Buy In Search of Ram Rajya A Journey through UP Politics online

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About the Book :

journey through the political history of India’s most populous state

Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, giving it more say in national affairs than any other state. No less than eight of its politicians became prime ministers of our country, as if leadership was in the very air they breathed.

The state stands at the brink of breaking its shackles of communalism and casteism. To get there, it must understand its own political history, evaluate its present leadership and vote for a better future.

In search of Ram Rajya is a political history of Uttar Pradesh that has never been attempted before, certainly not by historians. Crafted through a mix of academic research and ground reportage, this book brings alive the colourful characters who shaped its psyche and takes a non-partisan look at the events in the state for the last six centuries. It is an eye-opener that can change the way we discuss politics in the 21st century – far beyond caste calculations, dynastic ambitions and family feuds.

About the Author :

Born in Ballia, a remote village of Uttar Pradesh where her father was a district magistrate, the author spent 11 years in a convent boarding school in the hill station of Nainital, now in Uttarakhand. Thanks to her father's job in the IAS, she lived in many parts of UP, including Allahabad, Hamirpur and Jhansi. After graduating from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow, she went to New Delhi for her Master’s in political science from Jawaharlal Nehru University. During two semesters in Pennsylvania State University as a teaching assistant, she was the first columnist of foreign origin for the local newspaper. She returned to Delhi to pursue a career in journalism that spans three decades, including Patriot, Delhi Mid-Day, Indian Express, Pioneer, Economic Times, Swagat magazine and Tehelka. In between, she also had a one-year stint with Penguin Books India. She is now works as a senior editor with The Statesman, New Delhi.