Sanjeev Sanyal

Sanjeev Sanyal (born 27 August 1970) is an Indian economist and popular historian.

Quotes

• The term ‘majoritarianism’ is used in India as a convenient way to demonise Hindus without any reference to first principles.
  • quoted in the inner front pages of the book "The Majoritarian Myth" by Kausik Gangopadhyay 2024, also at [1]

• Aurobindo’s change of direction may seem inexplicable, but his writings explain his reasons. He seems to have come to the conclusion that he had already accomplished his role as India’s Mazzini by triggering the flame of nationalism. It was now a matter of time before the British were forced to leave. However, he also felt that there was a more important civilizational battle that India would have to fight, which would prove much harder than just gaining political freedom. After centuries under foreign rule, Indians had come to see their own culture from the perspective of those who had conquered them. Many members of the Indian elite had imbibed the idea that sacred texts such as the Vedas and the Upanishads were just superstition—like Aurobindo’s father, they had come to believe modernization meant Westernization. One could argue that this shows incredible foresight, as more than a century later, seven and a half decades after gaining political freedom, this remains a matter of hot debate in contemporary India. He felt that it was his duty to rediscover the true core of Indian civilization and present it to Indians and the wider world. With this in mind, Sri Aurobindo dived deep into the Rig Veda, the most ancient and revered of Hindu texts.
  • Sanjeev Sanyal - Revolutionaries The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom-HarperCollins India (2023)