“Readers are demanding factual narratives from biographers” — biographer Narayani Basu

Goa Khabar: Narayani Basu, Delhi based biographer and author said that readers were demanding factual narratives from modern day biographers.  Narayani who spoke at the International Centre Goa (ICG) on Saturday as part of ICG’s “Writers’ Studio” initiative said, “In biography writing, focusing on eulogies used to be the norm. However, it does no service to the person who is being profiled.”

The young biographer also stressed the need for biographies to be written in the regional languages on local heroes and local icons. “There are so many women achievers across India, who have not been profiled. This change must take place,”she said.

Narayani, who is the great-granddaughter of VP Menon, India’s first reforms commissioner admitted that she was intrigued by the fact that not many people knew about him.  “I started researching VP Menon in 2014 and the book was published in 2020. It took me so much time to get the relevant data from places like the National Archive of India and other institutions,” Narayani said.

Narayani explained how Menon rose from the post of junior typist in British-India’s home department in Delhi in 1914 to finally become independent India’s first reforms commissioner in 1947. According to the biographer, Menon was Sardar Patel’s right-hand man, as he did most of the legwork and brainwork required in meeting hundreds of princes and convincing them to accede to the Indian Union.

Speaking about KM Panikkar, India’s first ambassador to China in 1948 and her latest book on the man, Narayani said, “Panikkar was a controversial diplomat and much of the present-day, strained Indo-China relations that persists is on account of the poor decisions taken by Panikkar as ambassador.”

She however pointed out that Panikkar had Nehru’s steadfast support and was a multifaceted personality, as he was diplomat, writer, poet, academic and lawyer all rolled into one.

The biographer was distinctly excited about her latest book on TN Seshan, India’s controversial, former chief election commissioner, due to be published in October 2026. “The book is timely, as it will remind people how strong, the Election commission of India once was in Seshan’s time.”