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335. The Road Not Taken
Aditya Sondhi with Aunohita Mojumdar
Speakers
Join us for a discussion based on the book Poles Apart: The Military and Democracy in India and Pakistan. This session delves into the starkly different roles played by the military in the political landscapes of India and Pakistan, and how these choices have shaped the democratic trajectories of both nations. While Pakistan’s history is marked by frequent military interventions that have hindered its democratic development, India’s military has remained notably apolitical, even in moments of crisis such as the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the Emergency, and Operation Blue Star.
Explore the critical moments where India’s military could have intervened but chose to uphold democratic principles, contrasting with Pakistan’s history of military dominance in politics. The discussion will also include insights into Bangladesh’s unique experiments with democracy and military rule. This session offers a rare opportunity to understand how the military’s influence—or restraint—can define a nation’s political destiny.
In this episode of BIC Talks, Aditya Sondhi is in conversation with Aunohita Mojumdar. This is an excerpt from a conversation that took place in the BIC premises in September 2024.
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Speakers
Aditya Sondhi
Aditya Sondhi is a is a Senior Advocate practising before the Supreme Court of India. He graduated from the National Law School of India University and holds a PhD from Mysore University for his thesis on civil-military relations in India and Pakistan, which is the basis for his latest book Poles Apart. He has previously published two books of non-fiction with Penguin (India) – Unfinished Symphony and The Order of the Crest. He has written and spoken widely in India and abroad, and has a particular interest in military history, Partition and constitutionalism.
Aunohita Mojumdar
Aunohita Mojumdar is an Indian journalist who has been a reporter and editor for over 30 years. She has lived and worked in Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India. She has published in numerous regional and international media outlets including The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC, Asia Times, Al Jazeera, Eurasianet, Khaleej Times, Panos, the Hindu, Hindustan Times, Women’s enews, Times of India, Hard News and Civil Society. She was the Editor of the South Asian magazine Himal Southasian. She is currently based in Bangalore.
