
The Remarkable Madame Pandit
Champion of India, Citizen of the World
Manu Bhagavan(Author)
Columbia University Press
Published on 30. September 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
584 pages
978-0-231-22247-1 (ISBN)
Description
A pioneering politician and diplomat, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1900-1990) was an Indian icon, admired worldwide for her brilliance and glamour. Eleanor Roosevelt called her "the most remarkable woman" she had ever met. Madame Pandit, as she was widely known, moved in elite global circles even as she worked to improve the lives of millions. She traded quips with Winston Churchill, worked alongside Albert Einstein, and was detained for the attempted assassination of Benito Mussolini. She even came out of retirement to campaign against her own niece, Indira Gandhi, to stop an authoritarian takeover and save Indian democracy.
The Remarkable Madame Pandit is the definitive biography of India's greatest modern diplomat. Manu Bhagavan chronicles Pandit's life and times, from her upbringing in an illustrious family to her role in her country's fight for independence and through her globe-trotting career bridging East and West. Pandit was India's first woman cabinet minister, an ambassador to the United States and the Soviet Union, and the first woman elected president of the UN General Assembly. Her influence extended well beyond these formal roles: she became one of the most prominent international voices for peace while paving the way for women in many fields. Based on eight years of research using material in five languages from seven countries, this book tells Madame Pandit's gripping story in full-and in so doing, retells the history of India and the world in the twentieth century.
The Remarkable Madame Pandit is the definitive biography of India's greatest modern diplomat. Manu Bhagavan chronicles Pandit's life and times, from her upbringing in an illustrious family to her role in her country's fight for independence and through her globe-trotting career bridging East and West. Pandit was India's first woman cabinet minister, an ambassador to the United States and the Soviet Union, and the first woman elected president of the UN General Assembly. Her influence extended well beyond these formal roles: she became one of the most prominent international voices for peace while paving the way for women in many fields. Based on eight years of research using material in five languages from seven countries, this book tells Madame Pandit's gripping story in full-and in so doing, retells the history of India and the world in the twentieth century.
Reviews / Votes
Long before everything from COVID to air travel had proved our unity on Spaceship Earth, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was pioneering a global consciousness. It's high time you met her. -- Gloria Steinem, writer and activist Sidelined by the "great men" school of history writing, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit is brought to life in this vividly written and painstakingly researched biography. You'll find yourself eagerly turning the pages to learn what happens next in a story you thought you already knew. -- Daisy Rockwell, International Booker Prize-winning translator of <i>Tomb of Sand</i> With this illuminating biography, Manu Bhagavan restores Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit to the pantheon of extraordinary individuals who created a modern India according to their noble vision of international human rights. Written in lucid prose with a scholar's unflinching eye, this is a deeply affectionate portrait of a complex woman, and a masterful recreation of a thrilling period in history. -- Kiran Desai, Booker Prize-winning author of <i>The Inheritance of Loss</i> The Remarkable Madame Pandit is not merely a biography; it is a captivating exploration of a life that shattered barriers and challenged conventions. Bhagavan skillfully honors Pandit's legacy, inviting us to reevaluate history through a new lens and inspiring us to envision a more inclusive, just, and interconnected world. -- Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCoMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
32 black-and-white illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
858 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-231-22247-1 (9780231222471)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2025
Columbia University Press
€39.49
Available for download
Person
Manu Bhagavan is a professor of history, human rights, and public policy at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he is also a senior fellow at the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies. Bhagavan is the author or editor of several books, including The Peacemakers: India and the Quest for One World (2012) and India and the Cold War (2019).
Content
Preface
Chronology
Glossary
1. Little Woman
2. The Portrait of a Lady
3. Knowing Why the Caged Bird Sings
4. The Awakening
5. The West with the Night
6. The Time in Between
7. The Night Watch
8. The Good Earth
9. Americanah
10. White Teeth
11. Love of Worker Bees
12. Raw Silk
13. Milk and Honey
14. Brick Lane
15. Home Fire
Coda: Fireflies in the Mist
Notes
Archives Consulted
Acknowledgements
Index
Chronology
Glossary
1. Little Woman
2. The Portrait of a Lady
3. Knowing Why the Caged Bird Sings
4. The Awakening
5. The West with the Night
6. The Time in Between
7. The Night Watch
8. The Good Earth
9. Americanah
10. White Teeth
11. Love of Worker Bees
12. Raw Silk
13. Milk and Honey
14. Brick Lane
15. Home Fire
Coda: Fireflies in the Mist
Notes
Archives Consulted
Acknowledgements
Index