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India Shastra: Reflections on the Nation in our Time Dr. Shashi Tharoor Published By Aleph Pages: 473 Year of Publication: 2015 Price : 695 ISBN: 975-93-84067-28-1
The author of the book 'India Shastra: Reflections on the Nation' in our Time, Dr. Shashi Tharoor is writer of several books, and currently a Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He is also a former Minister of State in UPA government. Tharoor has had a long career at United Nations and has served in various UN mission before joining politics. He has also been actively involved in academia. Having authored many books on India, he is regarded by many as an authority on India.
The book 'India Shastra: Reflections on the Nation in our Time' is a treatise on contemporary Indian polity, society and religion, and India's role in the rapidly globalizing world, as is suggested by the name itself. The cover page reflects the mood of the book, placing tradition and modernity side-by-side. The articles which constitute this book have previously been written by the author in various media platforms and speeches. The book is the last in his trilogy on his attempt to explore India, the previous books in the series being, 'India: from Midnight to Millennium' (1997], and 'India: From Midnight to Millennium and Beyond' (2004]. The series reveals Tharoor's deep fascination with India and its myriad ways.
The book is divided into eight parts starting with Mr. Narendra Modi's win in 2014 Lok Sabha election and ushering in of a new wave of politics. In the first section "India Modi-fied" the author gives an account of Lok Sabha Elections held in 2014 and critically examines the initiatives taken by the current government in the first six months of coming to power. He is appreciative of the PM's desire for a cleaner India, minimum government maximum governance, etc. He is extremely critical of the silence of the PM on rising communalism and notes that BJP's majority in the Lok Sabha has...