Reaction to Reading: Militant Nationalism in the Punjab (1919-1935) by Kamlesh Mohan

In 1928, the Colonial British government in India set up an all-White commission, headed by Sir John Simon. The task of the commission was to prepare the future constitution of India and yet not even a single Indian was part of this body. This insult was unacceptable to the Indians and all the major parties …

23rd March: A Remembrance in Books

It's that time of the year again. A day when I salute all those who laid their lives so that we could be born in a free country. This year too I am paying a homage to all those heroes by reviewing the books recently read on the revolutionary struggle for India's independence.JAB JYOTI JAGI …

Short Reviews: Punjab and the Raj & Martyr as Bridegroom

Writing sometime in 1935, four years after Bhagat Singh and his fellow comrades, Sukhdev and Rajguru, had been hanged to death, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Sir Horace Williamson had this to say about the martyr:  “His photograph was on sale in every city and township and for a time rivalled in popularity even …

The Pain of Partition: K.K. Khullar’s Yellow Rose

"I thought it was time to spin the story, weave the tale. The result is Yellow Rose and 19 other roses of different colours titled differently."I had enjoyed reading K.K. Khullar's biography of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, so when I saw a book of short stories written by him, I picked it up with great expectations. …