Rajniti (Diplomacy and Politics) is the autobiography of Ramesh Nath Pandey, a controversial and polarising figure in Nepal’s politics. Spanning a period of over five decades, this book elaborates on his role in shaping Nepal’s national politics, as well as Nepal’s relationship with the international community. First, the contents of the book. Pandey’s passion for reading appears to have started at a very early age, and he entered the field of journalism at the tender age of 14. When he was 16 years old, he became the editor of a Nepali daily, Janata. By then, he had developed a close relationship with Prime Minister Bisheswor Prasad (BP) Koirala, which is highlighted by BP’s introducing him to prominent figures such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Zhou Enlaiasa promising young journalist. He maintained a close relationship with BP even during the latter’s imprisonment in Sundarijal and regularly sent him books to read. When he was 20 years old, Pandey was approached by King Mahendra to negotiate with BP.

After two rounds, negotiations were aborted because BP refused to meet the king without any pre-conditions. According to Pandey, had BP followed his advice, he would have been released from prison with dignity. With this, writes Pandey, his dream of bringing together the palace and the people was destroyed. Following his unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation between BP and the king, Pandey was imprisoned three times for a combined period of three and a half years. Upon his release, he was once again approached by the king. However, this time, it was to become the king’s special advisor.