O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) will host a scholarly discussion on the new book of eminent lawyer, author and parliamentarian Dr. Ashwani Kumar tomorrow (May 4, 2017) at its university campus in Sonipat, Haryana.
The book titled ‘Hope in a Challenged Democracy: An Indian Narrative’ critically analyses issues of fundamental importance in the framework of the dignitarian goals of the republic, the role of a ‘living Constitution’, the necessity of equilibrium between executive, legislature and judiciary, the role of media, importance of equitable growth, a responsive justice system and a rising India’s engagement with the world.
It provides a statesman’s perspective on addressing challenges and optimising responses with a view to transforming our democracy as a true reflection of the collective conscience of the nation.
Dr. Ashwani Kumar will be joined by JGU Founding Vice-Chancellor, Professor (Dr) C Raj Kumar and Professor, Shiv Vishwanathan, Vice Dean, Jindal Global Law School for the discourse.
The publication has also received some notable reviews from both India and abroad.
A book with a profound historical perspective, which enriches the analysis and encourages to show great ambitions for the country.
–Dominique de Villepin, former Prime Minister of France
The book is a must-read for students of politics, philosophy and history. A tour de force indeed!
–Lord Karan Billimoria, CBE DL, Member, House of Lords
The book illuminates an astonishing range of the issues with perceptiveness and wisdom, informed by an increasingly rare sense of values. We need more leaders like him.
–KS Bajpai, former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, former Indian Ambassador to Pakistan, China and the United States of America
The author poses in this highly readable book the question: can we invest our politics with dignity and anchor it in high principle? Nothing is quite as important to India’s democratic future as the answer to this question.
–Gurcharan Das, author of India Unbound and The Difficulty of Being Good.
About the Author
Dr. Ashwani Kumar, an eminent lawyer, author and veteran parliamentarian was member of the Rajya Sabha for fourteen consecutive years till his retirement in April 2016. During this time, he held various ministerial positions including Minister for Law and Justice, Special Envoy of PM Manmohan Singh to Japan (2013) and chaired several important parliamentary committees. Dr Kumar represented the Indian Government at the highest forums of diplomacy including in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the World Economic Forum. He is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, a former Additional Solicitor General, widely recognised for his eloquence as a spokesperson of the Congress Party and for the intellectual depth of his writings and parliamentary interventions. He was honoured with Honoris Causa by Punjab University in 2005, was a visiting Distinguished Fellow at the Trinity College Dublin (2016) and has spoken at the Oxford Human Rights Hub, The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, University of Birmingham and Kings College London amongst others. His publications include Laws, Ideas & Ideology in Politics: Perspectives of an Activist.
