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The Trial that Shook Britain
How a Court Martial Hastened Acceptance of Indian Independence
Speakers
A courtroom drama that shook an empire.
In 1945, three Indian National Army officers stood trial for treason against the British Crown. Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Sahgal and Gurbaksh Dhillon were convicted. Then something unexpected happened; events that would accelerate the transfer of power and expose cracks in both British authority and Congress strategy. While Congress built its reputation on passive resistance, at this critical moment it applauded and capitalized on the INA’s use of force. What does this contradiction reveal about the final phase of India’s independence struggle? How did a legal proceeding meant to assert British control instead demonstrate its fragility?
Ashis Ray will discuss his latest book, The Trial that Shook Britain, which uncovers how this court martial became a catalyst for independence. Ray’s research unearths material that historians have largely overlooked, throwing new light on a decisive juncture where courtroom drama became political dynamite. Following the talk, Ray will be in conversation with Siddharth Raja.
The session concludes with a Q&A.
Speakers
Ashis Ray
Ashis Ray has been a foreign correspondent since 1977, broadcasting on BBC, CNN and ITN and writing for Ananda Bazar Group, The Times of India, The Tribune, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Guardian, The Observer, The Times, Financial Times and Nikkei Asia, among other publications. He was CNN’s founding South Asia bureau chief before becoming the network’s editor-at-large. He has been elected president of Indian Journalists’ Association (Europe) for several terms. In 1982, the Commonwealth Institute selected him among 10 ‘eminent Indians’ in Britain. In 1995, he was conferred a National Press Award in India. He was made an academic visitor by St Antony’s College, Oxford for 2021–22. He intends to continue in academia. The Trial that Shook Britain is his fourth book.
Siddharth Raja
Siddharth heads one of India’s leading law schools, having recently moved into academia after three decades of being one of India’s seasoned corporate lawyers. Siddharth specialises in private equity and venture capital transactions; foreign-exchange law and enforcement; and on cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions. His love for history has led him to run a successful historical walking tour company Nandi Valley Walks. In his spare time, Siddharth pursues historical research on the Princely State of Mysore.
