On January 26, India marked the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. The text represents the audaciousness of the drafters - for they dared to dream of a democracy with universal adult franchise and fundamental rights for citizens in a society which was deeply divided on identity lines and was marked by poverty and illiteracy. What drove them? How has the Constitution fared since? To discuss this, Madhav Khosla - who teaches at Columbia and Ashoka Universities and is the author of a remarkable new book, India’s Founding Moment: The Constitution of a Most Surprising Democracy - joins this edition of The Big Picture.

The Big Picture

Hindustan Times - HT Smartcast

16: The Constitution at 70

JAN 27, 202017 MIN
The Big Picture

16: The Constitution at 70

JAN 27, 202017 MIN

Description

On January 26, India marked the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. The text represents the audaciousness of the drafters - for they dared to dream of a democracy with universal adult franchise and fundamental rights for citizens in a society which was deeply divided on identity lines and was marked by poverty and illiteracy. What drove them? How has the Constitution fared since? To discuss this, Madhav Khosla - who teaches at Columbia and Ashoka Universities and is the author of a remarkable new book, India’s Founding Moment: The Constitution of a Most Surprising Democracy - joins this edition of The Big Picture.