“Imagining India” – A Book Review
At first glance, Nandan Nilekani’s “Imagining India†is daunting.
500+ pages, densely packed with statistics, policy prescriptions and anecdotes do not make for easy bedtime reading…yet I found it highly engaging and written in a very readable style. If there was ever a book you wished that reflected a bird’s eye of what ails India, “Imagining India†would come pretty close to it.
On the very first page, in the preface, Nandan Nilekani recalls a conversation with a visitor in which he was asked:
“Why don’t people like you get into politics?â€
Nilekani’s response to the question encapsulates India’s problem # 1:
“I was, I said, quite unelectableâ€
I turned the page…and spotted problem # 2:
“…our government, where the socialist ethos is still dominantâ€
…and problem # 3:
“…when it comes to policy, the urgent wins over the important, tactic triumphs over strategy and patronage over public goodâ€
In some ways, “Imagining India†is Nilekani’s attempt at articulating policies and strategies that would prioritise the important over the urgent and public good over patronage.
Nilekani’s underlying belief is that the key to growth (and consequent progress and development) is in expanding access to resources and opportunity. Therefore “reforms that expand access are…most crucial for the disempowered†(Pg 23). This is the underlying theme that runs throughout the book…and it is one that strongly resonates with me.
I believe if we were to do nothing else except focus on creating an enabling environment for our students, entrepreneurs, farmers and professionals – and giving them access to opportunities – we would solve more than half of our problems. On the flip side of course, if we fail in providing sufficient opportunities for work or income for our incredibly young population, we will create conditions for enormous social upheaval.
The book is divided in four parts. The first deals with ideas on which there is now broad consensus – at least amongst the urban elite and the middle-class. Ideas for example, that see entrepreneurship as essential to development…and population as an asset rather than a liability.
The end of Part I is a chapter titled “The Deepening of our Democracy†and this is the chapter where Nilekani occasionally slips. For instance, when he mentions terrorism as being driven by the “tendency of our governments towards repressionâ€. Or when he says that “secular principles were paramount across our laws…(since independence)†– as many of you would know, the phrase was actually inserted via an amendment in the constitution in 1976.
The second part deals with areas on which there is broad agreement but a lot of work needs to be done; literacy, managing our rapid urbanisation, connecting our towns and cities and creating a common market across India. Part III deals with topics on which there is still no consensus e.g. the role of state in higher education, labour-related issues and so on.
The final part is an attempt at identifying and articulating our medium-term challenges or ideas that are “largely missing from our public discourse†such as environment, social security and our energy needs (although the part to do with energy solutions probably belongs to Part II). I found this section the least stimulating – perhaps because it lacked the immediacy and the urgency of the other sections – and was devoid of the “heat†that is generated in a debate around some of the other ideas.
The one thing that I did find odd (and unsettling) was the almost conscious attempt, – throughout the narrative – at avoiding any mention of India’s ancient heritage, its civilizational continuity and the underlying cultural unity.
For instance, even though Nilekani talks of how every country is governed through some overarching themes and ideas (Pg 8), he does not mention what this might be in case of India – saying simply that, “India…is a country that is as much an idea as it is a nation†– which is odd considering that the word “India†does not occur in any of the languages spoken in India.
The absence of even a cursory nod to our roots and a sense of cultural unity is also evident in remarks such as the one mentioning India as a “region riven by factionalism, whose caste and religious divisions seemed to be written in stone†(Pg 151) and as a “disparate group of communities…knit together†(pg 290)
There are also some historical inaccuracies – largely due to (I guess) over-reliance on the kind of academic research led by leftist historians. E.g. he mentions “Sanskrit†as an “alien†tongue that entered the region with an “invading army†(Pg 101) – clearly an allusion to the Aryan Invasion Theory (which has now been widely refuted).
Overall though, I would strongly recommend the book to anyone with more than a passing interest in public policy and governance. It is a great overview of some of our most immediate challenges and a good compendium of ideas that will dominate public discussion in the years to come.
I sincerely hope that our legislators, politicians, policy-makers and opinion leaders take note of some of the policies and ideas it contains…It might help us get a step closer to a better India.
On the back cover, Thomas Friedman has called Nilekani a “great explainerâ€. Reading “Imagining India†may help you understand why he said that.
***
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book for this review. Sadly it did not have Shri Nilekani’s autograph. Perhaps next time!
For Nandan Nilekani, and the likes of him, it is a territorial-patritism that they take for nationalism. That is the peril of all of Hindu corporate. And that is the result of a disruption in cultural continuum.
