Falling over Backwards

Arun Shourie’s Falling Over Backwards deals with the age-old problem of reservations and caste system in India, with a contention that the caste problem undoubtedly continues to be structured and nurtured by incentives that the State provides. The problem of reservations has been deep-rooted and one of the most disturbing problems of ancient and modern India. In a country that was brought up and nurtured by Nehru’s sociological views, India has eventually grown into a society wherein caste forms the major axis of distribution of state goods.

A well-researched book packed with passionate writing, it not only places facts, judgements, and figures, but also manages to provide food for the sociological soul. The book touches upon the sensitive Mandal commission report of 1989, during Prime Minister VP Singh’s rule, where the reservations in education and at the workplace were highlighted. The author also questions the existence of reservations in the Indian society, basing his research on clear facts and figures - the Constitution assembly reports, or the Supreme Court judgements are a few of the others that he constantly mentions.

Falling Over Backwards captures the essence of the history of reservations, which seems to have plagued the Indian society for decades now. With a strong backing of a political background and having served as a minister in the government himself, Shourie gives an intriguing perspective to this particular section of the society.

Published by Harpercollins in 2012, the book is available in paperback.

About the Author

Born in 1941 in Jalandhar, India, Arun Shourie is a well-known Indian journalist, author, and politician. He worked in the World bank as an economist and has also served in the ministry of India. He has written numerous books that have been recognised both nationally and internationally. Some of his works include: We Must Have No Price, Where Will All This Take Us, Harversting Our Souls, Indian Controversies, etc. His achievements have won him the title of Padma Bhushan and the Dadabhai Naoroji Award.

500pages