IN PURSUIT OF DEMOCRACY: BEYOND PARTY LINES

Category Biographies & Memoirs
Format Hardback
Imprint Rupa
Price 695

ISBN: 978-93-6156-937-1
Pages: 256 pages
Date: 11th November 2024

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Unrelenting, focused, resourceful, and fierce—these are just a few words that define Najma Heptulla, a towering figure who has shaped India’s political landscape for decades.

In Pursuit of Democracy chronicles her journey, a path marked by self-discovery and goal setting, as well as by struggle, determination, hard work, and enterprise. With a career spanning over four decades, Heptulla has ushered in pivotal changes in the Indian polity. After 17 years as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, she became synonymous with the upper house of Parliament. Having worked with prime ministers from Indira Gandhi to Narendra Modi, she offers readers a ringside view of Indian democracy at play.

With hindsight, she traces her growth in politics, her interpersonal relationships with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Y.B. Chavan, Pranab Mukherjee, P.V. Narasimha Rao, L.K. Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Sharad Pawar, among others. Further, she finally puts paid to the speculations behind her controversial departure from the Congress and joining the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Woven into her political life are personal stories—the untimely death of a beloved brother, a fulfilling marriage, and the demands of balancing motherhood with a successful career. Heptulla contemplates love, loss, tragedy, jealousy, ambition and the grey areas where these emotions reconcile.
In Pursuit of Democracy goes beyond a typical autobiography, becoming a living document of history.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Dr Najma Heptulla is a distinguished parliamentarian and a prominent advocate for democracy, social justice and women’s rights. With a remarkable career that includes serving as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Minority Affairs, and Governor of Manipur, she has earned widespread respect for her unwavering commitment to public service.
In addition to her notable political career, Dr Heptulla is an accomplished author. Her works include India’s Progress in Science and Technology: Continuity and Change, Indo-West Asian Relations: The Nehru Era, Reforms for Women: Future Options, Environment Protection in Developing Countries, Human Social Security and Sustainable Development, AIDS: Approaches to Prevention, and Democracy: The Global Perspective. She has also penned a moving collection of poetry titled Impressions, showcasing her literary versatility.