Exploring Churchill’s views on India, empire and Gandhi
At Chartwell Literary Festival last week, historians discussed Britain’s wartime leader
By Amit RoySep 14, 2023
“WHO was Churchill?” This was the question debated at the inaugural Chartwell Literary Festival last week at Sir Winston Churchill’s home in Kent.
It was held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nobel Prize for Literature that Britain’s wartime leader was awarded in 1953. Introducing three historians on the panel – Allen Packwood, Professor Gaynor Johnson and Dr Victoria Taylor – the general manager of Chartwell, Chelsea Pettitt, said that Churchill “is viewed by some as the saviour of his nation, and by others as a racist imperialist. But who was he really? And how does he become such a controversial figure?”
Packwood, the director of the Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College, Cambridge, has recently edited The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill, which deals in part with the most controversial aspects of Churchill’s career – his opposition to Indian independence, his determination not to witness a dilution of the British empire and his hostility to Mahatma Gandhi.
The well-attended opening session in the Mulberry Room at Chartwell was attended by some of Churchill’s descendants.
Packwood, who is also a Fellow at Churchill College, said: “A lot of Churchill’s views on India are really formed very early on in his life and career when he goes out as a young soldier between 1895 and 1900. He’s very much a part of military there. That certainly colours his view on India.
“He tends to draw a distinction, which comes from serving in those military circles, between his admiration for Indian Muslim and Sikh troops, who he’s serving alongside on the North-West Frontier, and the wider Hindu population who he doesn’t regard anywhere near as favourably. His views on Hinduism, in particular, are formed quite early on.
“Later on, his campaign against Indian independence has to be seen in the context of British imperial decline, and what the country has been through in the First World War. Churchill wants Britain to remain a world power. And he sees having the empire as vital to that. He sees maintaining India as the centrepiece of that empire. So for him, regular Indian independence is moving away from that.
“The world that he grew up, that Victorian aristocracy is disappearing. The First World War has led to the collapse of empires. He’s seeing threats on all sides. And it’s for that reason that he particularly digs in on India. And that leads him to particularly oppose Gandhi.
“Churchill is someone who really has to have a cause. That’s how he conducts his politics. He likes high-profile public campaigns. The campaign against greater Indian independence is his main campaign at the beginning of the 1930s. Gandhi then becomes the enemy for that campaign in the same way that Hitler becomes the enemy over the need for British rearmament. Churchill needs these characters to vent against. A lot of you will have heard the quotes that he makes about Gandhi. Unfortunately for him, various of his colleagues in the cabinet are all keeping diaries and recording every remark that he makes.”
Packwood began by saying: “The title of this session is, ‘Who was Winston Churchill?’ And this might have struck some of you as a little bit strange. Surely, it’s obvious who Churchill was. He’s on the British fivepound note. He’s a man who’s practically omnipresent. He’s commemorated here at Chartwell, at his birthplace in Blenheim Palace, in the Churchill war rooms in central London, and at the Churchill College Archive Centre in Cambridge where I’m based.
“It’s rare that a week goes by without him appearing in newspapers or on television. He’s one of the most quoted, and it has to be said, misquoted figures of the modern age. He’s the subject of documentary series and films, most recently, Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman, and the focus of literally hundreds, if not thousands of books.
Chartwell, Churchill's home
“His personal archive, which I’m lucky enough to look after in Cambridge, encompasses some 2,500 boxes. His official biography, started by his son Randolph and finished by the late Sir Martin Gilbert, runs to eight volumes, accompanied by a further 23 companion volumes, surely the largest official biography ever written. His collected speeches published by Robert Rhodes James run to another eight volumes and almost 9,000 pages of his spoken words. Everything connected with Churchill, it seems, is done on a monumental scale.
“His published speeches and his A History of the English-Speaking Peoples were vehicles that conveyed his world view. His output was simply phenomenal – some 14 published works in some 70 volumes over a 60-year span between 1898 and 1958, culminating in the Nobel Prize.
“After the Second World War, he told the House of Commons that it would be better for all parties to leave the past to history, ‘especially as I propose to write that history myself’, and write it he most certainly did. It led to an inevitable backlash because the higher Churchill raised his own profile, the more likely others were to react against it, either because they didn’t agree with his interpretation of events, or because to disagree with him guaranteed publicity and sales.
“In the book that we’re talking about, The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill, we have a chapter on Churchill’s contested history, tracing the origins of this process back into Churchill’s own lifetime, because the truth is that he has always been a controversial figure.
“So why do we need another book on Winston Churchill? Well, firstly, because it is deliberately short and accessible. It is not intended as another Churchill biography. It is not a hagiography, neither is it a hatchet job. It is intended as a gateway, as an introduction to a complex subject, which I hope summarises and synthesises the current state of academic opinion and research in a way that is accessible to a general audience.”
