Dr Shashi Tharoor in conversation with Roger Mosey

Tue 13 June 2023

Selwyn College

Selwyn College is delighted to host Dr Shashi Tharoor, who will be in conversation with the master Roger Mosey to discuss his new biography 'B. R. Ambedkar, the man who gave hope to India's dispossessed'. This highly acclaimed biography illustrates the life of prolific Indian politician and activist Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

A household name throughout India, B. R. Ambedkar is one of the country's most important figures, second only to Mahatma Gandhi. He played a major role in drafting the constitution for a newly independent India and led the fight against caste-based discrimination.

Ambedkar was born into a Dalit caste (the so-called 'untouchables'), but his academic brilliance saw him study at Columbia University and London School of Economics. As a politician, he fought to overturn centuries of discrimination and promoted liberal constitutionalism in a traditionally illiberal society. He did more than anyone to articulate a cogent and enduring case for the principles of democracy in a country emerging from imperial rule.

This book is a reminder of how far the practice of politics has strayed from the high standards Ambedkar set - of intellectual distinction, policy positions animated by serious scholarship, the infusion of moral values and the upholding of democracy for the many, not just the privileged few.

Dr Shashi Tharoor is an author, critic and columnist. He has been Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Minister of State for Human Resource Development and Minister of State for External Affairs in the Government of India.

Featuring a book signing and Q & A. We expect this lecture to sell out so recommend booking early.

Cost: Free