Looking back in anger

Harsh Mander presents a poignant account of India's Covid-19 crisis in his book, but beyond merely grieving and raging against the government, he attempts to touch our better, humane selves

Burning Pyres, Mass Graves and a State That Failed Its People

Author: Harsh Mander

Publisher: Speaking Tiger

Pages: 400

Price: Rs 599

The year was 2020 when the first wave of Covid-19 knocked on India’s doorstep. The initial response from the authorities was complacent, which then had to be compensated for by the knee-jerk reaction of a nationwide lockdown, giving Indian citizens just hours to prepare. This was followed by the second wave the next year, which wreaked havoc on every aspect of our lives.

Much of this trauma is forgotten in the upbeat talk of economic revival and the optimistic narrative of India’s