The News National , Kolkata Desk :
The Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival 2025 saw an insightful session titled Mani Shankar Aiyar: Maverick in Politics, exploring the unorthodox trajectory of one of India’s most intriguing political figures. Mani Shankar Aiyar in conversation with historian Rudrangshu Mukherjee, discussed his book.
In his book, Mani Shankar Aiyar: Maverick in Politics 1991-2024, he writes perceptively of the challenges of being a good MP and why development doesn’t win a politician votes. And he also spoke of negotiating the power struggles of the UPA era, where he was moved from the Petroleum Ministry, and turns the lens on financial improprieties and his ideological reservations as sports minister in the run-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Elaborating on the essence of being a maverick, Aiyar reflected, “A maverick is someone who disrupts and dares to question the orthodoxy. My career has been about choosing paths less travelled—be it discussing politics in Cambridge union rooms when everyone else studied, or transitioning from the comforts of foreign service to the raw challenges of politics.” His unconventional choices, including handling Panchayati Raj as a minister in the PMO despite a foreign affairs background, are a testament to grassroots democracy.
Discussing his Cambridge days, Aiyar termed them a “training ground” for his political instincts. “Cambridge wasn’t just a university; it was a crucible where I sharpened my political understanding—not necessarily of Indian politics, but of the larger dynamics of how political systems work.” He attributed his time at Cambridge for teaching him about governance, engagement, questioning, and learning. On a similar note, however, he advised the younger generation about the importance of having a stable profession to fall back on before starting their political journey. They should also be prepared to lose. He remarked, “It’s only when you hit the bottom of the valley, your real ascent begins.”
On his most significant contributions, Aiyar highlighted his deep connection to Panchayati Raj, calling it “the longest and most detailed amendment to our Constitution, designed to take democracy to the grassroots.” Reflecting on his exclusion from active politics today, he remarked with characteristic humor, “Exclusion has its perks—I get to travel more freely, without needing to ask anyone’s permission.” Acknowledging the personal anchors in his life, Aiyar added, “My wife has been the reality check I often needed, grounding me when the chaos of public life threatened to take over.”