India: The Crucial Years
About this ebook
India: The Crucial Years is an incisive look at a key period in independent India's history, informed by the six decades T.V. Rajeswar spent in the thick of affairs of national importance. In the course of his long career in the Intelligence Bureau, Rajeswar looked after the border check posts in Sikkim and was a fly on the wall in the entourages of presidents and prime ministers. As one of Indira Gandhi's trusted aides, he played an important role during the Emergency, providing her regular feedback. He was shunted out by the Janata regime but bounced back as the spy agency's chief two years later. During his stint, he was deeply involved in revamping the IB, was part of crucial controversies like the Samba Spy Case, and strove to clamp down on intelligence elements compromising national interest. When Bhindranwale was at the peak of his power in Punjab, Rajeswar tried to broker a settlement with a top Akali Dal functionary, but Mrs Gandhi turned down the proposal and waded deeper into the quagmire. Towards the end of his career, Rajeswar was successively appointed governor of four states. India: The Crucial Years is an examination of the nation's most decisive moments, with a focus on the 1970s and early '80s. Rajeswar rings a cautionary note on several international and domestic matters -- be it India's conflict with China, the question of the real mole in Mrs Gandhi's government, or the issue of political authoritarianism. Forthright, often prophetic and packed with revelations, this is a compelling chronicle of India.
About the author
T.V. RAJESWAR was born on 28 August 1926 in Salem, Tamil Nadu. After completing an MA in Economics from Presidency College, University of Madras, he joined the Indian Police Service in 1949. He was posted to the erstwhile Hyderabad State and, after the reorganization of states, allotted to Andhra Pradesh. He served as Superintendent of Police in the districts of Nizamabad, Raichur and Guntur, and as Deputy Commissioner in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.He joined the Intelligence Bureau in 1962 as Assistant Director. He served in Sikkim and Bhutan from 1963 to 1967. He then served as Deputy Director and Joint Director in the IB headquarters. In February 1980, he was promoted as the Director of the IB and held the post till August 1983, when he was sent to Arunachal Pradesh as Lieutenant Governor, the first time an IPS officer was appointed to a constitutional post. He later served as the Governor of Sikkim and West Bengal. Most recently, he was the Governor of Uttar Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. After sixty years in civil service, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, in 2012. He lives in New Delhi.
