NPR: In WWII, Millions of Indians Fought For a Britain They Abhorred

For his new book, Raghu Karnad '05 was inspired by old photographs of soldiers that were in his grandmother's home - including of his maternal grandfather and two great-uncles. Uncovering who they were resulted in Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War, which examines the more than two million Indian men who volunteered to fight for Britain during World War II despite Indian citizens' ongoing struggle for independence from the British Empire.

"I think [...] the story of Indian soldiers in the Second World War  [...] is remarkable because it's not one of heroic conviction," Karnad says. "It really, really is a story about ambivalence and doubts, and serving and finding courage nonetheless."

Karnad, an award-winning journalist, graduated with high honors from Swarthmore in 2005, majoring in political science with a minor in biology. He received an additional degree in English from Oxford University and is a contributing editor at TheWire.in.

Karnad will return to campus to discuss his book on Thurs., Oct. 29, at 4:30 p.m. in the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility. View more details.