UPSC Prelims 2024 Q86: The India Way & Why Bharat Matters — Explained
Who of the following is the author of the books "The India Way" and "Why Bharat Matters"?
- Bhupender Yadav
- Nalin Mehta
- Shashi Tharoor
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Answer: (d) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Statement-wise explanation
- a: incorrect — Bhupender Yadav is a senior BJP leader and Union Minister. His book is "The Rise of the BJP: The Making of the World's Largest Political Party", which he co-wrote with economist Ila Patnaik and which Penguin published in 2022. He did not write either of the two titles in the question.
- b: incorrect — Nalin Mehta is a journalist and academic. His best-known recent book is "The New BJP: Modi and the Making of the World's Largest Political Party" (Westland, 2022). Like Yadav's book, it is about the BJP, not about India's foreign policy.
- c: incorrect — Shashi Tharoor writes on history, politics and foreign policy, with books such as "An Era of Darkness", "Why I Am a Hindu" and "Pax Indica". "Pax Indica" is about Indian foreign policy, which makes him a plausible trap. He did not write "The India Way" or "Why Bharat Matters".
- d: correct — The Ministry of External Affairs profile of Dr S. Jaishankar lists two books by him: "The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World" (2020) and "Why Bharat Matters" (2024). Both have been translated into several languages. He has been External Affairs Minister since 30 May 2019 and was Foreign Secretary from 2015 to 2018.
How to eliminate
This is a pure fact question, so you need to know the author. Some reasoning still narrows it down. Both titles are about India's place in the world, so the author is most likely a foreign-policy figure. Bhupender Yadav and Nalin Mehta are known for 2022 books on the rise of the BJP, both with titles ending 'the World's Largest Political Party'. That points away from them. Tharoor is the hardest trap because he wrote "Pax Indica" on foreign policy. Still, a book titled "Why Bharat Matters", using the name 'Bharat', fits the government's foreign-policy voice better than an opposition MP. Fact to remember: Jaishankar wrote The India Way (2020, HarperCollins) and Why Bharat Matters (2024, Rupa).
Know more
S. Jaishankar: diplomat turned External Affairs Minister
- Career diplomat (IFS). Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2000–04), China (2009–13) and the USA (2013–15). High Commissioner to Singapore (2007–09).
- Foreign Secretary 2015–18. Padma Shri 2019. External Affairs Minister since 30 May 2019. Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.
His two books
- The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World (2020, HarperCollins) makes the case for a realist foreign policy that engages many powers at once while drawing on India's civilisational tradition.
- Why Bharat Matters (2024, Rupa) has eleven essays, including 'Quad: A Grouping Foretold' and 'Dealing with China'. Its argument is that India must plan to rise amid serious global unpredictability.
Political books that look alike
| Author | Book | Year | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Jaishankar | The India Way | 2020 | Foreign policy |
| S. Jaishankar | Why Bharat Matters | 2024 | Foreign policy |
| Bhupender Yadav & Ila Patnaik | The Rise of the BJP | 2022 | Party politics |
| Nalin Mehta | The New BJP | 2022 | Party politics |
| Shashi Tharoor | Pax Indica | 2012 | Foreign policy |
| Shashi Tharoor | An Era of Darkness | 2016 | Colonial history |
Tip: UPSC's books-and-authors questions usually pick a sitting minister or public figure whose book came out in the year before the exam. Keep a list of books by Union ministers, constitutional office-holders and award winners from that year.
In the news
"Why Bharat Matters" came out in 2024, months before the June 2024 Prelims, and its author was the serving External Affairs Minister. UPSC paired it with his 2020 book "The India Way".