Gujarat At Cross-Roads

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Professor Nagindas Banghavi earned his Master's degree in Political Science and History from the University of Bombay in 1947. He taught undergraduate courses in various colleges in Mumbai and taught a course in "Government and Politics in India" to the post-graduate students at the University of Bombay. He retired as the Vice-Principal of the Mithibai College (Mumbai) in 1981.

Since 1961, he has been a regular columnist commenting on political issues and affairs in several weeklies and daily newspapers in Gujarati language and has been awarded the Gujarat State award for being the best political commentator in 1999. His articles have also appeared in Freedom First, United India, Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) and in many other academic journals.

His 27 pamphlets on Constitutional matters and political affairs have been published in the prestigious series - "Parichaya Pustika". He was the principal author in "Swaraj GUJA.

Darshan" (post-independence politics in India) published by the Sardar Patel University in the "Gyan Gangotri" series and it was the reference volume of post- graduate students in several universities in Gujarat. His book "Gujarat-A Political Analysis" was published by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, South Gujarat University, Surat and was well received by those interested in the regional politics of Gujarat.

Prof. Sanghavi's book "The Agony of Arrival - Gandhi in South Africa", published by Rupa & Co., has been described by Lord Bhikhu Parekh as an important contribution to the Gandhian Studies.

His analytical study of Ramayan was furiously denounced by the fundamentalists and acclaimed by moderate scholars and it received the first prize from the Gujarat State Academy. Prof. Sanghavi has been a recipient of several other awards for his books.

He is a visiting faculty for Human Rights issues at the prestigious Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai.

Contemporary Gujarat, a prosperous and the second most highly industrialized State in India is, today, the most widely debated and frequently denounced State in India. After 2002, it has emerged as a symbol for a particular ideology and a metaphor for a behavioural pattern. Godhra and post-Godhra riots have been a great emotional and attitudinal divide in studying and understanding Gujarat. It is no longer possible to write or speak about Gujarat without being questioned about one's intellectual and ideological credentials.

The decades [1990-2009] that the following pages seek to chronicle and analyse have been the years of stupendous triumphs and devastating tragedies for the land and people of Gujarat. After two decades of comparative placidity and quietude, Gujarat experienced every conceivable natural disaster earthquakes, floods, famines, cyclones, plague - that tortured Gujarat and spread devastation over large areas. The communal and caste riots and terrorism disfigured the face of Gujarat and earned for it and its people a notoriety that ultimately led to a strong diplomatic slap across the face of India.