The Indian book of big ideas: the 45 greatest thinkers, philosophers & reformers of all time
Mukunda Rao
Hatchette India
Rs.499 Pages 234

Mukunda Rao has done a splendid job of selecting 45 greatest thinkers out of a galaxy of enlightened philosophers from India. Their big ideas continue to exercise powerful influence

How we lead our lives and what we make of it is largely shaped by — the worldviews we hold, whether consciously or unconsciously. Worldviews, in turn, are the outcome of numerous factors, including the impact of thinkers, philosophers and social reformers, whose works have significantly influenced society.

These individuals sought to deal with basic existential questions, such as the origin, purpose and ultimate destination of life; the ideal way of living and how humans should co-exist with each other as well as with other species; the wider cosmos and any realities that might exist beyond the empirically observable. These ‘Big Ideas’, to borrow from the title of this delightful book, that great individuals contributed through living out their own lives and, in many cases, through their written works, continue to exercise powerful influence over millions of people. Therefore they are worth examination.

Author Mukunda Rao has done a splendid job of selecting 45 greatest thinkers out of a galaxy of enlightened and influential philosophers and reformers from India. In this book, he details some ‘Big Ideas’ about life and living that they articulated and which continue to have salience in this day and age. The lives and contributions of these figures are inspirational and hold salutary lessons for modern readers. The profound thinkers profiled in this book — men and women — excelled in different historical periods (among the earliest being the philosopher Kapila, who dates back to 600-700 BCE), came from differing social backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, caste, language, class and religion. Their insights, philosophies and reforms have enabled humankind to evolve towards realisation of Oneness, surpassing narrowly-constructed ascribed identities and social hierarchies based on birth and creeds, to promoting humane thinking.

Each individual profiled in this book has a small chapter devoted to him/her, shedding light on their ‘Big Idea’ followed by a short essay outlining its significant contribution to humanity. Thus readers are provided brief biographies and histories of their rich legacy.

The individuals profiled include great spiritual teachers Mahavira, Siddhartha Gautama, Guru Nanak, Akka Mahadevi, Lalleshwari, Ravidas, Adi Shankara and Ramakrishna Paramahansa; champions of gender justice Pandita Ramabai and Savitribai Phule; advocates of harmony beyond religious differences Kabir and Bulleh Shah; literary giants including Rabindranath Tagore and Subramania Bharati, and social justice reformers Rammohan Roy, Birsa Munda, Bhimrao Ambedkar and E.V. Ramaswamy.

Written in easy, conversational style and shorn of unnecessary detail, this compendium is likely to appeal to children and adults alike. It’s a vibrant account of historical figures over a vast span of time covering many centuries, summarising their thoughts, philosophies and reforms. The book opens up an enjoyable way of learning history in a manner that the reader is likely to be influenced by the great thinkers it commemorates.

That said, the book could have done with an introduction, in which the author could have explained why he decided to write it and on what basis he selected the 45 individuals profiled. Some readers including this reviewer are certain to have preferred a round number of 50 biographies. Even so, the book is praiseworthy and a must-read!

Yoginder Sikand