Indian destiny has been shaped a complex array of forces. Any view as if few personalities shaped it would be a simplification. Congress movement was not the only major force, there were Muslim League, Communists, Socialists(including Lohiaites) , and Hindu nationalists. Besides, there were number of regional fissiparous movements. Nehru accorded legitimate political space to each one of this and this was perhaps his greatest achievement. He even joked to Prez Kennedy about ABV being the future Prime Minister!
One the economic debates raging in India, Bombay plan on one side and the Soviet model on the other end; Nehru like many others discerning men knew that the outcome of the debate could be settled only in future, therefore option for both had to kept open. The prevailing wisdom therefore wisely opted for mixed-economy mode with emphasis on dams, irrigation, institutional support to provide scientific inputs to agriculture, and commanding heights for economic planning where nascent private sector could not make big-scale investment like Steel, Heavy machinery, heavy electrical and new technologies particularly in defence sectors. Let us not dump India%u2019s failure on one man!
