Norms and Politics

During the twilight of British rule in India, a little-known civil servant, Sir Benegal Narsing Rau (1887-1953), was sought after by the ruling elites—both British and Indian—for his immense knowledge of the nature and working of the constitutions of the world as well as his reputation for being just and impartial between competing political interests. Yet, Rau's ideas and his voice have largely been forgotten today. By examining Rau's constitutional ideas and following their trajectory in late colonial Indian politics, this book shows how the process of the making of the Indian constitution was actually never separated from the politics of conflict that dominated this period. This book demonstrates that it is only by foregrounding this political history that we can simultaneously remember Rau's critical contributions as well as understand why he was forgotten in the first place.