British Indian author Anita Anand's Jallianwala Bagh story wins history prize". The Indian Express. 2 December 2020 . Retrieved 2 December 2020. Sophia seems to have been a woman in search of a purpose in life. At one point she became a famous socialite and fashion icon; then a successful dog breeder and show competitor; and then abandoned it all to throw herself into the suffragette cause (she was never prosecuted for her militant activities because of her connection to her godmother Queen Victoria). Her life intersected with a whole cast of famous characters and some who should be more famous but aren't--like her, they were women and/or non-whites and their stories were systematically hidden from public view. Basically, the entire book becomes a damning indictment of the British empire. The British took the Punjab and the Koh-I-Noor in an act of highway robbery, ruthlessly exploited the subcontinent for many decades, and massacred peaceful civilians when their grip began to slip. Although many Indians did seem to favour partition, the British policy of partition began as a calculated ploy to set their colonial subjects against each other, so that (like a certain empire still clinging to life today) they could claim that their regime was necessary to prevent internecine warfare. At home, they set on the suffragists with insane violence. En masse, the London police beat and sexually assaulted women in the streets; when the imprisoned women went on hunger strike, protesting that they ought to be categorised as political prisoners, prison wardens and doctors force-fed them, resulting in unimaginable physical and mental trauma. Although I'm discomfited by some of Pankhurst's tactics, I'd be looking for things to burn down too if one of my sisters was killed by police brutality. The enthralling story of an extraordinary woman and her part in the defining moments of recent British Indian history Journalism and history are curious cousins, because it means that the mind has to ask similar questions such as: What happened? Why did it happen? And in some cases: How can one stop this from happening again?”

We learned about the Suffrage movement at school, and also some of the prominent figures that spearheaded the movement and pushed for progress for the advancement of women and their rights, specifically the right to vote.The audiobook narration by Tania Rodrigues was superb. The accent was British, utterly delightful and easy to follow. I did have trouble with the Indian names, but this never became a problem. The written book and the narration both get five stars. An inquisitive child, Anand wanted from an early age to be a journalist. She edited her school newspaper, won prizes for her writing, then graduated in English literature from King’s College London, and found her way into television. “Initially, I thought I might be a war correspondent.” The biography is well written. It is readable and engrossing. Most importantly it includes just the right level of historical detail (on the operation of the Raj, the burgeoning Indian independence movement and the Suffragette movement) alongside the biographical detail to keep the account hugely informative (the book would for example serve as an inside account of each of those areas in its own right) while not detracting from the central story. NRI, Anita Anand, TV presenter won the Nazia Hassan Award for 2005". nriinternet.com. 18 November 2005 . Retrieved 7 August 2021. Until October 2007, Anand presented in the 10:00pm till 1:00am slot on Monday to Thursdays on BBC Radio 5 Live. She went on to co-present the station's weekday Drive (4:00–7:00pm) slot with Peter Allen, having replaced Jane Garvey in 2007. Aasmah Mir replaced her when she left for maternity leave. [6]

Anand was privately educated at Bancroft's School in Woodford Green in Redbridge, east London. [4] Anand then entered King's College, London, in 1990, graduating with a BA in English in 1993. In July 2011 Anand left the Daily Politics to present a new show called Double Take on Radio 5 Live on Sunday mornings. [7] In June 2012, Anand took over from Jonathan Dimbleby as the presenter of Radio 4's Any Answers? Saturday current affairs phone-in programme between 2:00 and 2:45pm. [8] Part II of the book describes Sophia's life as an activist, primarily as a suffragette. It gives a good picture of the later more militant part of the suffrage movement, specifically her involvement in the WSPU under Emmeline Pankhurst. Most of my reading about suffrage has been about the movement in the US, so the information was good, but the level of violence by the organization was a surprise to me, specifically the firebombing. Although Sophia didn't firebomb anything, she did participate in acts that resulted in arrest for others, but not for her because of her political visibility. The extraordinary life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, in her own words Frida: Fiery, fierce and passionateAnand has also written articles for India Today and The Asian Age newspaper, and used to write a regular column in The Guardian ("Anita Anand's Diary", 2004–2005 [10] [11]). In 2022, Anand collaborated with historian William Dalrymple to create the podcast Empire, which examines the British East India Company and British involvement and influence on India. [9] The pair had previously worked together on the book Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond.

Whenever I go to vote, I cry. The thought of the women who came before me and fought for what I have now, moves me to tears. Reading the legacy of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh and her place in the fight, brought it all the more close to my heart. We'd be walking, and she'd be telling me about the world and elections and how important they were. And then she would kneel down in front of me, looking me right in the eye and say 'I want a solemn promise from you' even though I don't think I knew what a solemn promise was at that stage. She would say 'You are never, ever not to vote. You must promise me. When you are allowed to vote you are never, ever to fail to do so. You don't realise how far we've come. Promise me.' For the next three years, Sophia made Drovna promise again and again." Biographies – Anita Anand: Presenter, Radio 5 Live and The Daily Politics". BBC Press Office. Archived from the original on 11 December 2010 . Retrieved 6 November 2016.Anand in her latest book uncovers not just an intriguing female life, but also an important perspective on British-Indian colonial history ... Fresh and well written ... What a story, and what a successful telling of it * The Times *