Review of “Hindutva for the Changing Times” by J Nandkumar

“Hindutva for the Changing Times” is a timely book. The book spread over 6 sections covers various issues which are confronting India today.

The first 5 sections of the book are a compilation of articles of J Nandakumar, an RSS Pracharak, national convener of Prajna Pravah. He is an accomplished author and a gifted poet among many other things. It would have been nice if the date of publication of the articles were also given or at least a period was given. It helps one understand the context in which the articles must have been written. But from looking at the content, it looks like they have been written over the different point of time in the last five years.

The alternate name for the book could have been ‘Straight Talk’. The author has not shied away from calling a spade a spade. In 21 articles, the author has covered Abhinavagupta to Ambedkar, Artificial Intelligence to Ayodhya, Economics to Environment, Sabrimala to Savarkar, and much more. Dr Ambedkar as a journalist makes fascinating reading. The author has spent a lot of time in Kerala, and he decodes communists and communist-led violence threadbare. The chapter ‘Travancore’s Glory’ makes an interesting read. Wish this chapter was a bit longer.
The last section i.e. 6th section of the book covers some of the interviews of the author. They are also as insightful as the articles.

One wonders why ‘conversion’ as an issue has not been covered by the author. May be in subsequent volumes it can be taken care off.