I am writing about the book which I am currently reading. As it is quite a long book, one post wouldn’t suffice. It’s book about India, past present and future. The title goes “Imagining India”. Nilekani has done a detailed research on how past demographics, freedom struggle and politics have shaped the present of india and pointing towards incredible future. How everything suddenly have started to point in right direction. Human Capital, Politics, Mindset and Demographics all pointing towards shaping India into Super power. But he cautiously maintains that if this dimensions(more so with Human Capital) are not managed, the same will back fire into us.
On Human capital book mentions, it’s interesting to note how the current population which was supposedly called overpopulated during emergency days is going to serve as a major factor in our role as super power in world. China and India have been most populous states from early 19th century and remained so during post independence years. China foreseeing the population problem, started to cure it by levying heavy taxes on populous family and by advertising contraceptive measures in 60s. China being authoritarian country was easily able to get through its point to people. While India being a democratic country was taking its time. The time taken became too heavy to curb the problem. It went on to extent that Emergency was declared in 1975 and people were ruthlessly given contraceptive treatment. Instances of Sanjay Gandhi's wielding of powers and his influence on his mother are also stated in book. During those days, major countries feared that India would gobble up ¼ th of food of the world. It was also decided that Pakistan be given food but not India. Such was the condition that we were neck deep in the debt from World Bank and India was on brink of bankruptcy. But somehow the condition remained floating and we were able to come out of that black time. Today this same population has become the driving force in economy and Indians are favoured all over the world in IT industry. The reasons for this human capital lay in the past and book depicts that in a very analytical manner.
Nandan mentions how he and his father were influenced by Nehruvian ideas of making India educated and put it in same cup as British. Though early leaders hated idea of capitalism but Nehru all the way favored it, though not openly. Nehru was first to bring English in In
dia as official language. Indian demographics being divided majorly in two kinds of scripts, Aryan(North-Indian) and Dravidian(South- Indian), It was becoming impossible to decide which language to adopt as national language. Confronting this situation with introduction of English language was one of first achievements of Nehru. This early adoption of English language has helped India in modern world leaving China behind in competition.
There are similar detailed and analytical description on how our past shaped present and how we will have to take the road ahead. Though I am just in between reading first part of the book, I am quite interested and hooked on to know what lies ahead.
On Human capital book mentions, it’s interesting to note how the current population which was supposedly called overpopulated during emergency days is going to serve as a major factor in our role as super power in world. China and India have been most populous states from early 19th century and remained so during post independence years. China foreseeing the population problem, started to cure it by levying heavy taxes on populous family and by advertising contraceptive measures in 60s. China being authoritarian country was easily able to get through its point to people. While India being a democratic country was taking its time. The time taken became too heavy to curb the problem. It went on to extent that Emergency was declared in 1975 and people were ruthlessly given contraceptive treatment. Instances of Sanjay Gandhi's wielding of powers and his influence on his mother are also stated in book. During those days, major countries feared that India would gobble up ¼ th of food of the world. It was also decided that Pakistan be given food but not India. Such was the condition that we were neck deep in the debt from World Bank and India was on brink of bankruptcy. But somehow the condition remained floating and we were able to come out of that black time. Today this same population has become the driving force in economy and Indians are favoured all over the world in IT industry. The reasons for this human capital lay in the past and book depicts that in a very analytical manner.Nandan mentions how he and his father were influenced by Nehruvian ideas of making India educated and put it in same cup as British. Though early leaders hated idea of capitalism but Nehru all the way favored it, though not openly. Nehru was first to bring English in In
dia as official language. Indian demographics being divided majorly in two kinds of scripts, Aryan(North-Indian) and Dravidian(South- Indian), It was becoming impossible to decide which language to adopt as national language. Confronting this situation with introduction of English language was one of first achievements of Nehru. This early adoption of English language has helped India in modern world leaving China behind in competition.There are similar detailed and analytical description on how our past shaped present and how we will have to take the road ahead. Though I am just in between reading first part of the book, I am quite interested and hooked on to know what lies ahead.
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