Exploring the life of controversial V.D. Savarkar

If you have heard the name Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, it has either been uttered in disdain, or with a hush-hush admiration. One of the frontrunners of the Hindutva movement in India, Savarkar is undoubtedly one of the most contentious personalities of the 20th century.

“Accounts of his eventful and stormy life have oscillated from eulogising hagiographies to disparaging demonisation,” says Penguin Random House, which will bring out a two-volume biography on Savarkar. “The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between and has never unfortunately been told to the people of the country.” The biography is being authored by Vikram Sampath, a Bengaluru-based historian and political commentator who has written three books: Splendours of Royal Mysore: the untold story of the Wodeyars, My name is Gauhar Jaan: the life and times of a musician and Voice of the Veena: S Balachander, a biography.

Sampath's book on Gauhar Jaan, India's first recording superstar, has won him many accolades and it was adapted into a play, Gauhar by Mahesh Dattani and Lillette Dubey. The film rights have recently been acquired by Ashutosh Gowariker.

Savarkar is an interesting person to write about, given the legacy he has left behind. The man whose name the Hindutva brigade venerates was actually an atheist, a rationalist and opposed orthodox Hindu beliefs. In fact, he was even dismissive of cow worship. Yet, he espoused Hindu nationalism, and also the ghar wapasi or reconverting people back to the faith.

He led an eventful life, starting as a revolutionary and being jailed at the Cellular Jail, Port Blair. His mercy petition to the British seeking release is still a subject of much debate. Was it surrender or was it a smart move? Sampath's book seeks to explore every controversy of his life, his divergence from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and his alleged role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

The books are expected to be out in 2019 and 2020.