Packwood, who wrote the chapter on Churchill as a war leader, added: “The main point that we were trying to make in this book is that to understand Churchill, we need to understand him in a broad context. We need to see him in the round, not just in his own words, not in isolation, but as part of larger systems and structures. We need to understand how his views developed and evolved and how all aspects of the man interrelate. Because then and only then can the apparent contradictions in his history and legacy be resolved.”
While Taylor spoke of the controversial British bombing of Dresden in February 1945, which many regarded as unnecessary in military terms, Johnson advanced the defence that Churchill was a man of his times.
She said: “The opinions that Churchill expressed on issues which today we would see as very politically sensitive and controversial, like colonialism, were reflected by his generation as a whole. I don’t think they were necessarily particularly unusual. They were considered to be part of the way in which people of his background had been educated and had been taught to think.
“But the other thing I would say is that, as historians, we should judge historical figures by the context in which they operated rather than our own. Things that we think of as being offensive and controversial, things that we perhaps find difficult to talk about, may not be issues that were thought of in quite the same way in the past. We are on slightly dangerous – actually very dangerous – ground if we try to do otherwise.”
From the British Asian point of view, perhaps next year’s Chartwell Literary Festival will make less of an effort to “understand” Churchill.
Chandrakasan was selected from a group of internal candidates, MIT president Sally Kornbluth said in a statement announcing the appointment. (Photo credit: MIT)
PROF ANANTHA CHANDRAKASAN has been appointed as the new provost of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), becoming the first Indian-American to take on the role. Currently serving as MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer and dean of engineering, Chandrakasan will assume his new position on July 1.
Chandrakasan was selected from a group of internal candidates, MIT president Sally Kornbluth said in a statement announcing the appointment. She said he brings an exceptional record of innovation and leadership to the position.
The provost is MIT’s chief academic and budget officer, responsible for overseeing the educational enterprise, faculty affairs, and strategic planning across the institute.
In a statement released by MIT, Chandrakasan said, “I am deeply honoured to take on the role of provost.” He added, “Looking ahead, I see myself as a key facilitator, enabling faculty, students, postdocs, and staff to continue making extraordinary contributions to the nation and the world.”
Navigating challenges, driving innovation
Kornbluth noted that Chandrakasan takes on the role at a time when some of MIT’s core operating assumptions are facing uncertainty, including sustained federal support and the ability to attract global talent.
“In a time of such intense pressure and potentially historic change, I am particularly grateful that we will be able to draw on Anantha’s depth and breadth of experience; his nimbleness, entrepreneurial spirit and boundless energy; his remarkable record in raising funds from outside sources for important ideas; and his profound commitment to MIT’s mission,” she said.
The Consulate General of India in New York congratulated Chandrakasan on his appointment, noting that he is the first Indian-American to hold the position. “A distinguished academic and leader, Prof Chandrakasan has remained a strong advocate of India-USA technological & R&D collaboration; has been working with various Indian government and private sector stakeholders towards this objective. We wish him all success in this important responsibility,” the Consulate said.
Kornbluth added, “In short, the job truly could not be more central to MIT’s present and future vitality.”
Role and future priorities
The provost also oversees affiliated institutes and units and leads a team of vice provosts managing arts, campus planning, faculty matters, international activities, and Open Learning.
Chandrakasan has served as the dean of MIT’s School of Engineering since 2017 and became the institute’s inaugural chief innovation and strategy officer in 2024. Before that, he led MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) – its largest academic department – for six years.
Explaining why she selected him for the chief innovation and strategy officer role, Kornbluth said it was because of his “can-do attitude, creativity, enthusiasm, strategic insight, fluency across a wide range of subject areas, and gift for engaging industry allies and donors.”
Chandrakasan succeeds Cynthia Barnhart, who announced her decision to step down from the role in February.
As provost, Chandrakasan will focus on three key areas: assessing institutional needs and financial planning, attracting and retaining top talent, and supporting interdisciplinary research, education, and entrepreneurship, according to the MIT statement.
“Recognising that each school and other academic units operate within a unique context, I plan to engage deeply with their leaders to understand their challenges and aspirations. This will help me refine and set the priorities for the Office of the Provost,” he said.
He also plans to form a provost faculty advisory group and establish advisory groups for students and postdocs, as well as an external provost advisory council. His goal, he said, is to support continued excellence across all levels at MIT.
“There is a tremendous opportunity for MIT to be at the centre of the innovations in areas where the United States wants to lead. It’s about AI. It’s about semiconductors. It’s about quantum, biosecurity and biomanufacturing space — but not only that,” Chandrakasan said.
“We need students who can do more than just code or design or build. We really need students who understand the human perspective and human insights. This is why collaborations between STEM fields and the humanities, arts and social sciences, such as through the new MIT Human Insights Collaborative, are so important,” he added.
