It is a political-historical narrative of the events that shaped India’s destiny at a crucial period in its history – beginning with the disintegration of the great Mughal empire and an alien trading organization: the East India Company, taking up slowly, but steadily, the centrestage and, finally, succeeding in establishing an empire. All this happened without England ever invading India, and yet establishing its political hegemony. A collection of nearly thirty essays, the book describes the various Regulating Acts that were meant to keep East India Company under imperial hold, how the Company’s rule was ended, and how the Crown began to rule directly. The essays also offer an interesting narrative of the events that led to the establishment of Indian National Congress, freedom struggle, and partition of India.

Bhawani Singh is former Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.