Natwar’s masterpiece of history and literature

There  is a buz about  political controversy surrounding Sonia Gandhi’s abdication of opportunity to become the Prime Minister of India as mentioned in Natwar Singh’s book ‘One life is not enough’.  These episodes claim only few pages whereas the book is an authentic chronicle of events from Jawahar Lal Nehru to Sonia Gandhi besides frequent description of artists like M.F.Hussain and Chinese painters,   writers E.M.Forester to Malyali author of chammeen Thakazi Shivashankar Pillai .This novel was later turned into a movie. Nuggets about R.K.Naryan who authored Guide and that was later made into movie is interesting as Deva Anand sought Natwar Singh’s help for making Narayan agree to allow the movie shooting on the script.

Why I assert that his history is credible appears transparent from his description of Nehru family that was closest to him and he most admired his hero Jawahar lal as well as others of dynasty have been covered with grace and objectivity. In spite of his full throated praise for vision of Nehru to lay the foundation of Indian democracy he finds three major areas where he failed. First failure was the partition of India  that was agreed by him despite disagreement of Gandhi, Jay Prakash Azad, and others. It badly let down Abdul Gufar Khan the frontier great man who felt ditched. The problem of P)artition and Kashmir were the outcome of  two blunders that Jawahar lal committed.  First he virtually surrendered to Mountbatten and   over trusted him. Natwar Singh frankly penned that Nehru and Edwina wife of Governor General were in love that made matters worse as he shared state secrets with her. Second he similarly gave in to Sheikh Abdullah as both he and Mountbatten exploited the trust of Nehru. It was strange that Nehru asked Mountbatten to continue as Governor General of India even after Independence and manage the country by proxy without accountability. The same arrangement was offered to Mohammed Ali Jinah for Pakistan who refused to get into trap. In case of Kashmir despite an able Deputy Prime Minister in Sardar Patel opposing it he went by Abdullah to refer Kashmir matter to United Nations and thus accepted a bilateral matter as in dispute before third party. 

In case of China too Nehru was too emotional to believe that China can invade India. When Chu En ly came before the border war the matter could have been tackled much better but the same was mishandled in the same blind belief that China will not attack. Everyone has pros and cons in one’s actions but Nehru despite vision and intelligence in later years was too dependents on unreliable friends. He also mentions that J.F.Kennedy who hosted Nehru for his ‘soaring idealism’ was greatly disappointed as Nehru was then jaded and tired man. Kennedy remarked that Nehru’s was worst visit of any leader he had hosted. Natwar Singh presents a round of world leaders as he had rubbed shoulders with most of them.

As the narration is not only saga of world events but also a lively collection of sketches of widely varying personalities. Some of the witty anecdotes pertain to artists like when he met M.F.Hussain at a club and the artists borrows his new car for few hours and disappears for days only to tell him later that he went to Kanpur instead. Again he tells about his barging in his house in London and staying there for long and paint in his house. Singh arranges his exhibition but one day the artist disappears as a guard at embassy questioned him at the entrance which annoyed him. When he was made Fertilizer Minster he says wags made fun of him that he was cow dung minister.

This is a readable book full of charm and grace giving glimpses of author’s personal encounter with world leaders in Politics, art literature and life. Many books have recently come about current political scenario but these present mundane pictures of author’s contribution to doing big things but Natwar unfolds a landscape of world events and personalities with exceedingly imitable and literary touch. I have some books written by him, that were graciously presented by him to me, but this is a masterpiece .

Bus Stop

First Passenger: Why Congress Ministers of Himachal are fighting with each other

Second Passenger: They are doing rehearsal to fight BJP.

--Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India