Chandrakasan earned his BS, MS, and PhD in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California at Berkeley. After joining MIT, he directed the Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) from 2006 until becoming head of EECS in 2011.
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The flight was scheduled to depart on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo: Air India)
AIR INDIA’s flight from Ahmedabad to London, operating under a new code following the June 12 crash, was cancelled on Tuesday (17) due to the unavailability of an aircraft. The airline cited airspace restrictions and precautionary checks as the cause.
The service, now listed as flight AI-159, replaced the earlier AI-171 flight which crashed shortly after take-off last Thursday (12), killing 270 people, including 29 on the ground. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had 242 passengers and crew on board, with only one survivor.
An Air India spokesperson denied reports of a technical issue and confirmed the cancellation was due to extended turnaround times caused by airspace restrictions. Iran’s closure of its airspace amid its war with Israel has affected flight routes to Europe.
“Flight AI-159 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick (London) has been cancelled on Tuesday due to the unavailability of the aircraft, resulting from airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks, leading to longer than usual aircraft turnaround — not due to any technical snag as claimed,” the spokesperson said.
“We regret the inconvenience caused and have made alternative arrangements for passengers, including hotel accommodation, full refunds, or complimentary rescheduling.”
The flight was scheduled to depart at 3pm after an earlier rescheduling from 1.10pm. According to the airline’s website, the first post-crash flight under the new code took off at 4.10pm on Monday (16), after a three-hour delay, and landed in London at 9.45pm.
Airport sources confirmed that the AI-171 service was suspended following the fatal crash and resumed operations on Monday under the new code. The return flight AI-160 landed in Ahmedabad as scheduled on Tuesday afternoon.
Due to Tuesday's cancellation, Air India also cancelled the return service, AI-170, from London (Gatwick) to Amritsar.
(PTI)
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Conference at Westminster Highlights Religious Persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan
A high-profile conference on religious freedom in Bangladesh and Baluchistan was held at Portcullis House, Westminster, organised by the Dharmic Ideas & Policy Foundation (DIPF), hosted by Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East), and supported by APPG leaders on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), including Richard James Shannon MP and Julie Jones on 9 June 2025.
Chairing the conference, Mr Blackman condemned the ongoing persecution of minorities in both regions, describing the situation as dire and deteriorating.
The keynote speaker, Mr Tathagata Roy—former Governor of Meghalaya and Tripura and author of My People Uprooted—outlined the historical roots of the crisis, tracing anti-Hindu violence from the 1943 Bengal famine and Noakhali riots through the genocides of 1950, 1962, and 1971. He highlighted the dramatic decline of Bangladesh’s Hindu population from 29% in 1947 to just 8% today, labelling the ongoing violence and displacement a "Hindu Holocaust".
Testimonies from Bangladeshi minorities Samir Das and his daughter Sudipta Das, as well as a lawyer recently arrived from Bangladesh, provided first-hand accounts of abductions, rape, and intimidation. All speakers pointed to the worsening conditions since the 2024 regime change.
Conference at Westminster Highlights Religious Persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan
Investigative journalist Francesca Marino, author of Baluchistan: Bruised, Battered and Bloodied, detailed Pakistan’s systemic oppression of the Baluchi people, including enforced disappearances, torture, and the use of rape as a weapon of control.
Dr Gautam Sen, formerly of the London School of Economics, concluded the session by underlining the civilisational assault on traditional cultures in both regions and the gendered violence used to dismantle them.
The conference closed with urgent policy recommendations:
UK and allied democracies to apply diplomatic pressure and sanctions on Pakistan and Bangladesh for human rights violations.
Support for Baluchi self-determination.
Economic and hydrological leverage by India, and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to aid displaced minorities.
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Protesters hold up placards during a march through central London on June 17, 2023, to call for decriminalisation of abortion. (Photo: Getty Images)
MPs are expected to vote on Tuesday on a proposed change to abortion laws in England and Wales that would prevent women from being prosecuted for ending their own pregnancies.
Under current law, women can face criminal charges for terminating a pregnancy beyond 24 weeks or without the approval of two doctors. The law still carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Recent court cases have drawn public attention to the issue. In one case, a woman was acquitted by a jury. In another, a woman was released from prison after an appeal.
Labour MP proposes amendment
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi has put forward an amendment to change the law. Her proposal seeks to ensure that no woman would be committing a criminal offence by ending her own pregnancy at any stage.
"Women are currently being arrested from hospital bed to police cell and facing criminal investigations on suspicion of ending their own pregnancy," Antoniazzi told AFP.
"My amendment would put a stop to this," she said, calling it "the right amendment at the right time".
Current law and its limits
Abortion remains a criminal offence under the Offences Against the Person Act, a law dating back to 1861. The Abortion Act 1967 allows terminations under certain conditions, including up to 23 weeks and six days if done by an authorised provider.
