The Soul of India  (English, Paperback, Pal Bipin Chandra)

A towering figure in the Indian nationalist movement, Bipin Chandra Pal was a leader of the extremist wing of the Congress Party, advocating a more militant line against British imperialism. An active politician, he was also an intellectual: The Soul of India, published in 1911, was a reflection of his belief that writing could also inspire the masses in the struggle for independence. Pal was instrumental in the creation of a comprehensive and constructive ideology which would be the basis for what he described as the ‘new patriotism’. Pal invoked the Hindu god Krishna as both a symbol and a means through which India’s past could manifest itself in the present, as well as the future. The Soul of India is a comparison of Indian and western thought, as well as an analysis of Indian history and the condition of the country in Pal’s day – the result is a unique work that reflects the ideals and principles of one of India’s most respected leaders.

About the Author
Bipin Chandra Pal (1852-1932) was at the forefront of public life in India for over half a century. A member of the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj, he was closely involved with several journals, amongst them, Bengal Public Opinion, Tribune, New India, Bande Mataram and Hindu Review. He was instrumental in forcing the 1887 session of the Congress to draft a resolution championing the cause of the ill-treated tea-workers in Assam. He also toured England, Europe and the United States, speaking on religion as well as the Indian struggle against the British. He was jailed in 1907 and after some years of self-imposed exile on his release, he returned to India in 1912. After the rise of Gandhi, with whom he clashed ideologically, he focused on a federal union of India, as well as India’s role in Asia. He is the author of works such as Memories of My Life and Times, The New Spirit, Brahmo Samaj and the Battle of Swaraj and Swadeshi and Swaraj. After his death, Aurobindo Ghose hailed him as one of the mightiest prophets of Indian nationalism, and one of its greatest orators.