India is once again arguing about democracy—not quietly. With protests on the streets, questions around electoral rolls, detentions, political rights and democratic institutions dominating public conversation, everyone seems to have an opinion about how democracy should work. There is just one small problem: how many of us actually know how it works?
Enter Citizen Sane, a new book by writer, political commentator and digital creator Meghnad S., written specifically for people who slept through civics class and later discovered, somewhat inconveniently, that democracy affects practically everything they do.
This is not Civics 101. There are no lectures about being a “responsible citizen”, no finger-wagging about duties, and definitely no expectation that you remember what your school textbook said about the legislature. Instead, Meghnad uses bizarre fictional scenarios, humour, philosophy and the occasional fever-dream-like story to unpack government, politics, democracy and citizenship—and why ordinary people should care about any of it.
At the heart of Citizen Sane is a deceptively simple question: what does it actually mean to be a citizen?
For Meghnad, the answer isn’t merely knowing which institution does what. It is about learning how to navigate a democracy without losing your curiosity, kindness, wisdom—or your mind. The book approaches citizenship emotionally rather than theoretically, speaking directly to readers as a friend might: the friend who knows enough about politics to explain what’s happening but is also willing to admit that the entire thing can occasionally seem completely absurd.
The idea came from Meghnad’s own experience. Having happily ignored civics as a student, he entered adulthood and realised there was an enormous gap between living in a democracy and actually understanding one. Citizen Sane is the book he wishes he had then: for people curious about politics but intimidated by it; for those exhausted by partisan shouting; for young people trying to understand the country they have inherited; and even for parents and children who desperately wish the other understood what being a citizen actually entails.
And the question feels particularly urgent now. As protests continue in Delhi and elsewhere and conversations around elections, institutions, dissent and citizens’ rights spill from Parliament and television studios onto streets and social media, Citizen Sane asks readers to go beyond picking a side. What are our institutions supposed to do? What power does a citizen actually have? What happens when citizens disagree with the State? And how do you participate in a democracy without turning every disagreement into a screaming match?
Known online as @meghnads and @meghnerd, Meghnad S. has built his work around doing precisely this: making politics, policy and government understandable without making them painfully boring. His civic engagement has also moved beyond the internet; he has been involved in a protest-support initiative helping detained protesters access legal and medical assistance.
With Citizen Sane, Meghnad brings that same combination of curiosity, humour, irreverence and civic engagement to the page.
Because democracy is complicated. Politics is chaotic. Governments are weird.
But perhaps the citizens don’t have to be.
