Launch Event and Book Overview
Gopalkrishna Gandhi’s memoir, The Undying Light: A Personal History of Independent India, was officially launched on April 16, 2025, at the India International Centre, New Delhi, in collaboration with Aleph Book Company and Ashoka University. The event was graced by chief guest Sharmila Tagore, who highlighted the book’s significance, and included a panel featuring Aruna Roy, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and Rudrangshu Mukherjee.
The memoir traces India’s evolution from the moment of Independence in 1947 to the present day, weaving together Gandhi’s personal recollections with pivotal national events. As the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Gopalkrishna Gandhi offers both a personal and historical lens, beginning with his earliest memories-most notably, the assassination of his grandfather when he was just two and a half years old.
Excerpt Highlights
The excerpt published from the memoir provides a poignant account of the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. Gopalkrishna Gandhi recounts his sister Taru, then thirteen, rushing him to Birla House after the tragic news. The narrative vividly describes the confusion, the crowd at the gates, and the family’s grief as they gathered around Bapuji’s body. The memoir captures not just the personal loss but also the nation’s collective mourning.
One of the striking moments in the book is when Mahatma Gandhi has his final conversation with his granddaughter and shows hope and responsibility for her future, forsaking platitudes for a vision based on optimism and duty. The memoir also considers the abiding legacy of truth and resilience at the core of both the Gandhi family and the Indian democratic ethos.
Critical Reception and Themes
Panellists at the launch credited the book with a candid, graphic account of India's post-independence history and its timeliness in the current atmosphere of disputed histories. The memoir is referred to as a lesson in moral integrity, the proper exercise of power, and the value of decency and honesty in public life.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a renowned public intellectual and ex-administrator, has drawn from a lifetime of experience to provide insights into the lives of prominent actors like B.R. Ambedkar and Jayaprakash Narayan, as well as tackling today's threats to democracy and secularism. The book is divided into eight sections, corresponding to significant dates in modern Indian history.
Author's Perspective
In recent interviews, Gopalkrishna Gandhi underlined that the title, The Undying Light, has been taken from the life and death of Mahatma Gandhi, whose legacy, he feels, is beyond mortality. He encourages present-day leaders to be like Mahatma Gandhi, in the sense of being an opposition and introspection, reiterating the book's core message of grit and moral leadership.
Sources YouTube, Scroll.in, Newslaundry, Aleph Book Company, Moneycontrol
