India Sutra: Reflections on the World's Largest Democracy in the 21st Century

A panoramic insider’s look at the road ahead for the world’s largest democracy.

This is a time of unprecedented change in India. Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party dominate the political scene and are attempting to change the way Indians work, think, and pray. And there are signs that the nation is moving in directions that will benefit its people, with a resurgent economy and an expanding foreign policy presence. But simultaneously, there are serious concerns about the rise of majoritarianism and intolerance of free speech, and there appears to be no imminent end to corruption, violence against women, environmental degradation, or a host of other problems that India has struggled to overcome since its independence.

What does the future hold? Is the promise of good times mere illusion? Have the democratic and humane values of India’s founding fathers been forgotten? Are high-speed trains and missions to Mars overshadowing the need to achieve universal literacy, eradicate poverty, and provide food, shelter, and health care for all?

Shashi Tharoor—one of India’s most distinguished writers—attempts to answer these and other pressing questions and to demystify complex issues that have been presented by ongoing transformations of the nation. Balanced and illuminating, India Shastra is required reading for anyone wishing to understand India today.