A pro-British book ........ Review on Robert Clive Of India - Nirad C. Chaudhary

Hello friends. Today I shall review a book "Clive of India" authored by Nirad C. Chaudhury read by me in recent past. First and foremost, I found the book to be a pro-British one wherein vices of the contemporary Nawabs have been highlighted and exploits of British East India Company have been unnecessarily glorified. The book personifies Clive as a sublime figure which might not be true. The reasons behind the defeat of Nawab Shiraz-Ud-Daulla in the battle of Plassey have been analyzed in a completely pro-British manner. Not so significant technical defects in Shiraz's army were given more priority than betrayal done by Mir Zafar. The author in a portion of the book mentions that, actual fighting force in Nawab's army was nearly half of the total head-count of the army. He highlights the presence of non-military people like those looking after horses & elephants and cooks in Nawab's army who made his army unnecessarily large and led to mobility problems of the army. In the initial portions of the book, the author himself has intimated us about several instances wherein life of Clive was saved only by luck.

So friends, I feel that the book is just a portrayal of Clive as a great figure in his exploits in India and makes it quite difficult for me to agree with the author.