Decolonizing the Hindu Mind

by Koenraad Elst

The ideological dimension of the Hindu revivalism has been mostly misrepresented or rather neglected in the ongoing debates on the subject. Thoroughly analysing the ideological statements of its advocates and their critique of the existing secular order, Dr. Koenraad Elst provides an overview of the ideas animating the movement. A period of rapid political changes that witnessed and rise of the BJP with only 2 Lok Sabha Seats in 1984 to have 179 seats that enabled it to form a coalition government at the Centre in 1998 is the focus of the study. Amidst the umpteen number of works available on Hindu revivalism, this work stands out with its clear focus and clarity of thought.

About the Author:

DR. KOENRAAD ELST graduated in Philosophy, Chinese Studies and Indo-Iranian Studies from the Catholic University of Leuven. He became interested in the communal disputes in India during a stay at the Benares Hindu University, and wrote his first book on the bubbing Ayodhya conflict. He has written copiously on multiculturalism, language policy issues, ancient Chinese history and philosophy, comparative religion and the Aryan invasion debate.