Witness to freedom

India is free, certainly, and has been so for 70 years. But are Indians free-spirited?

The hype about the 70th anniversary of Independence is growing daily. Though a little older than “midnight’s children”, I can justifiably claim to have grown up in and with independent India. Hence I crave the readers’ indulgence for some personal reflections.

I first encountered what we now call identity politics very early on, even before I started school. My father was offered an out-of-turn promotion in early 1948 because our last name was commonly associated with a shoemaker community of the area. He politely said that he would abide by the rules and wait his turn, which was late in