Indira Gandhi’s memorable slogan during the 1971 general election is often viewed as a symbol of the superficial populist politics she promoted in the 1970s. However, this conventional perspective neglects a significant and underappreciated transformation in the Indian state’s developmental goals during that era. 

The lecture explores the emergence of a new framework for understanding poverty and the policy approaches that emerged from it. These early ideas and programmes were driven by a major shift in the financial structure of the Indian state that occurred simultaneously. Together, these changes marked a profound transformation in the Indian state’s approach to development, one that continues to influence policy today.

About the Speaker

Srinath Raghavan is a Professor of International Relations and History at Ashoka University and is the author of several books, including The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia (Penguin Allen Lane, 2018), India’s War: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1939 – 1945 (Penguin Allen Lane, 2016), 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh (Permanent Black, 2013), and War and Peace in Modern India: A Strategic History of the Nehru Years (Permanent Black, 2010). 

Raghavan has also written the official history of the Kargil War for the Government of India. His book on India in the 1970s will be published in 2025. He is the recipient of the Infosys Prize for Social Sciences (2015).