In 1905, all of Bengal rose in uproar because the British had partitioned the state. Yet in 1947, the same people insisted on a partition along communal lines. Why did this happen? Exploring the roots of alienation of the two communities, Nitish Sengupta peels off the layers of events in this pivotal period in Bengals history, casting new light on the roles of figures such as Chittaranjan Das, Subhas Chandra Bose, Nazrul Islam, Fazlul Huq, H.S. Suhrawardy and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

About the Author
Nitish Sengupta has represented India at various UN bodies and was elected chairman of the UN Commission on Transnational Corporations. He joined politics in 1996 and was elected to the thirteenth Lok Sabha, where he served as member of several key committees, notably the Public Accounts Committee. He was also general secretary, All India Trinamool Congress. Currently, he is chairman, Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises, New Delhi.

Sengupta has been a regular columnist in leading dailies and is the author of fifteen books, including several related to management. As a historian, his notable books are History of the Bengali-speaking People, Dr B.C. Roy: Biography and Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib. His other books include Unshackling of Indian Industry, Government and Business, Inside the Street Frame and My Times: A Civil Servant Remembers. He is based in Delhi.