India, Nov. 6 -- On October 31, India marked a momentous milestone-celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. Yet, even today, a lingering question captivates minds: How might India have looked if Mahatma Gandhi had not exercised his 'veto' in 1946 during the selection of the Interim Prime Minister?

Prominent journalist Durga Das, a credible witness to those eventful years, best captures the entire interim government process of that time.In his book India - From Curzon to Nehru and After, he vividly recalls: "Patel was the head of the Congress Parliamentary Board, and the provincial Congress committees had expressed their preference for him as Azad's su...