During dinner table conversations, my father used to speak about current politics and about his father and grandfather and the role they played in the national and international arenas. I absorbed every detail with enthusiasm, but reading about their contributions in this narrative helped me discover and understand the evolution and intricacies of the politics of West Bengal and India from the early 1900's almost to the present day.The book is no doubt from my father's perspective. But his experiences and narrative of Bengal's decline from its pre-eminent position from the 50's and 60's, the militant trade unionism, the violent ultra-left movement of which my father was a victim, and the inner workings of the Congress Party in Bengal of that period all come to life in this book. Through this book my father effectively articulates the impact that my family had on Bengal and national politics. He also provides an inside view of the coalition era in Indian politics in which he was directly involved. The energy that my father injects into this book brings out his deep interest and passion for politics. This is an account in which the worlds of business, politics and diplomacy dramatically converge to bring a vivid picture of relatively undocumented times into the hands of every reader.