Book Review: 'At The Pleasure Of His Majesty' Is A Story Of An Unsung Hero

When I read this book, I was intrigued on how a mere 144 pages could weave so many captivating stories, and each spangled with hard facts and truth. It has the story of David versus Goliath—David being an Indian subject and Goliath the mighty British, an empire which even the third Reich could not defeat, one on which the sun never set. At a more basic level, the story of a son of a money lender hailing from the small town of Mianwali, now in Pakistan, who chose to educate himself to become a lawyer. To pursue his unbound ambitions he would willingly risk his life by joining the British Indian Army and fight in Mesopotamia during the World War I, barely surviving the siege of Kut-Al-Amara where 70 per cent of the Indian troops perished.

He would return and pass the exam in England to join the Indian Civil Services (ICS), a coveted position by any measure, more so at the time. Though ICS made him the subject of the Crown, it did not mean that he would subject himself to their unjust conduct, and there is the story of his fight for justice against the Crown. As if that was not enticing enough, it is the story of a family fighting this legal battle on the one hand and surviving partition on the other hand, as it is on the wrong side of the border on the eventful August 15, 1947.  It is therefore the story of the huge price the family had to pay, including the loss of a daughter during partition.

The book is the story of an unsung hero, Inder Mohan Lall, a giant of a man, in every sense of the word, whose song must now be sung. His contribution to service jurisprudence is immeasurable as his was a landmark case which laid the foundation of the principle of due process in departmental inquiries which today enables civil servants to work impartially. Article 311 of the Indian Constitution was modelled on his case which he bravely fought and won right upto the Privy Council in England.

The author beautifully interspaces the legal struggle and the case that shook the Crown with the personal struggles of Inder Mohan, the challenges of the family, the greatest migration of mankind in human history, the varied personality of Inder Mohan and the adventures of the author’s father Amar Raj Lall. In pith and substance, it is a story of human struggle of over almost a decade, which numbs your heart, brings tears to your eyes, and yet inspires you to higher greatness. The crisp descriptions pack a punch with serious in-depth research and illuminating adventures. 

To give a historical perspective, the narration discusses the events including Gandhiji’s Civil Disobedience and Non-Cooperation Movements. The book captures the essence of Gandhi Ji’s successes in South Africa and a hero’s welcome on his return to India. It discusses the role of I.M.Lall in the fight against the British along with other national leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose who were also ICS officers. The narrative captures the Freedom Movement and the clashes between the Nationalist and the Crown. It vividly describes the Jalliah Wallah Bagh Massacre and how it became a turning point in the struggle for independence.

It is the story of the only man in the entire commonwealth to take on the might of the British empire in a legal battle and come out victorious, paving the way for future generations to benefit through Article 311 of the Constitution. It is not a long and winding story but told succinctly promising to keep you enthralled. It is a tale of an extraordinary man and his courage, his tenacity, his persistence and his unbelievable perseverance to stand up for cause of justice. That it comes from the hand of a first-time author, and the grandson of Inder Mohan makes it even more riveting.

Sandeep Sethi is a senior advocate