India’s Finance Ministers: From Independence to Emergency (1947-1977)
Author: A K Bhattacharya
Publisher: Penguin Business
Pages: 445 + XVII
Price: Rs 999
What should be the key attributes necessary for a finance minister, Jawaharlal Nehru asked Morarji Desai. Desai, who had recently decided to relinquish the chief ministership of Bombay state, responded with four points. I paraphrase: One, the finance minister should be self-confident and should enjoy the confidence of the prime minister. Two, he should be from the same party with total belief in those ideals to implement them well. Three, the country must have complete faith in the finance minister’s integrity. And