British Scholar: Gopal

Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography; Volume I: 1889-1947
Sarvepalli Gopal (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1976), 398 pages

Sarvepalli Gopal, an Indian nationalist as well as historian, attempts to avoid subjectivity in his
biography of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Gopal successfully navigates through
Nehru’s early life with a refreshing objectivity that paints Nehru as a listless youth who plotted his
course according to the wishes of his ambitious father Motilal. In fact, Nehru does not start to come
alive until the arrest of Mrs. Besant, the founder of the Home Rule Leagues. In the book, once Nehru
falls under the influence of Gandhi his purpose in life evolves rapidly to one of eliminating British
imperialism from India. The remainder of the biography expands upon this theme with the treatment
of Nehru remaining consistent, fair, and untainted by excessive adulation.

Major British officials and members of the Muslim League do not receive the same objective handling.
From the depiction of Churchill as the worst imperialist of the time to categorizing Amery as a racist
that Goebbels and Rosenberg could be proud of smacks of clouded vision and judgment. Viceroy
Wavell, however, appears to absorb some of the most unreasonable treatment from the author’s pen.
Wavell sought to bring independence to India as quickly as possible following the end of the Second
World War and even noted in his journal that the British Government’s attitude toward India could be
categorized as “negligent, hostile and contemptuous to a degree I had not anticipated.” Wavell
looked to follow a different path in India from his predecessors. While Gopal proves that Wavell did
not trust or like Gandhi, the author’s condemnation of the Viceroy for attempting to ensure an equal
voice for the Muslim League can only be classified as unfettered bias in favor of the Congress.
Obviously, Gopal’s anger at Wavell upsets his handling of one of greatest proponents of an
independent India. In the end, Gopal presents a surprisingly balanced assessment of Nehru while
allowing his prejudice against the Muslim League and British imperialism to explain the portrait he
affords Wavell. Overall, the book provides an objective glimpse into the lives of Congress politicians,
but the accounts of British officials and members of the Muslim League should be approached with a
wary eye.