The Age of Awakening

Book excerpt: Indian leaders at the time of Independence had their tasks cut out. The nation that was marred by an ugly Partition, had to be prevented from coming apart at the seams. A Constitution had to be framed for a complex society. An election system had to be designed for an electorate that was mostly illiterate. An economic policy had to be shaped for a widely impoverished population. Among these aspects, the success of India's economic policy has been debatable. The economic path that India chose at that time is often questioned and criticised. It led to lacklustre growth outcomes which eventually ended in a full-blown crisis in 1991. Since then India has shifted gears. The economy has become more welcoming of the outside world and grown at a pace that has never been witnessed in its history. But why did India make these choices? What was the role of our political leaders? Where did they falter and where did they succeed? The Age of Awakening tells India's economic story since the country gained independence. It unfolds a tale of titanic figures, colossal failures, triumphant breakthroughs and great moral shortcomings. Weaving together vivid history and economic analysis, this book makes for a gripping narrative.