Atmacharit by Jawaharlal Nehru [Hardcover]

Jawaharlal Nehru’s "Atmacharit" is, in one sense, the autobiography of a subjugated India, eager to gain independence. Born into a family that gradually became deeply involved in the political movement, Nehru's personal development took place during a time when the country was on the verge of erupting in turbulent protests against foreign rulers. His emergence as a leader coincided with a moment in history when India was eagerly awaiting the rise of a leader like him.

Nehru, the herald of the new age, was not just a living, breathing individual; he was a symbol of all the hopes, aspirations, struggles, and resolutions of India during a particularly critical phase in the nation's life. The account of his intellectual growth and his efforts to align himself with the deprived masses of India is not just a personal story but also a glorious chapter in the history of our national struggle for independence. In his "Autobiography", Nehru tells this very history.

It is said that after reading this book, Rabindranath Tagore, deeply moved, wrote to Nehru: “I have just finished reading your great book. I am deeply impressed and honored by your achievement. Through the detailed narrative of your book, a profound current flows that transcends the complexities of truth and leads one to the individual who is greater than his deeds and more truthful than his surroundings.”

Not only in India, but "Atmacharit" also received widespread acclaim abroad, a rare honor for any Indian's autobiography. The book has been translated into various European languages and several Indian regional languages. For the Bengali translation of this autobiography, Jawaharlal Nehru personally requested the late and renowned journalist Satyendranath Majumdar. On Nehru's birth centenary, the reprinting of this translated work became a tribute to his legacy.