Sanskrit-fobia, even vernacular-Indic-phobia, justification for English-dominance as the vehicle for GDP growth; failure to see the idea behind terrorism that faces India – either out of simple ignorance or deliberate need for political correctness; pandering for “globalism” and failure to see in it the euphemism for mlechCha-dominance –all of these are characteristic of the Hindu Corporate of today. Nandan Nilekani and Infosys are no exception.
Don’t forget that Infy’s ex-boss refused to Sing National Anthem at its facility on occasion of the visit of President of India, later claiming it was to not make foreigner trainees at its facility, (mostly chinese), uncomfortable!
fobia -> phobia 🙂
The lack of association with India could be a more from a perception of a north – south divide. U did mention he considered the Aryan invasion theory to be a fact, in a matter of speaking. About the cultural unity and common heritage, I do not believe recent history corroborates with it. The southern states have very rarely been ruled from the north for the past three millenia and have lived distinctly independent from each other and the north. Even France & Germany can claim to have closer ethnics ties in comparison with North & South India, when u consider Franks were a Germanic tribe and both were part of the Merovingian & Carolingian dynasties before 843.
Thanks for the review, Shantanu. I’m excited about this book and will try to get a hold as soon as possible. I notice that the international edition is to be launched in March 2009.
I do hope that Mr Nilekani realises that he has offered the MOST LAME EXCUSE EVER OFFERED by an India to not contest elections, of being ‘unelectable’. Who is he to make such a determination by paternalising Indian voters? Contest elections as a good citizen and let the voterse decide. Give the Indian voter a chance, please! I’ve heard many excuses in my life. This one takes the cake!
I continue to have this strange hope that good people like him (despite their weakenesses, for who on this earth is possibly perfect?) will stop making lame excuses and enter politics, the sooner the better for India.
I have myself offered a blueprint for change in ‘Breaking Free of Nehru’, but don’t carry the big guns (of money and power) to get my feeble message out. I do hope that people like Nandan Nilekani will ultimately hear of this and try to join the Freedom Team (or some such thing of their own). I assure him the Team can make him into a true, and electable, leader. Everyone has it in him or her to lead. All that is needed is the resolve to be a good citizen and discharge one’s respsonsiblity towards the people of India.
Also, Shantanu, I’d really appreciate if you can review my book as well in due course, particularly sections that are not available for free public download. I know you’ve reviewed the chapter on political corruption but other chapters would need to be critically reviewed as well. Existing reviews of the book are linked through:
http://www.sanjeev.sabhlokcity.com/breakingfree.html
Regards
Sanjeev
The main connecting thread between the state and corporates is the tax structure. Is it not ? Philanthropy is optional and is over-and-above these dues.
I am simply unable to overlook such a grand anomaly where these companies contribute nothing as tax and yet have the gumption to talk as if they have everything figured out.
How about this ? Infosys pays normal corporate tax from now, all SEZs are aborted, we start negotiations for back taxes for the past 15 years (since the expiry of the 10 year original STPI tax holiday).
Using this process we will collect USD 10-15BN and use these proceeds to construct English schools for the poor and oppressed non-aryans as outlined in his epic.
Nilekani was full of praise for politicians on TV and seemed to be completely happy with the status quo. So, what is the need of this book if he thinks the politicans work “24×7 for the country”.
I am sorry but I have to pass on Nilekani and his like. I cannot bring myself to ignore the elephant in the room.
Dear “Satyameva Jayate” author,
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If that so-called enlightened man wrote, Sanskrit as alien tongue came with the invading army to the region (as Shantanu’s review above shows), then that fella is simply another sinckular scoundral, looking for personal promotion and interest. He may be a millionarie or billionaire in terms of money, thats his material wealth. There are tons of slaves of money, who finally die terribly due to burden of material wealth.
I shall never recommned such a book to anyone to read, rather discourage and highlight the statement about Sanskrit. A drop of dirt is enough for spoiling a bucket of milk. Its not a matter of one line or para, its endorsement of what western colonial masters and Indian brown commie-sickular gangs promoted in the country’s history and dumped on us. Moreover, its denigration to our culture, language, history and a humiliation. Such people degrading our culture, heritage, history and nation’s rightful place in the world.
How much contributions these Hindu corporates- Ambanis, Rabbanis, Mittals, Chittals, Murthys did to Hindu samaj? Insignificant, we don;t see they run chains of primary and middle schools for poor and backward Hindus. Correct me if I am wrong. They accumulate wealth by exploiting the nation’s resources, both natural and human. It is the ordinary, middle class Hindus contributions, RSS, VHP run thousands of schools and social service projects for poor Hindus.
