Madhu Trehan - Prism Me a Lie Tell Me A Truth: Tehelka as Metaphor

Madhu Trehan

For the four young people who give me the best
gift in the world: each time I hear the sound Ma!

For the man who has given me the second best gift
in the world: interesting times.

Lotus Collection

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First published in 2009
The Lotus Collection
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Our only possible hope

For the young people of India
Remember, if it wasnt for the battle
The couch would make you into a potato
Seize the magic of the struggle

Be the change that you want to see in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi

OTHER LOTUS TITLES:

FORTHCOMING TITLES:

I feel a profound sense of gratitude as I finish writing this book. I would like to thank Pramod Kapoor who understood the value of a book that was not banged off in three months with speedily researched, sensationalized material to become a cheap bestseller. He gave me the space and time to write what I believe is solid journalism and to make it feel that I am leaving something of value behind. (Is she going somewhere? Arent we all? The boring oft-repeated pandit-at-chautha clich Jo atha hai, voh jatha hai!) I am grateful to Priya Kapoor for being so open to ideas and bringing her energy to the project.

After almost four decades in journalism, in print, television and the web, I was given this enormous opportunity to learn and grow when Roli Books commissioned me to write on Tehelkas Operation West End. It really is the best place for a journalist to be in: to have the time and space to research, study, analyse and write. I can say with confidence that I have learnt more in the last five years than I did in ten, chasing politicians to catch one bite.

I would like to thank all the computer doctors who helped me through my computer crashes and tearful crises: Bhupinder, Rakesh Sharma, Anubhav Chawla, Deepak Mishra, Jalaj and Gurvinder Singh. I am thankful to my editor Adil Tyabji, whose marvellous, eccentric persona brought some sense of punctuation and desperate formality to the book. A huge amount of gratitude to Nandita Bhardwaj, Roli Books editor, for her stubborn meticulousness and sigh-laced patience in the face of my over- intense reactions towards missed deadlines. More than that, she reminded me of what is now being seen as the second wave of feminism. In an interview, CNNs Soledad OBrien questioned Michelle Obama about giving up her career for Barack and her children. O Brien insisted, Sometimes your career helps to define who you are. Michelle responded, It doesnt for me. What I do in my life defines me. A career is one of the many things I do in my life. I am a mother first. Where do I get my joy and my energy first and foremost? From my kids. When I boasted about how nobody in my family was back from work before 10.00 p.m., Nandita in her quiet way said, Thats not what its about. I have learnt and I agree. Thanks to Roli Books team particularly Neelam Narula and Supriya Saran. A big thanks to my transcriber Tara Kapur who was diligent and a joy to work with. To the young and bright lawyer Anjolie Singh for working so hard on my manuscript. A hug and gratitude to Mohit Gujral who put his mind in gear for me and Dilip Mehta for his bullying, my photograph and the title. To Feroze Gujral, she knows for what. To Dr Rajiv Bhasin for giving me the push to let go of the book finally. To Swapan Seth for his invaluable advice. To Dilip Cherian for his ideas, advice and wonderful supply of information about everybody and everything. To Rashna Imhasly for her contributions in the book as well as her unquantifiable personal help. To Atul Punj, Aimee and Ashok Bajaj, Reshma and Shashank Bhagat; Kavita and Hari Bhartia; Mohini Bhullar, Rtta (Gudsie) Kapur and Iftekar Chisti; Astad Deboo, Sona Jha, Pam and Raman Kapoor, Roshni, Rita and Naresh Khattar; Nila Mehta, Preeti and Rati Puri; Rajeev Sethi, Isabel Sahni, Rashme Uday Singh, Jyoti Suri, Bholi and Naveen Trehan, for always being there.