India, June 25 -- The Emergency of 1975-77 remains one of the darkest chapters in the history of independent India. Civil liberties were suspended, political opponents were imprisoned, the press was censored, and democratic institutions came under unprecedented pressure. Yet, amid the silence of fear and conformity, a few voices refused to bend. Among them stood Chandrashekhar, a leader whose commitment to democratic values transcended political convenience and personal safety.

Long before the Emergency was formally imposed on June 25, 1975, Chandrashekhar had sensed the dangers of concentrating excessive power in the hands of the executive. Though he belonged to the Congress Party at the time, he was known for speaking his mind and chal...