Reflections

Book Review : Mastaan The Fallen Patriot Of Delhi Vineet Bajpai Vineet Bajpai has done it again… after the immensely successful and thrilling Harappa tri-series, he is back with a bang, and how! This time, with a book on the First War of Independence. This book actually surpasses the first 3 with ease; for reasons as to why it is so special, read on! Suffice it to state for the opening paragraph here, that this is a must read for all Indians. Kudos, Vineet – and thanks for a really special landmark book! THE PLOT The book is themed on 1857, and based on the background of a love story that intertwines with the freedom struggle. The key protagonist is Mastaan, a Subedaar in the East India Company’s Army, and a devoted servant of the EIC. The EIC Officers, particularly one kindly gent, had helped his family, and he thus holds almost a worshipping attitude towards the EIC. His best friend and senior is Chhagan, a Subedaar Major, who is the exact opposite – someone

Lets take a stroll through the market – any market, any city in India. Go into the shops, and observe the products therein. The one thing that stands out – the proliferation of MNC Brands, brands that originate outside India, with only production in factories in India, if that. In some cases, even that is not there – the product is simply imported. Either that, or its key components are imported. A similar trend, though not so easily observable, can be seen in industrial markets, with the tendency of imports being ever-present. Be it steel or be it dairy, it is the same story everywhere. This, far from being a success story of the past 28 years, is actually a telling failure of our local industries, a compelling tale of abject failure, as company after company falls in share {sometimes even shutting shop}, with the gains being made by Brands that are not Indian. Our per capita income has gone up, yes. Opportunities for people have increased, yes. Lifestyles have improved &am