In Spite of the Gods and Vvip’s
If you ever wonder what a foreigner, who has lived and worked in India for a considerable period, thinks of the country and its people, then “In spite of the Gods” by Edward Luce is a must read.
Edward Luce is a journalist and a graduate of Oxford University in politics, philosophy and economics. He married to an Indian and has travelled extensively across all states in India, while reporting for Financial Times from 2001 to 2005.
In “In spite of the Gods” Mr. Luce has touched almost every aspect of modern India. He has written about backward regions in north India, poverty, booming software and services industry, India’s huge middle class, corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, right wing Hindu nationalists, Christians and Muslims along with other minority communities. Most of the information in this book seems to be backed up with thorough research, as can be seen from the list of references provided by the author.
Significant portion of the book, deals with India’s first prime minister, Pundit Jawahar Lal Nehru’s legacies, and how his policies played a role in shaping modern India. Mr. Luce has extensively highlighted the issues that threaten India’s growth prospects. Most of these issues have been well highlighted and debated in Indian media. I am sure everyone subscribing to a newspaper in India is well aware of these challenges, probably in much more detail than the author has presented has presented.
On the whole, I found the the book to be an interesting read. Towards the end, I could not help but realize that every one in India, from prime minister Mr. Manmohan Singh to an average citizen, all seem to know what plagues India’s society and economy, but somehow lacks the will to take that difficult step to address the problem at respective levels. It is ironic, that a country which has vast pools of resources and knowledge, and, which is poised to play a larger role in this world with significant impact on world economy, environment and geopolitical situation, has not shown the will power to address basic issues affecting most of its citizens, all because of selfish individuals. The economic growth is definitely In Spite of the Gods and the Vvip’s.
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