In this open and unrestrained account, Kuldip Nayar shares his encounters with many of the men and women who helped determine the course of pre- and post-Independence India, putting light on hitherto unknown facets of their characters and many significant national events. Was Nehru a clandestine dynast who solely saw his daughter Indira Gandhi as his heir apparent? What part did Nayar play in the selection of Lal Bahadur Shastri as prime minister after Nehru's passing? Why did Indians refer to themselves as "baniyas" in Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan's, known as the Frontier Gandhi? And who, in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's opinion, ought to rule India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh as prime minister?The wonderful stories of Meena Kumari's encounter with Shastri on the Pakeezah set and Faiz Ahmed Faiz's perfect rendition of his famous poetry even after ingesting a full bottle of Black Dog whisky are interspersed with these political memories. Nayar is not afraid to voice his ideas, whether they are comparisons of JRD and Ratan Tata, suggestions for Narendra Modi, or considerations of how Indo-Pak ties would have developed had Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah lived longer.Kuldip Nayar writes in the classic old tradition of journalists who were not afraid to tell it like it is in this engaging and entertaining book, which he completed only weeks before he passed away.