Think India: The Rise of the World's Next Great Power and What It Means for Every American

by William L. Simon and Vinay Rai

Book Overview

A colourful, lively, forward-looking account of india's stunning world debut, written by steel tycoon turned educator Rai and geopolitical writer Rossi. Rai - one of India's wealthiest men - gives an... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452289580
• ISBN13: 9780452289581
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 283 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Fascinating look at the history, present situation, and ambitions of India

The author is clearly a cheerleader for his native country, so in that sense, the book is biased, but informative and interesting nonetheless. India has a rich history. "In the early eighteenth century... India, rich in resources and at peace with the world, accounted for an incredible twenty-five percent, more or less, of global trade; by the time the British boarded their ships in 1947, India accounted for no more than one percent of global trade." The author puts the relationship with the U.S. in context. Since Indian independence, the U.S. had strategic interests with India's adversaries, and thus the Soviet Union ended up being India's primary trading partner. More recently, India is emerging as global player, counterbalancing the strength of China in the region. The author is very bullish on India's future, but points out the challenges as well, including massive poverty. The book also covers the general acceptance of bribery as necessary to get things done, particularly with civil servants who don't earn enough to live on. I've heard of the caste system, but didn't know much about it. This book gives the topic two and a half pages. It explains about the oppressed class of Dalits, and that the caste system continues even though it has been illegal since 1950. But I'm left not really understanding what the caste system is. I would have preferred more on this topic, as it seems important to understanding Indian culture. The book is written by Vinay Rai, who mentions that in 1999 he was ranked by Forbes as one of the five richest people in India, and among 200 wealthiest people in the world. He is not listed on the current Forbes Wealthiest list (I checked). The Afterword offers some insight in this regard, and raises questions about the business environment in India. In the Afterword the author explains how his political dissent was punished. "My actions stirred up some powerful forces within and outside the government and resulted in my being slapped with tax and revenue inquiries, and official harassment, leading to the government filing charges against me." Of course there are two sides to the story, but I think this raises questions about the political risks of doing business in India.

Unquestionably Reliable

Rai and Simon did a fantastic job with this book and were very detailed when explaining what caused India's rapid growth and progress. For clarity, it was not Rai or Simon who predicted that India would have the world's largest GDP by 2050, it was in fact one of the world's largest investment banks,Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs estimated that India would be have largest GDP in 2050 (at current pace and progress) in their BRIC Report. This book contrary to what the upset reviewer says, is not assuring the world that India will number one, it simply analyzes current stats and projections and elaborates as to how and why India can or will achieve economic superstardom. Once again a very detailed book, and highly reccomended.

A Refreshing Experience

What a refreshing experience to discover a book about a country or region that wasn't written by some professor sitting in a campus office thousands of miles from the scene but by a successful entrepreneur and businessman who actually knows what's really going on. (And who was, he says, once the #5 richest man in India!) This book "tells it like it is." It pulls no punches, giving a frank and candid analysis of the problems the country faces. But it also paints a remarkable picture of the economic and social gains that are making this country America's strongest ally in that part of the world. This is a book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in new markets for his/her company, or finding ways of cutting costs by turning to India for research, design, or other highly skilled challenges. And for anyone who wants an understanding of what makes the world's largest democracy such an important partner of the U.S. Best of all, the book is a joy to read.