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Milestones: A Memoir
As stated by the memoirist, Indrani Jagjivan Ram, the memoir was prompted by the twin aims of enumerating and perpetuating the various ability and "glorious deeds" of her husband. "My husband’s whole life was an inspiration for India. To preserve national unity, he had played many important roles," eulogistically says she. However, true to the proverb "coming events cast their shadow before", Jagjivan Ram, himself from an "untouchable" caste, was rebellious to humiliations meted out to the Dalits even while a young man. So, his sensitivity to the rights of the Dalits and persistent efforts to uplift them enabled him to become the founder and powerful leader of the nationalist Dalits Varga Sangh. Similarly, with his philanthropy, vision, perseverance and passion, he ascended to the peak of a mighty Congress leader, winning the general electrons five times consecutively till 1971, that too with a big margin, and working as the president of the Congress Party. The Green Revolution, nationalisation of air travel, appointments of Dalits in public service commission, consolidation of defence system and illustrious success in the 1971 war are some of the stupendous achievements that marked Jagjivan Ram’s ascendancy over various portfolios. In a word, he revitalised every department he was given ministerial charge of, since "service was his goal, not power". For an intimate interconnection between the history of Jagjivan Ram and various histories of last century, the book too elucidates history of Dalits movement in India, British Raj, Indian struggle for freedom, post-Independence Indian politics, travails of the Congress Party, and world wars, particularly the war of 1971. For its retrospective and prospective import, history gains importance with every read. Hence, the author completely engages the audience’s attention expounding the familiar events, facts with moving insights, observations. As the following touching remark on Gandhi’s assassination: "The priest of non violence had fallen to violence ... The man who had led the nation to liberty had been killed by one of his own countrymen! What a paradox." However, her outspoken revelation of some distasteful facts pertaining to history, historical or political figures makes the book a spirited read, as she highlights Dr Ambedkar’s allegiance to the British government and his antagonism to the Congress Party, and how to debilitate the national movement for freedom, disintegrating the Dalits from Hindu society, Dr Ambedkar was one of the tools of the British! Yet, with his deep insight, Jagivan Ram penetrated into the game plan of the British and kept the Dalits unified with the mainstream movement. As a matter of fact, as powerful Dalit leaders, both Jagjivan Ram and Dr Ambedker had clashing personalities. The chapter "Difference between Gandhi and Subhash" illuminates the head-on confrontation between the two leaders. However, it is the intimate portrayal of the solecism of power—political strategies, simulation and dissimulation used by rival political parties or political figures to pulverise their opponents and to secure and retain power—in the post-independent India that makes the narrative strikingly intriguing. Foreword by the author’s daughter, Meira kumar, is a moving sketch of the author—a spirited woman who was honoured as freedom fighter in 1987 by the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. It brings to the fore her brave fight against unfair caste system and unflinching support to her husband in his crusade for the national pride and the social and economic rights of the Dalits. And how in the midst of his being in jail and political preoccupation, she valiantly braved hardships to bring up her children and care for her mother-in-law. A truly valorous woman! The book, a fusion of biography and historiography, with many delights—revealing, elucidative, illustrated, abounding in critical, poignant and interesting observations, couched in plain idiom, informative and inspirational—can be useful to historians and the followers of the iconic leader who turned power to public service.
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MEMOIR
and autobiography/ biography group together with the focus on some
valiant, phenomenal personality. Likewise, telling essentially the
rudiments of life—history of the champion of the Dalits, ardent
freedom fighter and frontline national leader—Milestones reads
like an unfinished biography (as it covers only till 1972) of the
legendary Jagjivan Ram, the phenomenal crusader and achiever.