Making of Martyrs unravels an epic saga of populist politics in the postcolonial Indian subcontinent. Indira Gandhi, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were towering figures and have been simultaneously loved and hated in equal measure. During their heyday, each of these leaders garnered extraordinary power and charisma. Their followers, admirers and loyal supporters continue to idolise and romanticise them, yet in the eyes of their critics they were ruthless, power-hungry tyrants and partisan villains. These dichotomies remain irreconcilable since their followers venerate them as a model for the future and their critics relegate them to a haunted past.
Drawing on years of research, Faisal Khosa explores the turbulent lives and times of these three leaders and gives us a vivid account of their politics and personalities.