Mexican Wave

The colourful Khankhoje makes for a riveting read, but the book is historically naive
At the turn of the 20th century, with Indian nationalism as yet incipient, a young Maharashtrian left for foreign shores. It was, at first glance, a journey typical of thousands of well-heeled Indians traversing the empire 8212; to seek education in England, and then their fortunes at home. But Pandurang Khankhoje requires more than a first glance. For it was not Cambridge University to which Khankhoje was travelling, and it was not the Indian Civil Services to which he would return. Khankhoje was fleeing arrest by British agents, and would return home only half a century later. What took place in between is a riveting tale of travel, eacute;migreacute; nationalism and love. Inspired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Khankhoje studied agriculture in the US, founded the Ghadar Party, fought with the Germans against the British in World War I, was seduced by the hectic certainties of communism, headed Mexico8217;s agricultural department and found love there 8212; before making the long journey back home.

With material so rich, any biography of Khankhoje must deal with high expectations: it must cartograph his life, it must shed light on the Ghadar Party and it must articulate his understanding of Indian nationalism. Does the recent biography I Shall Never Ask for Pardon by his daughter Savitri Sawhney live up to these? The book certainly gives us Khankhoje 8212; up, close and personal. For the uninformed, like this reviewer, it presents the ideal blend of first-person accounts as well as a more objective assessment of Khankhoje8217;s personality. Sawhney8217;s own insights into her father are moving and wry. In this, Sawhney is aided by the book8217;s subject 8212; a man so colourful that mere rendition of facts is engrossing enough. nbsp;

The book is less successful when describing the Ghadar Party. Sawhney is unable to move beyond the often bland views of her father, to a more historical understanding of the revolutionary strand within the national movement that the Ghadar Party typified. This is an opportunity missed, for India is witnessing, through films and exhibitions, a renewed interest in Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary nationalism. Sawhney8217;s account of the Ghadar Party could have woven historical scholarship around personal narrative. Instead, we are left with anecdotes 8212; entertaining, but of little use to a history buff.

The book8217;s biggest letdown, though, is its inability to articulate a coherent understanding of Indian nationalism, as seen through Khankhoje8217;s eyes. The idea of India was incubated on foreign shores. And much has been written about Gandhi8217;s disobedience in South Africa, Nehru8217;s tryst with Cambridge, and Ambedkar8217;s American dream. Khankhoje8217;s own nationalism was shaped by the defining ideologies of the 20th century 8212; European colonialism, American capitalism, Soviet communism, and Mexican socialism. His idea of India is all the richer, and deserves better chronicling. nbsp;

Yet, these flaws don8217;t take away from the book8217;s main feat: to give a great man his first due. Let8217;s hope that it opens the floodgates for more literature on the man, and his many movements.