Since independence in 1947, India has basically muddled through, turning confusion and adversity into varying degrees of success. From his experience and perspective as both a business and political correspondent, John Elliott examines how this came to be. He looks at how corruption has eaten into all aspects of Indian life and questions the decades of rule by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. He explores the impact of liberalization, traces the build-up of social unrest over corruption, rape and exploitation of land, and reflects on the limitations of a hesitant foreign policy and depleted defence forces. At the heart of the problem, he argues, is the quick fix attitude known as jugaad and the laissez faire acceptance of chalta hai that together have eaten into the social and political fabric and heavily influence what India is today. Incisive and ambitious in its attempt to gather together the many strands that make up a controversial India narrative, Implosion is a timely contribution to the debate on nationhood, development, the exercise of power, peoples rights and the changing demographics of a country facing a Tryst with Reality
