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India's Century: The Age of Entrepreneurship in the World's Biggest Democracy | 
 enlarge | Author: Kamal Nath
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Category: Book
List Price: $27.95
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Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 778458
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.9
ISBN: 0071497293
Dewey Decimal Number: 338.954
EAN: 9780071497299
ASIN: 0071497293
Publication Date: November 12, 2007
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Product Description
In a short time, India has proven itself a major economic power, generating billions for its citizens and for the international community. How did India become a global market mover? And just as important, how can the Western world tap into the vast resources of commerce that India has, mine its phenomenal growth potential in a wide array of industries, and create a profitable relationship with the world’s largest democracy? Few authors are as qualified to answer those questions as Kamal Nath. Known at home and throughout the world as the face of twenty-first century India, as well as a major architect of India’s reform, Mr. Nath has spent his entire professional life within the corridors of power, helping to shape the policies that have catapulted his nation to world prominence. In India’s Century, Mr. Nath goes beyond the “flatworld” view to reveal the roots of the Indian economic miracle. With a compelling blend of economic analysis, political insight, and cultural observation, he traces his nation’s emergence from colonial rule in 1947 through four decades of planned economies, the gradual liberalization of India’s economy in the 1990s, and finally, the rise of the Indian global giant. Nath also explores his people’s unique can-do attitude (also known as jugaad) and the ages-old entrepreneurial spirit that is once again free to express itself at every level of Indian society. Along the way Minister Nath provides understanding for businesspeople and world policy makers attemptattempting to formulate strategies for forging a mutually beneficial engagement with India in the twentyfirst century. India’s Century is must reading for business strategists, public policy makers, and every thoughtful reader who wishes to understand more about the world’s largest, most vibrant democracy and the role it is likely to play on the global stage in the years ahead.
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| Customer Reviews:
Passionate and informative June 10, 2008
The world's largest democracy is on the move. Till about a quarter century ago, this country had been almost written off, for its inability to get out of the vicious circle of poverty, trapped inside a "Hindu growth rate" of less that 3 percent, and a growing population nearing Malthusian proportions.
Till the beginning of the nineteenth century, India was a leader in world trade, and also a great contributor to world civilizations and culture, rightly termed as the jewel on the crown of the British Empire. Since then, several accounts have been written about the rapid deterioration in India's economic progress and her inability to keep pace and participate in the Industrial revolution. Colonial exploitation emerges as the key factor in some accounts, but the absence of disciplined pluralism in a country of extreme diversities is another. Since her independence from the British in 1947, India, once a conglomerate of over 600 loosely coupled princely states, became a single country, a Sovereign, Democratic, Socialist and Secular Republic, as per the preamble of her Constitution, considered to be one of the best written constitutions of the world.
Despite best and well intended efforts in planned economic growth, more than half of the country's population lived below the poverty line even 40 years after independence in 1947. The attempts to gain control over the "commanding heights of the economy" seem to have failed despite having laid some good economic foundations in terms of steel plants, research institutes and a successful green revolution.
Come 1991, the national budget presented by the then Finance Minister (now Prime Minister) Dr Manmohan Singh, was the magical turning point in India's destiny. In a country where everything was controlled in a "License Raj", the corridors of power were suddenly opened to a blast of fresh air of economic liberalization. The rest, as they say, is history. But the good news is that the rapid strides that India has made since 1991, is just the beginning of a glorious journey for her rightful place in the global economy in the twenty-first century.
Despite changes in political leadership at the central government several times the basic economic philosophy and direction has not changed since 1991.
This book is an excellent and accurate view from an insider, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, who has been at the helm of India's glorious economic journey, part of the A team, shaping policies and aspirations, and leading from the front, if one ignores all political affiliations.
To get a bird's eye view the economic transformation at the world's largest democracy, this is an excellent book. Each chapter is devoted for a interesting topic- IT, Manufacturing, Rural Development, and of course the author's own elected constituency in the State of Madhya Pradesh, to cite a few.
The book lacks the depth of an academic research paper, but does not fall short in terms of an honest, passionate and exciting narrative of the unfolding economic miracle of the twenty-first century.
 Good narrative March 9, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The book is authored by Kamal Nath, a seasoned Indian politician who received much acclaim as the tough negotiator for the `third world' countries' rights at WTO. The narrative of the book is certainly easy-to-read and I would recommend it to my NRI (Non Resident Indian) friends, many of whom continue to be armchair politicians even after acquiring foreign citizenships.
The only jarring aspect of the narrative - perhaps understandable, given Nath's political background - was that one is reminded over and over why Congress, Nath's party, IS THE party to lead India into the future. [eg. "Looking back at those days, it becomes obvious that many owe the Congress apologies for the misplaced fervor with which its government was attacked over the WTO agreement"]. Discounting a bit of political rhetoric, the book is certainly a good read.
