By Many a Happy Accident is an autobiography by M. Hamid Ansari who had been Vice President of India for 10 years. He was from a well-to-do family. His father had been a freedom fighter too. He joined the Indian Foreign Service and served in Indian missions and consulates in various capacities and was also an Indian representative at UNO.
He was Chief Protocol Officer during the Commonwealth Heads of the Government meeting held in India during the time of Smt Indira Gandhi. He was awarded Padam Shri for that. Most of his postings were in the Middle East and Muslim countries. Thus he developed a kind of mastery in Middle East Affairs and was at the helm when needed by the Govt of India to iron out problems with the Middle East Countries.
After retirement, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University and later Chairman of Minorities Commission of India. He served as Vice President of India from 2007 to 2017. His autobiography brings out his scholarly pursuits. He has written many papers and undertaken many lectures on Middle East Affairs, International affairs.
His autobiography brings out his intellectual bent of mind and he has brushed many incidents too trivial to be given in detail. This is the hallmark of such people who are intellectual giants. Controversial farewell address to him by PM Narinder Modi when PM mocked him by saying that "you (Hamid Ansari) are now free to follow your core belief", is given only a passing reference. Hamid Ansari had been a stickler to rules while presiding Rajya Sabha. He never allowed any Act to be passed amid din in the Rajya Sabha. PM Narinder Modi did want that and once walked into his office unannounced complaining about that. The incident is given in the book.
The book is worth a read.
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