Includes bibliographical references and index.

The 1950s were a momentous decade in India's contemporary history, marked by dramatic events and colossal challenges. A republic in the Making looks at India's uncertain trajectory as it evolved in the years after independence. Its narrative conveys a sense of the hopes and aspirations, dilemmas and anxieties of the political leadership in those times. It offers insights into how India came to be transformed in significant ways in those years to anchor itself as a resilient, democratic polity, increasingly coming to terms with societal heterogeneity. It considers the key ideas, paths, and trajectories which were articulated in the 1950s and have left an imprint upon the republic's fabric. The values and personalities from that decade continue to remain a frame of reference, a benchmark for public life in India.
Presented as a broad-brush canvas, this highly readable work shall be of interest to all those curious about the trails and tracks of India's exciting journey in its formative decade as a new nation.