The Great Divide: India and Pakistan - Hardcover

This volume of essays by writers from both sides of the border attempts to do just that. As the editor, Ira Pande, says in her introduction, 'There is a balance here between the 'hard' topics (politics, economy, diplomacy, religion et al) and 'soft' (music, crafts, language, cricket, and cinema) to bring out the full range of our engagement with each other'. The writers who have explored the various aspects of being Indian, or Pakistani, in the context of personal and national identity include Urvashi Butalia, Shiv Vishwanath, Sonia Jabbar, Amit Baruah, Alok Rai, Lord Meghnad Desai, Mukul Kesavan and several other well-known writers and political and social commentators.

The author worked as a university teacher for fifteen years, and then as an editor at Seminar, Biblio, and Roli books. She is currently chief editor, IIC publications.