Abortions beyond that limit are allowed only in limited situations, such as if the mother's life is at risk or the baby is likely to be born with a serious disability.
A temporary update during the Covid-19 pandemic allowed women to take abortion pills at home for up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy.
In May, Nicola Packer was acquitted after taking prescribed abortion medicine when she was around 26 weeks pregnant. Her case followed a four-year police investigation. Packer told jurors she did not realise how far along her pregnancy was.
"It was horrendous giving evidence, absolutely awful," she told The Guardian last month.
Opposition to the proposal
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children has criticised the amendment, calling it "the greatest threat to unborn babies in decades".
What the amendment would change
Antoniazzi's amendment does not seek to alter existing regulations around abortion services or time limits. It also does not change the law for anyone assisting a woman with an abortion outside legal provisions, such as medical practitioners, who would still face prosecution.
Around 50 organisations, including abortion providers, medical colleges and women's rights groups, have expressed support for the amendment.
They have pointed out that six women have appeared in court in England in the last three years, charged with ending or attempting to end their own pregnancies outside abortion law.
Carla Foster was jailed in 2023 after obtaining abortion tablets when she was 32 to 34 weeks pregnant. Her sentence was later suspended by the Court of Appeal.
Support from MPs across parties
Some 140 MPs in the 650-member parliament have publicly supported the proposed change.
It "has widespread support from MPs across the political spectrum and I am optimistic the Commons will support it," said Antoniazzi.
The vote will be a free vote, allowing MPs to vote based on personal views rather than party instructions.
Abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland in 2019. Scotland is currently reviewing its abortion laws.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The spike in temperature is due to a period of high pressure currently centred over the UK
Britons are set to enjoy a burst of summer sunshine as forecasters predict a heatwave over the weekend, with temperatures expected to rise higher than those in parts of southern Europe. The Met Office anticipates that the UK could experience its hottest days of the year so far, with the south-east likely to be the warmest region.
Temperatures to reach 32°C in parts of the UK
According to the latest weather forecast heatwave predictions, temperatures could peak at 32°C on Saturday, 21 June, and Sunday, 22 June in areas including London and Kent. These highs would surpass conditions in traditional holiday destinations such as Portugal and southern France.
Elsewhere, cities such as Manchester and Newcastle are expected to see temperatures in the high twenties, while Cardiff and Birmingham may also see weather reaching into the upper 20s. The spike in temperature is due to a period of high pressure currently centred over the UK, drawing in warm air from the south.
What qualifies as a heatwave in the UK?
The Met Office defines a heatwave as a period of at least three consecutive days where daily maximum temperatures meet or exceed a particular threshold. This threshold varies by region, ranging from 25°C in parts of the north and west to 28°C in London and the Home Counties.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson explained: “By the beginning of the weekend, we could very well be meeting heatwave thresholds in places. While the warmest temperatures are likely across London and the east of England, by Saturday heatwave thresholds could be reached across much of the Midlands, low-lying areas bordering the Peak District and even parts of east Wales.”
How long will the warm spell last?
The hot weather is expected to peak over the weekend before gradually easing next week. According to the Met Office, high pressure is forecast to shift away from the UK, resulting in slightly cooler conditions.
While some weather models suggest that temperatures could reach the mid-30s by Monday 23 June, this is currently seen as an unlikely scenario. However, it will still remain warm across most of the UK, with London forecast to stay in the mid-20s and Glasgow expected to reach around 22°C despite some potential showers.
Outlook for Glastonbury and late June
Looking ahead to Glastonbury Festival, which begins at Worthy Farm on Tuesday 24 June, temperatures are expected to stay above average. While generally dry conditions are forecast, there is a chance of light rain on Friday 25 June. Festival-goers are advised to check updates regularly as the weather forecast heatwave shifts.
Heatwave safety guidance and warnings
As temperatures rise, the Met Office is urging people to take precautions, especially during peak UV hours from 11 am to 3 pm. This includes staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and wearing protective clothing.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not issued any heat-health alerts so far. These alerts are typically released when high temperatures pose increased health risks, particularly to older adults, infants, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Meanwhile, the London Fire Brigade has issued a warning over the risk of wildfires, especially in areas with dried vegetation following one of the driest springs on record. Charlie Pugsley, deputy commissioner for operational policy, prevention and protection, warned: “Extended periods of hot and dry weather can greatly increase the risk of a grass fire. When that grass is tinder dry, the spread of fire can be rapid. We have seen examples of this in London, and more recently worldwide, such as in California and South Korea.”
What to expect next
Although the current weather forecast heatwave may subside slightly after the weekend, the summer outlook remains promising. Forecasters advise staying up to date with official bulletins from the Met Office and UKHSA, especially if travelling or attending outdoor events.