Guha's 'India after Gandhi'- Home and the World

The chapter starts with a quote 'Pandit Nehru is at his best when he is not pinned down to matters of detail'.

Nehru was the one who kept the country together. (The general consensus of the west) . It was acknowledged that he alone had a genuine international perspective. The author traces his travels and the influence it had on his view of the world. His leaning towards the left, as well as his concept of 'non-alignment' are a consequence of tours and interactions with the outside world.

'He saw Indian independence as a part of a wider Asian resurgence'. (He was probably a little ahead of his times.) The outcome was the 'Asian Relations conference' held in New Delhi in march 1947. While the conference ended with Gandhi's urging 'to conquer the west through love and truth'. It also drew criticism in that Nehru intended to 'thrust himself upon the Asian nations as their leader....'.

It also deals with his American trip in 1949 and his failure to get closer to the American leadership. He seems to have similar notions held by the people who had interacted with the Americans at that time. 'The elite tended to think of America and the Americans as uncouth and uncultured'. (Surprisingly this view persists even now amongst many!). While he was aware of the stereo typed impressions about India held by the Americans, it seems he was at a loss about how to counteract them. 'I want to be friendly with the Americans but always making it clear what we stand for'. His trip was a public success, while he failed to make friends with the state department.

This situation seemed to have persisted in spite of having much in common -'America thought India soft on communism; India thought America soft on Colonialism. In the end, that which divided seemed to overwhelm that which united; in part - or rather, lack thereof- between the key players on either side.'

Guha then gives us a rationale for India being closer to the soviet union, Nehru visited 'the soviet union in the last days of its first, halcyon period'. While it started as frosty after Independence, when Communist party of India tried to overthrow the state, the cold war seemed to have effected the thaw in their relations. Visits of both Nehru to Soviet union and the return visits by Bulganin and Khrushchev and their support for India in the Kashmir issue further cemented the relationship.


The chapter chronicles the first eight years and we get the impression Nehru dealt with the world practically on his own as the Minister in charge of Foriegn Affairs. He placed a lot of trust in Ambassador K. M. Pannicker, Krishna Menon and had a confidante in his sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit . It is clear that he did not pay heed to Patel's worries about China's intentions and generally kept him out of Foriegn affairs.

We understand that the Governament was still finding its feet in meeting the twists and turns that were taking place in the world, especially while dealing with China and Pakistan or in learning how to face criticisms of its own people who held different or opposite views.


The praise given to Nehru (by C. Rajagopalachari.) 'the biggest man in the world, over topping the USA men, the UK men and every other man' ( and that from a country)- 'without material, men or money -the three means of power' is significant. (While this might have gladdened the heart of an idealist, I think Guha suggests and I agree that Nehru probably erred in his enthusiasm to take on the world and make an impact. This led to his undoing in the years to come. It is a clear that men in power in the west and with the proverbial prejudice against the non-whites would think that he was getting 'too big for his boots'! I also remember grumbles from many within the country that there was no need for Nehru to get overboard in dealing with the world, when serious problems were there with in the country.)