Dear Listers, The biography of Sayajirao Gaekwad, referred to in the Times of India's news item, has yet to be published and critically reviewed but, but I would say the following about the story in it regarding Tilak and Gaekwad's alleged 'elaborate plans' to rise in revolt against the British rule in 1914. Several reasons lead me to believe that it is more kite-flying than anything else. 1) Both Tilak and Sayajirao have been eminent public figures for more than a hundred years by now. Both were known to resent the British rule yet both were also pragmatic and would have known the limits of possibilities of action against the British. Both were surrounded at all times by colleagues (in the case of Tilak) and subordinate court officials (in the case of Gaekwad). Baroda also had a British Resident whose job it was to keep a close watch on everything that happened in Baroda. I doubt whether it could have been possible for either of them to plot for a violent action against the British, keeping everybody else, even their own people, in the dark. Cloak-and -dagger work appears impossible in their cases. 2) The public works of both of them have been well studied and documented. Several well-researched biographies of both of them are available. A late uncle of mine, S.V.Bapat, was Tilak's personal secretary for many years and, after Tilak's death, compiled a compendium in several volumes whose Marathi title may be translated as 'Memories of Tilak'. In it he painstakingly gathered accounts and anecdotes about Tilak from hundreds of persons who had interacted with Tilak and thus compiled what has come to be recognized as a priceless collection of source material about Tilak in particular and Tilak's period in general. Yet, there is not a whisper in it or anywhere else about any 'revolt' being plotted by Tilak and Gaekwad against the British rule . 3) If they ever plotted any such revolt, it would have been natural to keep in under wraps while the British were still in India till 1947. There would have been no need to keep it a secret after 1947. Indeed, had there been even a hint of any such plot, it would have acquired the status of a legend in post-independence India. Yet we have never heard of any such 'plot' though 90 years have passed after Tilak's death. 4) The alleged revolt was apparently planned to take place in 1914. It is worthwhile to note that Tilak was imprisoned by the British at Mandalay from 1908 till 1914. Sitting in a British prison for six years far away from his normal domain, would it have been possible for him to plot a 'revolt' with Gaekwad, who was in Baroda? (Tilak put this enforced period of political inactivity to good use. He wrote his celebrated commentary on Bhagavad Gita, entitled' Geeta Rahasya' during this period.) 5) Lastly, why would they plot such an uprising to take place in far-away Amritsar, abandoning the obvious advantages of their own home grounds? Given all these facts, I would think that the piece in the Times of India is a publicity ploy to drum up interest in the new biography before it comes to the market. It is probably based on sketchy and tenuous evidence and what little may be available by way of facts has been given a life of its own and blown out of proportion. Arvind Kolhatkar, Toronto, August 26, 2010.