A review of the book 'Imperial Games in Tibet: The Struggle for Statehood and Sovereignty' written by Dilip Sinha.
In Imperial Games in Tibet: The Struggle for Statehood and Sovereignty, former ambassador Dilip Sinha deftly guides us through the region’s complex geopolitical entanglements, charting its history from the rise of Tibetan Buddhism, through the cloak-and-dagger machinations of the Great Game, to its fateful invasion and annexation by China in 1950. In the process, he reveals the real factors leading up to the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s escape to India in 1959 – an epochal event that drew the newly independent nation into this political maelstrom and heightened Sino-Indian tensions. More than seventy years later, despite citizens protests and global outcry, Chinese ‘suzerainty’ maintains its grip on Tibet, begging the question: Can Tibet ever be free?
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Coming up: A review of the book 'Imperial Games in Tibet: The Struggle for Statehood and Sovereignty' written by Dilip Sinha.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the author or publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Dilip Sinha is a former diplomat, author and public speaker. He served as the head of India’s UN affairs during its Security Council membership and was an ambassador to the UN in Geneva, where he was elected vice-president of the UN Human Rights Council and vice-chairman of the South Centre.
Sinha steered India’s responses to the crises in Libya and Syria within the Security Council and Sri Lanka in the HRC. In the course of his diplomatic career, he led India’s relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran and held assignments in Germany, Egypt, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh and Greece.
Sinha is previously the author of Legitimacy of Power: The Permanence of Five in the UN Security Council.
Let me read a brief description of the book:
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An essential account of how Tibet became the playground for global geopolitical ambitions and what the future may hold for this precarious region fighting for statehood.
Renowned as the ‘roof of the world’, Tibet is both a spiritual bastion and a hotbed of geopolitical intrigue. Its unique location, nestled amidst the majestic Himalaya and the vast Central Asian steppes, has historically attracted imperial contenders, thrusting it into the heart of the Great Game – a stormy nineteenth-century contest for supremacy involving Britain, Russia and China.
In Imperial Games in Tibet, former ambassador Dilip Sinha deftly guides us through the region’s complex geopolitical entanglements, charting its history from the rise of Tibetan Buddhism, through the cloak-and-dagger machinations of the Great Game, to its fateful invasion and annexation by China in 1950. In the process, he reveals the real factors leading up to the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s escape to India in 1959 – an epochal event that drew the newly independent nation into this political maelstrom and heightened Sino-Indian tensions. More than seventy years later, despite citizens protests and global outcry, Chinese ‘suzerainty’ maintains its grip on Tibet, begging the question: Can Tibet ever be free?
Drawing from this rich historical tapestry, Imperial Games in Tibet highlights the dire consequences of both international exploitation and neglect of the world’s more vulnerable regions. As Tibet continues its struggle for nationhood, it serves as a clarion call to the global community, urging a renewed commitment to human rights and justice.
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Sinha’s writing is scholarly and precise, with a clear emphasis on historical accuracy and context. Drawing on a wide range of sources, from British archival materials to Tibetan texts, the author reconstructs the complex nature of British imperial interests in Tibet, demonstrating how colonial powers sought to assert influence in this remote, mysterious region. His investigation is not only about military or diplomatic strategy but also about the broader cultural and social implications of these imperial interactions, making the book as much about Tibet's cultural identity as about the political chessboard it was part of.
The author deftly navigates through the complex web of international relations affecting Tibet. He discusses how the British and Russian rivalry, encapsulated in the term "Great Game," played out in Central Asia, with Tibet caught in the middle. Sinha's examination of the British expedition led by Younghusband and the policies of Lord Curzon provides a nuanced understanding of Western imperialism's impact on Tibet. Moreover, the book does not shy away from critiquing the role of newly independent India, particularly under Nehru, in its approach to the Tibetan question post-1947.
President Rajendra Prasad being a constitutional figure did not express his views in public, but towards the end of his term confided in Durga Das, who later wrote:
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Prasad felt very strongly that India’s diplomatic approach to China was riddled with weakness and a proneness to wishful thinking. The ‘Hindi-Chini bhai bhai’, he told me, did not blind him to Beijing’s ultimate aims and real feelings towards India. He was greatly upset at the Indian government’s impassivity when Tibet was occupied by the Chinese Reds. His words of caution to Nehru, he said, had fallen on deaf ears. The Prime Minister has been misled by his Ambassador in Beijing, Panikkar. With his eyes moistened, Prasad observed: ‘I hope I am not seeing ghosts and phantoms, but I see the murder of Tibet recoiling on India.’
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Conclusion:
Overall, "Imperial Games in Tibet" is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the historical and current geopolitical significance of Tibet. It's a must for historians, political scientists, and anyone concerned with human rights and international relations in Asia.
I give this book 4.5/5.
At the time of recording this book review, the book is available only in Paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon India. And only in Kindle format on Amazon USA. I have given the respective buy links in the show notes. Please check them out for the latest prices.
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