As head of the prime minister's secretariat under Indira Gandhi, P. N. Dhar witnessed and participated in some of the major decisions made by Mrs. Gandhi, most notably the controversial 'Emergency', the merger of Sikkim with India, the Bangladesh war of 1971, and the Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan. Exceptionally well written, this book combines an insider's account of these years and a compelling analysis of the changing contours of India democracy. Dhar is at Delhi University.