New Delhi, Dec. 7 -- Inder Kumar Gujral, or I K Gujral as the world knew him, was a rare gentleman politician who became an "accidental" prime minister for less than a year, but carved a legacy for himself in government and foreign policy circles for his principled stands and his accommodative outreach to India's smaller neighbours. His eponymous policy, known as the "Gujral Doctrine", was derided at that time by many critics for being 'soft', but is being invoked today, on the occasion of his birth centenary, particularly because the 'hard' policies of the present government have not given India the outcomes it expected.
I travelled extensively with Gujral, both within the country but mostly abroad, from Dhaka to Tehran, from Kathmandu to...