There's no dearth of references to a sense of kinship beyond one's family or tribe in ancient Indian texts. Anecdotes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Upanishads, and epigraphic sources such as Ashoka's Twelfth Major Rock Edict reveal that the idea of fraternity has deep roots in India's civilizational heritage. Although fraternity first emerged as a state motto during the French Revolution, the concept was far from foreign to India. It was, however, through the freedom struggle and the framing of the Constitution that fraternity became a guiding constitutional value.

While the ideals of fraternity were reflected in the Motilal Nehru Constitutional Draft of 1928 and the Indian National Congress's Karachi Resolution of 1931, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar questioned whether the national movement truly upheld this principle, arguing that the fight against colonial rule often overshadowed the urgent need to eradicate caste inequality. Having personally experienced caste discrimination, Ambedkar believed that democracy could not succeed without social equality. His disagreements with Mahatma Gandhi have often been highlighted, but this monograph argues that their relationship was more nuanced and marked by mutual respect. It contends that Ambedkar's unwavering opposition to caste, together with Gandhi's influence within the national movement, helped shape modern India's understanding of fraternity.

Rajmohan Gandhi masterfully connects ancient Indian traditions, modern European ideas, and the historic debates between Gandhi and Ambedkar that culminated in the Poona Pact of 1932. The book offers a thoughtful exploration of the origins, evolution, and enduring significance of fraternity, making it an essential read for anyone interested in India's constitutional values, social justice, democratic thought, and the continuing relevance of fraternity in an increasingly divided society.