Discover the ‘write' side of Shashi Tharoor

Indian Express

a day ago

Diplomat, party spokesperson, civil servant, minister, wordsmith—even a stand-up comic (for a short time): Shashi Tharoor wears many hats—and wears them well. But the man who is currently going around the world, casting wordy spells as he carries India's message on Operation Sindoor to the global stage, is also a remarkably prolific author.
In fact, he first came to national (indeed, international) attention with a book: The Great Indian Novel (1989). And as in other walks of life, his literary work is rich in variety. You might expect him to focus primarily on political matters, but Tharoor has never limited himself to any one genre. He has written biographies, essays (including on cricket), analyses, travelogues, critiques, and even novels. Indeed, until he pens a proper, no-holds-barred autobiography (and we're sure he will), his books—he has nearly two dozen to his name and surely more to come—are an excellent way to understand the man who weaves magic with his words, spoken and written, for a wide variety of audiences.
The Great Indian Novel (1989) brought Shashi Tharoor into the literary spotlight in the late 80s. A work of fiction, it remains his most famous—and, in the opinion of many (us included), his best book. It showcases all the Tharoor hallmarks: wit, humour, wordplay, and sarcasm, blended with a keen sense of history and mythology.
And what history and mythology it is—because The Great Indian Novel is actually a retelling and reimagining of the Indian freedom struggle and the decades that followed, narrated in the style of perhaps the greatest Indian epic of them all, the Mahabharata. Tharoor reimagines characters from Ved Vyas' epic as legendary freedom fighters and political figures, often blending names with telling effect.
Across its 380-odd pages, you'll encounter Jayaprakash Drona, Priya Duryodhini, Mohammad Ali Karna, the Kaurav Party (Real), and the Kaurav Party (Old Guard). Often darkly funny, sometimes moving, and always fast-paced, this is one of those rare books that can be picked up for sheer entertainment, only to leave the reader deep in thought—accompanied by the occasional giggle.
Indian leaders have generally not been well-served by their biographers. Most biographies tend to be either overly critical or excessively hagiographical—rambling affairs, rich in detail but poor in narrative. Tharoor changed that with his compact biography of Jawaharlal Nehru in 2003.
Nehru: The Invention of India was released in a small, almost pocketbook format, spanning just over 275 pages. Yet it offered a more complete picture of India's first Prime Minister than many far weightier tomes. Tharoor's take on Nehru is largely positive, but what makes the book special is its ability to capture Nehru's essence and his importance to India without falling into excessive adulation. He notes Nehru's 'classic Little Lord Fauntleroy upbringing' and does not shy away from discussing how a corrupt bureaucracy is as much a part of Nehru's legacy as his achievements.
Tharoor sticks to sound narrative basics—no extravagant flourishes here. In this, he's like a stroke player curbing flair for the sake of a bigger score. The result is perhaps the best short biography ever written of any Indian leader: succinct yet substantial. If there is one book you should read about Nehru—it is this, it is this, it is this.
A significant portion of Tharoor's writing post his entry into active politics reflects the views of his party and its leadership. However, there are moments when he takes off his political hat and dons his academic one. One of those moments was An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India (2017). Later re-released as Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, the book won the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism (2017) and the Sahitya Akademi Award (2019).
Inspired by his now-viral 2015 Oxford Union speech on colonial reparations, the book—about 330 pages long—is perhaps the most accessible, easy-to-read account of the consequences of British colonial rule in India. Some academics have called it one-sided and bitter, but Tharoor's righteous outrage burns through the pages.
'Britain's rise for two hundred years was financed by its depredation of India,' he observes, dismantling the myths that suggest the British gave India political unity or a free press. This is Tharoor in debate mode—armed with data, arguments, and flashes of wit and sarcasm. It's compelling stuff, even if classic historians might occasionally wince.
Agathokakological, fefenestrate, floccinaucinihilipilification… Booking that Tharoor Vocabulary
Shashi Tharoor's command of the English language has achieved near-legendary status. His use of words many have never encountered has repeatedly expanded his audience's vocabulary.
For those enchanted by his linguistic flair, Tharoorosaurus (Penguin Random House, 2020) is the perfect pick. A compact volume (336 pages), it's easily the most entertaining book Tharoor has written. It features 53 of his favourite rare words, with definitions, etymologies, trivia, and even cartoons.
Included are delights like Agathokakological, Cromulent, Defenestrate, Floccinaucinihilipilification, Kakistocracy, Rodomontade, and Snollygoster, alongside more familiar terms like Vigilante, Yogi, and Namaste.
Whether or not he ever pens a tell-all memoir, we hope Tharoor writes several sequels to this book. It may not be as profound as some of his other works, but it delivers information memorably and always with a smile. A bit like the man himself.