Publication on Virendranath Chattopadhyaya

Dr. Nirode K Barooah, the eminent historian and intellectual, has
written an acclaimed biography of the great Indian nationalist
Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, popularly known as Chatto, who died in
the Sovietr Union under tragfic circunmstances after pursuing a
relentless battle against British imperialism. Dr. Barooah has left a
number of copies of the book, Chatto, published by OUP, at our New
Delhi office and these are available at a discounted price for
purchase. There are limited copies. Please inquire details at
sanjoyha@gmail.com.

The following is the synopsis of the book:

‘Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, popularly known as Chatto in
contemporary political circles, was an Indian revolutionary
nationalist whose activities began before the first World War and
continued during and after it. He spent most of his life in Europe,
and, as an implacable enemy of the British Empire and Executive
Secretary of the League Against Imperialism, was closely involved for
more than a quarter of a century with the German Foreign Office,
Stockholm Peace Initiatives of the Socialist International and the
Communist International. A talented polyglot, he unceasingly spewed
virulent propaganda against the British Empire in various European
languages. Eventually, he had to move to the Soviet Union where he
became a victim of Stalin’s notorious purges in 1937. This book is a
full-length political biography of a forgotten Indian nationalist who
truly deserves a rightful place in the pantheon of the Indian national
movement. It is disgraceful that none of the post-independence Indian
politicians, including Nehru and Indira Gandhi who used to call him
Uncle Chatto, did anything to rescue the memory of this outstanding
patriot. Dr. Barooah has thus rendered a great service and filled a
long-standing lacuna in Indian political history. His book is a
remarkable achievement. It is a result of a lifetime of meticulous
research and investigation and is based on original materials
preserved in various languages in the archives and libraries of
Europe. It reveals new facts, explodes old myths and misconceptions
and gives us a fresh perspective on Indian revolutionary nationalist
activities carried on abroad.’