Being India - The Truth about Why the Twenty-First Century Will Be India's  (English, Paperback, Varma Pavan K Joint Secretary)

This book which is written by a bureaucrat takes a critical look at the many contractions that are the backbone of India. It busts the Western and Indian preconceptions of what it means to be an Indian.

Summary of the Book

India is often seen as just a geographical space rather than an identity because of the fact that it has a history of being a colonized nation. In this book, the author has analyzed the consequences of colonization. Pavan Varma has used modern Indian history as a base and takes into consideration events and personal experiences to explain the reality of colonial legacy in an Indian’s daily life. He has said that Indians have cultivated a spiritual image and are shamelessly pursuing wealth through corruption. Financial pundits have predicted that India will be a superpower, but Indians have always remained sensitive to praise and criticism from the West. This book is a crucial read for those who wish to understand the pressures of cultural homogenization in an age of globalization.

About Pavan K. Varma

Pavan K. Varma is an officer with the Indian Foreign Service. He has served in Moscow, in London as Director of the Nehru Centre, and in New York at the Indian Mission to the UN. He studied history at St. Stephen’s College, and obtained his law degree from Delhi University.