Praise for Last Among Equals

‘Last Among Equals mirrors the extraordinary perspicacity and complexity of village politics, seen through the lens of Bihar Manrega Watch, and is a counterpoint to the larger political discourse. M.R. Sharan holds the narrative together with sensitivity and deep understanding, tracing the journeys of remarkable human beings not born to privilege. It tells us that people, not statistics and theory, shape power and caste politics. This excellent book is invaluable reading for everyone bothered by inequality and injustice.’

– Aruna Roy, Activist and Founder-member of the MKSS, NCPRI and SFD

‘A fascinating personal odyssey and the trajectory of an underdeveloped state (Bihar), insiders and outsiders, effecting and impeding social change, the hideous hierarchy of caste and its frustratingly resolute persistence, the abuse of power and mechanisms to limit it: in Last Among Equals, M.R. Sharan boldly attempts all of these, combining the rigour of an academic with the engaging passion of a grounded citizen. And he succeeds.’

– Arvind Subramanian, Former Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India

‘How do people come together to claim their rights? How do they voice their aspirations, articulate their grievances? What builds solidarity? What must a person leave behind to lead such a movement? With a clear eye for detail and a riveting style, M.R. Sharan tells a story of mukhiyas and mazdoors, of dominant insiders and the marginalised, of a constitutional amendment as it takes shape on the ground, and of what sparks social change. In narrating the story of the people’s movement of Muzaffarpur, he brings together the individual characters, the words, and the “feeling” of what he saw: a movement inspired by what Albert Hirschman might have called the “passion for what is possible”. A fascinating read for anyone who cares about India.’

– Uma Mahadevan-Dasgupta, Civil Servant

‘This brilliant and insightful book helps us understand how local politics and citizen activism work in rural Bihar to influence people’s lives. It interweaves two narratives—Sharan’s own, drawn from many years of field research, and that of his friend, the remarkable young activist Sanjay Sahni, to show us how development economics can be considerably enriched when it is deeply engaged with the field.’

– Vijayendra Rao, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank

M.R. Sharan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, studying questions centred around development economics and political economy. He obtained his PhD from Harvard University in 2020 and was previously at the Delhi School of Economics and Hansraj College. His novel, Blue, was published in 2014. His writings have appeared across various publications, including the Economic and Political Weekly, The Hindu, The Times of India and The Economic Times. He is at www.mrsharan.com and on Twitter at @sharanidli.