of Hinduism. The book beautifully debunks the popular narrative that made “India sound like a railway platform, where people of different races and religions deboarded at different points of time. This narrative made India a country of none”.’
‘I particularly liked the section on “Brave New Diplomacy”, which precisely, yet, craftily, highlights what was wrong with the Nehru-Menon model of engaging with the world, or rather disengaging with the world, in an attitude of being self-absorbed.’, remarks Anu.
In the later section, the book talks about Bharat Rising with India’s proactive approach in a multipolar world, and how Indian diplomacy has never been more pointed, purposeful, and assertive in a long time. PM Modi’s approach has seamlessly integrated the country’s soft power, into diplomacy that has led towards aspirations of being a hard power. Indian diplomacy is shedding the ‘Panipat syndrome’, which is a term that defines the lack of strategic, far-sighted thought and decisive interventions by Indian leaders when faced with an attacker.
The chapter on the Western dilemma, how to deal with a confident India, is particularly well written. The author also suggests how India must bust the ‘One China’ myth, which was a bit cheeky, suggesting how India should allow China to clean up the mess created on the Indo-China borders.
‘Overall speaking, I like the fact that the author does not attempt to take the middle of the road, which used to be the case with books in this genre, till a few years ago. Personally, the lawyer in me likes a winning argument.’, Anu further adds.
She also mentions, ‘However, in the same vein, there is something I found missing in this book, which I suspect got cut at the editing table. If you have been following Utpal Kumar’s editorial writings, you would know they carry a lot of his opinion, bearing his unique flair. The man and his philosophy shines through these editorials. There are many passages and quotations, that make excellent references, and bolster his arguments but I missed the direct punches he throws, in his journalistic editorials. I would have liked to read more of these.’
‘Everyone should read this book, irrespective of political affiliation. If you are one of those, who appreciate the direction India has taken in recent times, then the book reinforces your opinion and gives you a large number of anecdotes, stories and data that make a very enjoyable reading. If you are one of those, who disagree with Bharat’s new approach, even then you should read it to understand the aspirations of brave new Bharat. “Bharat Rising” is not just a book, but a sentiment, inspiring us to use our civilizational strengths to create our place in the world. The change in India, that started with India’s soft power, now wants to see Bharat as a dazzling, strong world power. Jai Bharat!’, Anu Lall’s review of ‘Bharat Rising’ reads.
