Reviews and Buzz
Reviews of Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century
The New York Times: India’s potential, seen from the inside
Harry Hurt III, 14 March 2009
“‘Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation’ by Nandan Nilekani is one of those rare books in which a businessman proves himself to be a capable expository writer, a balanced social and political commentator, and an innovative economic thinker.”
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Tribune India: Blueprint for a better India
Amar Chandel, 15 February 2009
“Since he is neither a historian nor a researcher in the strict sense of the word, he writes from the perspective of a common man who made it big despite an unfavourable climate. What he writes reads like the jottings of a typical Indian, who has experienced the trials and tribulations — and triumphs — of the independent India trying to come to terms with itself.”
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India Banao [Blog]: A review of ‘Imagining India’
8 February 2009
“I really enjoyed the discussions on the demography and on the Indian cities. The former was analytical and the latter was embellished by the author’s experience with BATF. It was evident. It was reassuring to see the author not being carried away by the arguments that take India’s rise for granted simply because demographics are in favour and because demographics do explain a part of the rise of East Asia in the last few decades of the 20th century. But, it is not all.
That city and municipal administration have been neglected is also consistent with how State governments have failed to devolve power to local administrations. It is covered in another chapter. Cross-linkages between the ideas covered in the book naturally exist. Some of them will and do overlap and the book does identify the cross-linkages and overlaps but not sharply enough. However, more work is needed on this aspect (cross-referencing chapters and ideas) to ensure that readers will understand the multiplier effects of some of the ideas in contention – for good or bad.”
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Financial Times: Book Review: Imagining India - Ideas for the New Century
James Lamont, 30 January 2009
“One of the most striking points made in the book is that Indians are now comfortable with globalisation. Many would dispute this, still detecting a distrust of foreign capital. But he argues that people take a more sanguine view of the outside world than they used to, and identifies this as a battle won.
“In the post-reform years, we saw plenty of protests against multinationals in India; Coca Cola put up billboards announcing ‘We’re back!’ on which activists wrote, ‘Till we throw you out again’; KFC faced visits from local inspectors suspicious of their chicken, and Hindu activists protested in front of McDonalds in Bombay, evoking pre-Independence-era slogans with their demand that the restaurant ‘Quit India’,” he writes.”
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Talking Tails [Blog]: Book Review - Imagining India
Amit Haralalka, 20 January 2009
” ‘Imagining India’ talks as much about the rise of modern Indian capitalism as it talks of communism and Nehruvian Socialism. It talks as much about the License Raj as it does about the 1991 economic liberalization and the effects, thereof. It talks as much about our competitiveness in the international arena as it talks about the problems surrounding us, particularly education and illiteracy. What is noticeable is the fact that Mr. Nilekani, unlike others, always strives to give us a solution rather than just define the problem statements. I have come across a lot of books that like to “glorify” the problems associated with this country, but none that offer an insight into the solutions. Imagine India is a refreshing change. I am tired of listening about slums, poverty, illiteract and misuse of child labour. I want to know how we can combat these!”
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The Telegraph: Serial Dreamer
Ashok V. Desai, 2 January 2009
“Nilekani collects interesting NGOs as others collect stamps; his recounting of their achievements and experiences is what I found most illuminating. It is sobering that although India is a land of a million blooming NGOs, they have so little influence on or in the country. What prevents their replication, their mass production? I suspect that it is their nonprofitability that makes them unsustainable. But this is a question that Nilekani is well qualified to answer as an entrepreneur; I hope he will give it more thought in the next edition.”
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Swaraj [Nationalinterest.in: Blog]: Imagining India Book Review
Harsh Gupta, 4 January 2009
“Nandan Nilekani, in his well-written and meticu-lously researched book Imag-ining India—Ideas for a new century has taken on the un-glamorous yet necessary job of publicly endorsing eco-nomic reforms and laying out his own vision for the necessary next round. On the basis of what actually delivers truly inclusive development rather than on partisanship or ideology, he argues against socialism. It is that sense of pragmatic idealism, combined with a humble curiosity that really makes this book so engaging.”
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Deccan Herald: Sensible Optimism
M V Rajeev Gowda, 4 January 2009
“Reading the book is like having a conversation with the author, its tone both refreshing and reflective. It is about Nilekani’s effort to make sense of the various paradigm shifts he has lived through and that are yet possible. Nilekani is a living example of a few such transformations — the outsider to business building a knowledge economy powerhouse, transforming India’s brand image in the process, and helping corporate India to displace government from the commanding heights of the economy.”
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Tehelka: An Entrepreneur of Ideas
Devangshu Datta, from Tehelka Magazine dated 20 December 2008
“Nilekani’s over-arching vision is simple: create access to health, education, infrastructure, IT, etc, for all citizens. He feels that India also needs to study the mistakes made in the First World and ensure that it doesn’t repeat those, and he retains a sense of optimism. This is a thought-provoking book written with a great degree of erudition and clarity. You may disagree with him about specifics, but you will definitely be forced to think about these issues.
In the 1940s, while establishing the UK’s public education system, meteorologist and novelist CP Snow stated that it made sense to teach science and technology early because it is relatively easier to pick up the social sciences as an adult. This book suggests that Snow was right. Nilekani’s auto-didactic example could open the door for other thoughtful techno-entrepreneurs to contribute to public debate.”
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The Hindu: On the wings of change
Somashekar Mulugu, 4 January 2009
“Laced with personal experiences and interactions with over 100 opinion leaders from different walks of life, Nilekani pieces together an exciting journey for the reader. There are ample examples of the impediments to technology infusion to the role of bureaucrats who made a difference, which in essence give an insight into history that was made. This, in a way, places the book in the genre of non-fiction as a well researched effort and a good reference for students.”