About the Book: The Rajiv I Knew: And Why He Was Indias Most Misunderstood Prime
Minister
Rajiv Gandhis prime ministership (198489) began in a flame of glory but was
quickly dimmed by controversies. The Shah Bano case and the opening of the locks
at Ayodhya, l affaire Bofors, the decision to send the IPKF to Sri Lanka and
other issues dealt with in this book have had the cumulative consequence of
making Rajiv Gandhi the most misunderstood Indian prime minister and wiping out
from public memory his many constructive achievements in nation building.
In this brilliantly argued and deeply researched book, Mani Shankar Aiyar, who
served as