Revolution 2020 – Book Summary

Author: Chetan Bhagat
Genre: Fiction, Drama, Romance, Social Issues
Published: 2011

Overview:

"Revolution 2020" is a story about love, ambition, corruption, and personal struggles in modern India. Set in Varanasi, the novel revolves around three childhood friends—Gopal, Raghav, and Aarti—whose lives take different paths due to their aspirations and choices. The book explores corruption in the education system, the power of media, and the dilemma between love and ambition.

Main Characters:

  • Gopal Mishra – A poor boy who aspires to be rich and is willing to bend the rules.
  • Raghav Kashyap – A bright student who wants to bring change to society through journalism.
  • Aarti Pratap Pradhan – A beautiful and kind-hearted girl, caught between love and friendship.

Plot Summary:

Gopal and Raghav, both from middle-class families, dream of making it big in life. Gopal, despite his hard work, fails to secure a seat in a prestigious engineering college. Meanwhile, Raghav, an idealist, clears the IIT entrance but chooses journalism over engineering because of his passion for change.

Aarti, Gopal’s childhood crush, becomes close to Raghav, leaving Gopal heartbroken. While Raghav focuses on exposing corruption through his newspaper, Revolution 2020, Gopal, influenced by a corrupt politician, builds his own private engineering college through unethical means.

As Gopal becomes wealthy but morally compromised, Raghav struggles against political and business forces. Aarti, caught between love and loyalty, has to choose between an idealist (Raghav) and a successful but morally grey Gopal.

Themes:

  • Corruption in Education – The novel highlights how coaching institutes and private colleges exploit students.
  • Love and Betrayal – Aarti’s indecisiveness creates emotional turmoil between the two friends.
  • Ambition vs. Ethics – Gopal chooses wealth over principles, while Raghav struggles to bring positive change.

Ending:

Despite gaining success and wealth, Gopal realizes he is lonely and has lost Aarti forever. He makes a selfless decision to step back and let Raghav and Aarti be together, proving that true revolution requires sacrifice.

Final Thoughts:

"Revolution 2020" is a gripping, emotional read that questions the choices we make in pursuit of success. It reflects the harsh realities of corruption, ambition, and love in modern India.

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