I would recommend it to those interested in contemporary India and the changes in the policy making landscape at the highest levels.
A fine story of contemporary India by a major political practitioner January 24, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
The single most significant aspect of this book is that it's under the byline of Kamal Nath, arguably India's most talented and resourceful politician since Independence. In fact, he's 61 years old -- just a year older than Modern India, which was carved out of the British Raj in 1947.
There are those who predict that he will some day be the country's prime minister, and, indeed, some of his friends are already canvassing in his behalf. Mr. Nath's intrinsic decency and good nature make him a likable figure not only in his own Congress Party but also among Opposition members. His exceptional intelligence and acuity have impressed world leaders. As a journalist, I've observed his career for nearly three decades, and I've been struck by how accessible and sharply focused he is. No doubt Mr. Nath has his share of political enemies, but you'd be hard pressed to cite too many instances when he's down-sizing anyone (except, maybe, a journalist or two).
Moreover, Mr. Nath is a "contemporary" Indian -- a truly global citizen in this era of globalization, a man who's equally at ease in the chancelleries of the West, in the negotiating chambers of multilateral organizations, and in the poor constituencies of his native land. He's the beneficiary of a remarkable family: his late father, Mahendra Nath, was an accomplished industrialist who also established one of India best institutions of management education. Kamal Nath continues his family's tradition of educating and inspiring talented Indians, and also furthering philanthropy.
He makes no bones about enjoying life. He's a colorful character, full of good humor and good cheer and bonhomie. As a journalist, I rarely admire politicians -- not because of any bias against them, but because it's best to be skeptical of those in power. But I must admit to a certain fascination with Kamal Nath's life and career. If he occasionally succumbs to the poor advice of associates, or associates himself with dubious characters -- well, he's a big boy now, and knows very well how to take care of himself. He knows how to take criticism in stride, and put it in context. He's not exactly unflappable, but, given the constant scrutiny and limelight he lives under, Mr. Nath is about as even tempered as a man holding public office can be. That isn't to say he's not capable of being politically ruthless and calculating -- but then, which politician isn't? His three decades in India's national parliament bear testimony to Mr. Nath's ability to successfully navigate the political and social shoals of India's complicated society. They also bear testimony to the fact that, the rumors and whispering notwithstanding, Mr. Nath's personal integrity remains intact. Born into wealth, and having a family business that's formidably successful, Mr. Nath doesn't need to be corrupt.
His book is well organized, and offers a wide-ranging review of India's economic and social development. It offers his special insider's insights into how policy is made and implemented. Mr. Nath has a good grasp of not only India's indigenous economic scene but also of world affairs. Global audiences -- particularly investors -- should find "India's Century" useful; no wonder India's industrialists are promoting the book heavily, and a recent launch party in London was attended by the "who's who" of Indian and global business.
Having said all that, here are some quibbles and disclosures: Mr. Nath fails to mention that the book would never have happened without the extraordinary efforts of Robert L. Dilenschneider, the New York-based guru of strategic communications, who persuaded McGraw-Hill to publish the timely book. He fails to mention that it was I who suggested the book's title, and informally assisted him in the early stages of the book. I'm sure that these are unintentional oversights, because I like to think that Mr. Nath is far too magnanimous a person to withhold credit where it's due.
Another lapse -- one that Mr. Nath cannot be necessarily held responsible for -- is that some of the wonderful photographs that adorn the back cover and inside of the the book were not credited to the young man who took them, Siddhartha Prakash of New Delhi. Instead, another, equally talented, photographer, Sanjit Das -- some of whose pictures were also used -- was credited with those pictures. I hope that the publisher corrects this matter and makes the proper restitution to the photographer. It's an unnecessary blemish on the book, and one that was entirely avoidable had there been more vigilance during the editing and production stages.
Regardless of Mr. Nath's political future and fortunes, this book will enjoy a long shelf life. It is a sensible book about what makes modern India tick, a book by a skilled practitioner of the art of the possible -- politics.
Apt Title December 28, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The book is a must-read for people who do business transactions with India or Indians and want to get a deeper understanding of what drives the country and its people. The book explains the reasons behind India's phenomenal economic growth and why it's a sustainable model vs. "flash in the pan" phenomenon.
Additionally, it details the cultural ethos and history of a country which is essential to building long term relationships with its people. This fact is not very well imbibed with most of corporate America who go for pure numbers and shy away from a personal connection. After a slew of books on India and emerging markets (World is Flat, etc), which present a peripheral and superficial view from an outsider's viewpoint; it's great to read a book on India's growth from a very important member of its economic growth team. A must-read!
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