BySukant Deepak

January 5, 2021 (IANSlife) Author Sandeep Bamzai will be in conversation with journalist and writer Pallavi Rebbapragada to discuss different facets of his latest book ‘Princestan’ during Kalinga Literary Festival’s ‘bhava samvad’ (online) on January 9 at 7 pm.

Exploring how in the run up to independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Lord Mountbatten countered the plan of a handful of Indian princes, under the patronage of Mohd. Ali Jinnah, Lord Wavell and British PM Winston Churchill to not join either India or Pakistan, and create a Third Dominion known as Princestan, the book offers an insight into what really went into 'making' the country as we know it today. 

Bamzai, who is also the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of news wire IANS, says about ‘Princestan', “While researching the book on Kashmir, which dealt specifically with Kashmir and Maharaja Hari Singh, this particular part came through the material and fascinated me no end. It did not take me long to realise that I was on to something which was of much importance as far as modern history was concerned. It had to be explored in depth, as what would be the second part of what would ultimately be a trilogy.”

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