Nation need to emulate Swami Vikenanda’s spiritual-patriotism, Netaji’s sacrifice, Gandhi’s Village swaraj-republic, Sardar Patels braveness-iron hand, Chanakyas governance and diplomacy, Amritanandamay’s (Amma) selfless service and such great personalities.
Sarvesh, Arby, Sanjeev, RC and Bharat: Thank you all for your comments…I will respond in a day…
***
John: I am sending you a separate email.
Dear Shantanu,
Congrats! Wish you all the best.
Global Post will open windows which will make SATYAMEVA – JAYATE.
Regards,
vck
@ Sarvesh: I agree with you that most of our “educated” fellow citizens are either unaware of OR prefer not to talk about our culture, heritage and history. It has come to a point where Sanskrit is now “communal”, talking in Hindi or the vernacular languages is considered parochial, jingoistic or plain unfashionable…and of course no one even wants to consider a discussion of the history of the past 1000 years.
Sad but true.
***
@ Arby: you mention that “The southern states have very rarely been ruled from the north for the past three millenia and have lived distinctly independent from each other and the north“…I need to dig deeper into this but I believe even in recent history, you have instances of the Maratha Empire e.g. which did cross the north-south divide; The Satvahanas too I think (but not sure) held sway over parts that straddled the north-south. But the KEY point is not who ruled over whom. The KEY point is that regardless of the north-south/ east-west divide, there is a shared feeling of belonging to one land, one culture amongst people – which no one wants to take cognizance of…
I am reminded of a recent article by Tavleen Singh (Indian Express) which talks about this too..I will did up the link and paste it here.
***
@ Sanjeev: Yes, the book is not out yet (outside India) but it well worth a buy…By the way I tried looking for your book when I was in India last mont but could not find it in Pune…I will be there again in Feb so hopefully should be able to find look for it once more.
As for Nilekani’s excuse the less said the better…but thanks for pointing it out…It does need to be highlighted…In retrospect, I should have mentioned it in the review.
As you say, “This one takes the cake!”
Sadly the “resolve” you mention about wanting to “be a good citizen and discharge one’s respsonsiblity towards the people of India” is less common than we may like to believe.
***
@ RC: I missed this bit:
“Nilekani was full of praise for politicians on TV and seemed to be completely happy with the status quo. So, what is the need of this book if he thinks the politicans work “24×7 for the countryâ€.
Wish someone would respond to that.
As for the tax, are these companies still enjoying a tax holiday?
***
@ Bharat: You are right to be offended about the remarks re. Sasnkrit..However they may have been made in ignorance rather than to hurt…
And besides, there are some good ideas in the book which are thought-provoking and ought to be discussed…E.g. for all my love of Hindi and other vernacular languages, I will be the first one to advocate *compulsory* English education for everyone in India… I know first-hand what a difference it can make to one’s prospects in today’s world.
Agree with your list of people we need to emulate except I am not sure at all that Gandhi’s Village swaraj-republic is the way to go…
***
@ vck: Thanks and welcome back…It is good to see you here again after a long time!
@ Shantanu : The question is how strong is this shared feeling of belonging to one land and same culture. Maratha & Satavahanas (also maybe the Chalukyas) may have had regions in northern AP or Karnataka under their control, but I do not think their influence extended beyond that (I’ll need to check these myself as well).
When we have regions ruled by different rulers, it is similar to different nations. Inter mingling of people across borders do not happen a lot and sharing of culture may not be common. Each region has evolved on its own separately for most of its history. We can see this when we look at the major festivals as they are celebrated in India. For instance, Diwali which is celebrated at a large scale is low key in my home state of Kerala.
For most part of North India there may be a semblance of unity thanks to periods of single rule during the various Magadha dynasties, Delhi Sultanate & the Mughals. But it is lost as we move south.
Ppl do tend to identify themselves by their region a lot more than the nation. It may be a tad stronger if u identifying ppl frm another region.
You may placate yourself Shantanu that, that man’s ignorance to say Sanskrit is an alien language to this country. Does that enlightened man know what was the language before Sanskrit in this land? He is not ignroant, he is simply a crook, a self-seeker. Crooks always acts as ignorants, innocents but self-deceivers and frauds.
