It was five past midnight 2nd to 3rd December 1984, Bhopal.

"Concern for man himself and his safety must always form the chief interest in all technical endeavors. Never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations." — Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from special relativity, has been called "the world's most famous equation". He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.

I stumbled upon detailed information about this incident on December 3, 2004, through a Bhopal disaster On 3 December 1984, over 500,000 people in the vicinity of the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India were exposed to the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate, in what is considered the world's worst industrial disaster. A government affidavit in 2006 stated that the leak caused 558,125 injuries, including 38,478 temporary partial injuries and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries. Estimates vary on the death toll, with the official number of immediate deaths being 2,259. Others estimate that 8,000 died within two weeks, and another 8,000 or more have since died from gas-related diseases. In 2008, the Government of Madhya Pradesh paid compensation to the family members of 3,787 victims killed in the gas release, and to 574,366 injured victims. , which inspired me to read this book.

The story begins with Ratan Nadar, a typical Adivasi Indian peasant, and follows the fate of his family. Without any rhetorical exaggeration, the narrative presents most of the information objectively. Ratan Nadar's children, aged 5, 6, and 8, work in a match factory handling toxic chemicals. One day, a fire breaks out, and Padmini, the eldest, tragically discovers her brother dead.

Ratan, like many others, continuously faces hardships in his village. Seeking a better life, he moves to Bhopal, a bustling city, and secures a job as a worker constructing the Bhopal Railway Station.

Union Carbide Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) is an American chemical company headquartered in Seadrift, Texas. It has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company since 2001. Union Carbide produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume commodities and others are specialty products. Markets served include paints and coatings, packaging, wire and cable, household products, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, textiles, agriculture, and oil and gas. The company is a former component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. develops Sevin pesticide, which promises to improve crop productivity, and plans to establish a factory in Bhopal, India. Eduardo Munoz, the chief architect, questions the necessity of such a factory in India, given the country's unique challenges. However, Union Carbide's board of directors dismisses his concerns, driven by profit motives.

While the motives are profit-oriented, the story also highlights several earnest individuals who establish and work at the Union Carbide plant in India, portraying it as a dream company for many.

Things take a darker turn.

The book delves into the lives of people living in Oriya Bustee and Kali Ghats, exploring their customs, work, and relationship with Union Carbide. It examines how circumstances evolve, how people come together to support one another in times of real need, and how indifference can sometimes lead to devastating consequences.