'Why I Am A Hindu' Shashi Tharoor's Exclusive Interview with Rajdeep Sardesai

'BJP's Hinduism Is Of Intolerance, Bigotry' : Shashi Tharoor Exclusive On His Book 'Why I Am Hindu' with Rajdeep Sardesai on India Today.

In Why I Am a Hindu, one of India’s finest public intellectuals gives us a profound book about one of the world’s oldest and greatest religions. Starting with a close examination of his own belief in Hinduism, he ranges far and wide in his study of the faith. He talks about the Great Souls of Hinduism, Adi Shankara, Patanjali, Ramanuja, Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and many others who made major contributions to the essence of Hinduism.
He delves deep into Hinduism’s most important schools of thought (such as the Advaita Vedanta). He explains, in easily accessible language, important aspects and concepts of Hindu philosophy like the Purusharthas and Bhakti, masterfully summarizes the lessons of the Gita and Vivekananda’s ecumenism and explores with sympathy the ‘Hinduism of habit’ practised by ordinary believers. He looks at the myriad manifestations of political Hinduism in the modern era, including violence committed in the name of the faith by right-wing organizations and their adherents.
He analyses Hindutva, explains its rise and dwells at length on the philosophy of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, its most significant ideologue. He is unsparing in his criticism of extremist ‘bhakts’ and unequivocal in his belief that everything that makes India a great and distinctive culture and country will be imperilled if religious ‘fundamentalists’ are allowed to take the upper hand.
However, he also makes the point that it is precisely because Hindus form the majority that India has survived as a plural, secular democracy.

Follow Dr. Shashi Tharoor at

All India Professionals' Congress

[tolykozin]

I wonder how Islam, Jewish and Christian scholars would react to the same questions posed by this gentleman??

[g.pankaj]

Shashi Tharoor is indeed a great intellectual....Such a clarity of thoughts..

[spookymy]

My god.he is such a talented.i wish he would b our leader. 😎.we could hv travel trough all dominant country of world now. If sashi forgiv me for my broken language😣

[venkateshprabhu]

Please listen to this video for your understanding. Dr Carl Sagan and his videos
And wickepedia. 150 million years ago dinosaurs lived here. Thank you sir

[adityamokashi]

Next Prime Minister of india. I Wish .

[mrrizvii]

This is the way how interview should be conducted.
Rajdeep, you did well not like yesterday's interview.
@Shashi Sir, I just admire you and the way you are representing INDIA to the world.
Great Interview, Loved it.

[venkateshprabhu]

The realisation of Truth like the Ramana Maharshi, Buddha and Mansur and so many including Sadhguru which is current
Like late smt Murthy. Ultimately they all
Die with No re-birth not possible which
Is Dr Carl Sagan and his videos and wickepedia

[rachitagrawal]

Why these people take religion so serious with politics what is the level of political discussion!

[manutdwillriseagain]

Hope Congress gets back to power n u will be the PM candidate

[swarnendudas]

I think your books would get more attention if you were not a political person.

[smdave]

what did Shashi do when 5 lakhs Hindus were driven out of their homes in Kashmir after murdering 3000+ . What action Tharur and his party taken. Simply Tharur said that it was in accordance to the agenda of RSS. If this was the case, then how he and his party kept mum and remained inactive implementing such hazardous agenda? Shashi is absolutely appears to be hypocrite like other Nehruvian Congi-s.

[peechikachi]

A polished superstar that he is and he knows it , is trying to be soulful and a spiritualist and a Hindu and a politician at the same time . Agree to all he says on what a Hindu belief and culture was and is and he is right. He ll convince a lot of minds, liberals and the educated and the thinking lot . But not me! and i''m socially and personally liberal. For all he says on the righteousness of Hindu culture, history, it's ills in the past and it's individual freedom to see, he then brings it down skillfully to blame Modi for galvanizing Hindu spirit for political purposes . Ah. There you come to the point . He forgets how congress became the defacto party of India all these yrs since independence. . According to this masterclass er, the predominant culture and faith of the land should never assert itself politically in defense of its preservation ? It should nt come together? Hindu values cant be asserted at all ? A huge minority can assert themselves as All Indian Muslim league or in kerala a Muslim league party and openly be religious and political in its function and rhetoric but a hindu faithful or a culturally hindu should never assert ? always accept and feel liberal and perennially be open ended because our history of culture and acceptance ? ....and not see the ground reality of now? I'll vomit on that logic !!!!. Tharoor is a masterclass performer
for the stage. Everything he says as a hindu is right , me as commoner equally and more disagree on his judgement as a plotting congress man and his sly slandering of shri.modi and the bjp.

[sakthladka]

Read this book line-by-line and between the lines. All I can say is a few political parties fighting each other for power. A few backing groups tarnishing the images of India and principles that made Bharath (India is the British name) and it's people. Shashi Tharoor ofcoarse gets applause for his expression skills but appears to be brain-washed like Americans are brain-washed about Russia (Ex., People still compare Russia with USSR, Muslim are still called ISIS, AlQ'da) like wise Hindutva is compared with RSS in this book.

[Sparshgr]

Ek sawal ka jawab Milne KE baad b piche q pad jate ho Bhai sahab.

[swapnilrb]

He must have visited Malapuram or Kannur, or even Kasargod before writing this book...
Must've banged his head against wall, thinking of what 'Nehruwian Sickularism' has turned his own state Kerala into...

[devashishsonowal]

liked sashi tharoor but still.Modi is the face of the Nation

[satchitananda]

The best joke I heard was the claim Mr Tharoor says he is practising Jnana yoga. Good luck that your ego is only gloating and it is akin to saying I am the most humble person here.

Sad that politicians are the ones peddling Hinduism. Cheap politics based interpretation only shows the petty mind, despite the vocabulary, the mindset of these self certified great egos only exposed how low they were.

Dividing Hinduism as Sanghi Hindus n only the ones I approve is the most stupid n ridiculous mindset - done only for votebank. Tharoor, your karmaphala will come to you even if your jnana yoga didnt give you that insight.

Good video where two ppl with no spiritual grounding and complete prejudice n politically motivation exuding with every syllable.

THIS VIDEO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HINDUISM. Even invoking Vivekananda doesnt help as one needs to follow his footsteps. What an irony.