Such scoundral’s writing does not hurt us, only concern us how low some brown Hindu scoundrals can go to earn money and fame and glorify their firangee masters anything and everything. [I am too writing in english here, but I am proud of my mother language and native language. There is no language which can give me more pleasure and happiness than mother/native language and culture].
So from your (Shantanu) review, we can see that man’s another great exposition: English should me made compulsory, which is supreior to native tons of briliant languages. That reflects his total slavery and inferiority complex. Slaves can never talk as masters, can never become masters. We are seeing, how english language schools destroying the mentality, pride, self-esteem of young childrens, they are doing what Macauley wanted, by color Indian and by test englishmen. Slaves to the core.
Those who thinks, english mediam education will give them better chance and career are living in fools paradise. It is city-urban elites illusion- they are more intellectual and bright due to their english language education and skills. They are more ignonants and more crooks in their acts and nature. Today, divorce and seperation has become a fashion to these urban english speaking elites. They think westerner white masters are really enjoying 50% to 75% divorce and seperation rate life. No, westerners are suffering hellish life. Western men goes to Thailand, Phillippines, China and even India to find women, who will stay with them life and they find security in life.
Wake up from fantasy of english language and western (pros*titute) life. If you don’t wake-up now, you are to blame for your own suffering in future. Just to inform you, few days back I got a sad message from a friend about his sadful life. His wife left him after about 4 years of marriage, and they had to apply for divorce and now he can’t even see his own son. And above, his wife filed Rs 80 million (Rs 8 crores) of suit on him. That poor man, his parents also had to suffer from this urban-elite western english life style.
This is the scenario in most metro/big cities of Bharat today. Pune tops the divorce and seperation rate, about 1 out of every 5 marriages broke within a year. So, stop fantasy and live as you are as a Bharatiya (not english educated Indian). Don’t get destroyed falling into traps of english-western life-style. Rests, up to you.
Bharat, I understand your feelings. Nilekani is of the generation which was directly affected by the British aftermath. However people are realizing the truth now, as generations pass so do the foreign influences will. We can not expect the change suddenly, that too from the ruthless depths which we were pushed. And regarding English, lets look at it as a tool to go out of our age old boundaries.
Thanks for this review, Mr. Shantanu. You’ve encouraged me to read the book.
India, the democratic juggernaut, with myriad cultures, communities and conflicting interests is a conundrum not easy to unravel. Yet, India has plodded the treacherous path rather remarkably, offering new insights and keys to survival. Nandan Nilekani’s “Imagining India†traces the history of India and the impact of its emergence as a key determinant of South Asia’s, if not the world’s, geo-political and socio-economic environment.
Nandan Nilekani talks not just about India’s nagging problems, but also about its latent strengths in all walks of life, which remains to be fully explored and exploited. India has celebrated the rise of entrepreneurs, with grit and determination, who have thrived despite odds, overcoming numerous challenges in the form of bureaucratic hurdles, political turmoil and natural calamities. Nandan Nilekani’s “Imagining India†can be seen as a tribute to India – a nation full of promise amidst strife and chaos, often defying logic, and yet gradually emerging from its shadows, striving to unlock its potential to become a leading light.
Nandan Nilekani’s reflects on the legacy of India’s bonded past, which nevertheless has also given the nation a rich amalgamation of cultural traditions, arts and heritage.
This has also contributed uniquely in the transformation of ancient India, though not entirely without fits and starts, into a modern, developing economy.
The 1980s saw the telecom revolution taking the nation by storm. The 1990s saw IT in its new avatar with TCS, Wipro and Infosys propelling the nation in the global arena. The 21st century saw Delhi Metro emerging as the best run mass transit system, setting the bar for professional excellence in project execution. “Imagining India†talks about the rhetoric shifting from bare necessities to infrastructure creation.
If you love India, go ahead and read the book. You will start loving it even more!
Jayant Sinha
Dehradun
Read Offstumped’s take on a wild card that could take the wind off BJP’s sails. Brief excerpts:
Shantanu,
MMS was way over-rated by the mainstream media. You may like to take a look at Surajit Dasgupta’s factual analysis of his career here:
http://surajitdasgupta.blogspot.com/2009/04/manmohan-singh-chronology.html
Over time, offstumped is slowly walking towards stuff that is bordering on day dreaming. Congress has no love for middle class, in fact, everything Gandhi clan have ever done was to tax middle class and spend it…. no, not on poor people. If congress would encourage middle class, who would vote for it? It is the taxing of middle class and discouraging entrepreneurs in the name of socialism, that kept the country in shackles for a long time.