Contents
PREFACE WHY INDIA MATTERS xi
ONE THE TRANSFORMATION OF INDIA
1. PANCHATANTRA 2007: THE ELEPHANT WHO BECAME A TIGER 3
2. THE DAVOS ECONOMY 5
3. THE MYTH OF THE INDIAN MIDDLE CLASS 8
4. THE STRANGE RISE OF PLANET INDIA 10
5. CONNECTING TO THE FUTURE 14
6. CALLS FROM .THE CENTRE 18
7. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH BRAND IIT 21
8. INDIA AND SOFT POWER 23
9. THE BRANDING OF INDIA 31
10. THE THRILLING FACE OF A BOLD NEW INDIA 33
11. INDIA, JONES AND THE TEMPLATE OF DHOOM 35
12. HEROINES OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT 38
13. KERALA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS 40
14. SHANKING HANDS 43
15. TRADE' FOR PEACE 45
16. THE DANGERS TO India’s FUTURE 48
TWO IDEAS OF INDIANNESS
17. THE INVENTION OF INDIA 55
18. HINDUISM AND HINDUTVA: CREED AND CREDO 65
19. THE POLITICS OF IDENTITY 73
20. OF SECULARISM AND CONVERSIONS 81
21. ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MUSLIM AND INDIAN 98
22. MAKING BOLLYWOOD'S INDIA A REALITY 110
23. EPIC INTERPRETATIONS 114
THREE INDIA AT WORK AND AT PLAY
24. WORSHIPPING FILM! HEROES 119
25. DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCKERY 122
26. THE BOND THAT THREATENS? 126
27. CRICKET'S TRUE SPIRITUAL HOME 1.30
28. GOOD SPORTS, BAD SPORTS 1.38
29. BAD SPORTS, BAD SPOTS 142
30. SALAD DAZE 144
31. WHOLLY HOLIDAYS 147
32. MEMORIES OF A BOMBAY CHILDHOOD 149
33. INDIAN POLITICAL HUMOUR: NOTHING TO LAUGH ABOUT 152
34. THE SARI SAGA 156
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35. THE CHALLENGE OF LITERACY 161
36. RECONSTRUCTING NALANDA 167
37. COPS AND JOBBERS 169
38. BECOMING BENGALOORUED 172
39. INDIA'S LOST URBAN HERITAGE 176
FOUR INDIANS WHO HELPED MAKE MY INDIA
40. THE LEGACY OF GANDHI AND NEHRU 183
41. THE MAN WHO SAVED INDIA 188
42. . THE MAN WHO STAYED BEHIND 198
43. THE MAN WHO WANTED MORE 203
44. ANCHORED IN HIMSELF 206
45. TEA AND ANTIPATHY 209
46. SMOTHER INDIA 212
47. THE SPY WHO CAME IN THROUGH THE HEAT 216
48. THE GENIUS LOST TO INFINITY 219
49. THE OTHER SAINT TERESA 222
50. A POLYMATH'S POLITICS 225
51. ART FROM THE HEART 233
52. CARRYING HIS BAT 237
53. FRIENDS AND FAMILY: THE DEAR DEPARTED 246
FIVE EXPERIENCES OF INDIA
54. JEWISH PORTRAITS, INDIAN FRAMES 261
55. SOUTHERN COMFORT 263
56. GOD'S OWN COUNTRY 266
57. OH, CALCUTTA 281
58. URBS MAXIMA IN INDIS 283
59. IN DEFENCE OF DELHI 286
60. OF COWS SACRED AND PROFANE 288
61. OF VOWS AND VOWELS 291
62. INDIAN REALITIES, VIRTUAL AND SPIRITUAL 294
63. THE PREHISTORY OF INDIAN SCIENCE '197
64. THE ANATOMY OF CIVIL CONFLICT 302
65. TIPPING THE SCALES OF JUSTICE 305
66. STEPHANIANS IN THE HOUSE 307
67, AYURVEDA TAKES OFF 315
68. NRIS: THE 'NOW REQUIRED INDIANS' 321
69. AJANTA AND ELLORA IN THE MONSOON 335
SIX THE A TO Z OF BEING INDIAN
70. THE A TO Z OF BEING INDIAN 349