Synopses & Reviews
As it enters its sixtieth year of independence, India stands on the threshold of superpower status. Yet India is strikingly different from all other global colossi. While it is the worldand#8217;s most populous democracy and enjoys the benefits of its internationally competitive high-tech and software industries, India also contends with extremes of poverty, inequality, and political and religious violence.
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This accessible andand#160;vividly written book presents a new interpretation of Indiaand#8217;s history, focusing particular attention on the impact of British imperialism on Independent India. Maria Misra begins with the rebellion against the British in 1857 and tracks the countryand#8217;s advance to the present day. Indiaand#8217;s extremes persist, the author argues, because its politics rest upon a peculiar foundation in which traditional ideas of hierarchy, difference, and privilege coexist to a remarkable degree with modern notions of equality and democracy. The challenge of Indiaand#8217;s leaders today, as in the last sixty years, is to weave together the disparate threads of the nationand#8217;s ancient culture, colonial legacy, and modern experience.
Review
"An enlightening and witty portrait of a lively democracy, peopled with fascinating characters. There could be no better introduction for anyone wishing to find out about modern India."and#8212;Septimus Waugh, American Conservative
Review
"An ambitious project. . . . Misra reveals how India has drawn most sustenance from its diversity and plurality."and#8212;Soumya Bhattacharya, Observer
Review
"An accessible account of the history of India that brings the story right up to date. . . . To write a history in one volume on how modern India has evolved is a daunting task but one Misra has skillfully executed."and#8212;Talat Ahmed, BBC History Magazine
About the Author
Maria Misra is university lecturer in modern history and fellow of Keble College, Oxford University. She is the author of Business, Race, and Politics in British India. She lives in Oxford.