An introduction to Indian society in the historical and contemporary perspective. Purely for academic and non-commercial purpose.

1. The Idea of India: A Journey through History,
Society and Culture
By
Mihir Bholey, PhD

2. Mihir Bholey, PhD
Assoc. Senior Faculty
Interdisciplinary Design Studies
National Institute of Design
Paldi, Ahmedabad 380 007 INDIA
email: bholey.mihir@gmail.com

3. India: What is it About?
• An ancient civilization: as old as 3300 BC – 1300 BC
• An ancient cultural melting pot having diverse composite culture
• A multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious society
• Contributor to the world civilization: mathematics, medicine,
concept of democracy, university, philosophy, non-violence
• Rich tradition of aesthetics, literature and art forms
aesthetics

4. India: The Shades of Perceptions
• A civilization a nation which has raised curiosity invited envy
civilization, curiosity, envy,
even contemptuous interpretations, but never ignored
• Notable views are Anglo-Saxon, Orientalist , Marxist and those who
challenged the imperialist school of history- Bhandarkar,
Raychaudhary, Majumdar et.al.
• The Greeks –Herodutus, Plutarch Ptolemy attempted the history
Herodutus Plutarch,
of India in their writings
• Megasthenese’s Indica gave more extensive account of India
• The
Th next important phase of I di hi t i g h b gi with Al
ti t t h f Indian historiography begins ith Al-
Beruni who accompanied Mahmud Ghazni

5. • Christian missionaries and scholars made in-depth study but their
history of India became victim of Europe’s Religio-Political
problems
• Thus to accept a existence of a civilization prior to the period of
genesis was a kind of sacrilege
• The Indian mythologies on the contrary referred to four Yugas
(Satyug, Dwapard, Treta and Kalyug) and several hundred million
years- shook the foundation of Christian faith
• However, what is important is to understand the evolution of
Indian Civilization through the phrases of History than the period
of History

6. India as Seen by Some European Scholars and
Philosophers
• French philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778) viewed India as homeland of religion in its
oldest and purest form, also the cradle of world civilizations. Believed Astronomy,
Astrology, Metaphysics came to the western world from the bank of Ganges
• Great German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) wrote – their religion has a
purity…. (and) one can find traces of pure concepts of divinity which cannot be
found elsewhere
• British scholar John Holwell wrote mythology of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans
were borrowed from the doctrines of the Brahmins’
• Swiss philosopher Henri Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) wrote : there is a great
affinity in me with the Hindu genius – that mind, vast, imaginative, loving, dreamy
and speculative, but destitute of ambition, personality and will
• British historian Basham writes: the most striking feature of ancient Indian
civilization is its humanity. In no other early civilization were slaves so few in
number, no ancient lawgiver advised fair play in battle as Manu did and there’re
few tales of massacre of non-combatant in ancient Indian history

7. Marx’s View of Indian Society
• Marx’s views of Indian history, culture and civilization was rather superficial
and contemptuous. Was also influenced by the Hegelian views of India
• Marx was a great votary of India being enslaved by the British, dismissed India
as a backward uncivilized nation with no history
• Marx wrote: “J t as Italy has, from time to time, been compressed by th conqueror’s
M t “Just It l h f ti t ti b d b the ’
sword into different national masses, so do we find Hindostan, when not under the
pressure of the Mohammedan, or the Mogul or the Briton, dissolved into as many
independent and conflicting States as it numbered towns, or even villages. That religion
is at once a religion of sensualist exuberance, and a religion of self-torturing
asceticism; a religion of the Lingam and of the j gg
; g f g f juggernaut; the religion of the Monk,
; g f ,
and of the Bayader“
(Marx, Karl. 'The British Rule in India' New York Daily Tribune, 25 June, 1853)

8. • In the contemporary India Marx influenced a number of historians
(Kosambi, R il Th
(K bi Romila Thapar, Bi
Bipan Ch d
Chandra, I f H bib et al) who
Irfan Habib l) h
analyzed Indian history in the constricted Marxist perspective
• Believed everything good in Indian civilization is the contribution
of conquerors. Hence, consider the Kushana period as the golden
age of Indian history rather than the Satvahana or Gupta period
• Indian Marxist historians even look at the period spanning Gupta
period until the Muslim conquest in the 12th century as the period
of feudalism or ‘dark age’
• The educated Indian intelligentsia of 19th century felt horrified at
the distortion of the ancient Indian history – challenged the

9. India: As Nehru Saw it
Did I know India? I who presumed to scrap much of her
past heritage? There was a great deal that had to be
scrapped, that must be scrapped; but surely India could not
have been what she undoubtedly was, and could not have
continued a cultured existence for thousands of years, if she
had not possessed something very vital and enduring,
something that was worthwhile. What was this something?
(Nehru in The Discovery of India)

10. Freedom at Midnight
• Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time
comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full
measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour,
when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A
moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step
out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul
of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.
It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of
dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still
larger cause of humanity.
At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and
trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of
her success and her failures Through good and ill fortune alike she
failures.
has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave
her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India
discovers herself again.
(The historical speech delivered by Jawahar Lal Nehru on the eve of India’s independence at the
Constituent Assembly of India in New Delhi on August 14 1947)

11. Naipaul’s Views on Indian Civilization
“What is happening in India is a new, historical awakening. It seems to me
that Indians are becoming alive to their history. Romila Thapar’s book on
Indian history is a Marxist attitude in substance says: there is a higher truth
behind the invasions, feudalism and all that. The correct view is the way the
invaders looked at their (own) actions. They were conquering, they were
subjugating. And they were in a country where people never understood this.
Only now are the people beginning to understand that there has been a great
vandalizing of India. Because of the nature of conquest and the nature of
Hindu society such understanding had eluded Indians before. …. But every
other Indian knows precisely what is happening: deep down he knows that a
larger response is emerging even if at times this response appears in his eyes
to be threatening.” (Naipaul in India a Wounded Civilization)

12. Some More Views About India
• We owe a lot to the Indians who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific
Indians, count
discovery could have been made. (Albert Einstein)
• India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the
, , p p , y,
grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most
instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only. (Mark Twain)
• My confidence in our shared future is grounded in my respect for India's treasured past - a
civilization that has been shaping the world for thousands of years. Indians unlocked the intricacies
of the human body and the vastness of our universe. And it is no exaggeration to say that our
information age is rooted in Indian innovations - including the number zero India not only opened
zero.
our minds, she expanded our moral imagination. With religious texts that still summon the faithful
to lives of dignity and discipline. With poets who imagined a future "where the mind is without fear
and the head is held high. And with a man whose message of love and justice endures - the Father
high."
of your Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. (US President Barack Obama in his address to the joint session
of Indian Parliament on 8 Nov. 2010)

13. Revolutions Changing Contemporary India
• Historian Ramchandra Guha talks of five simultaneous revolutions
going on in contemporary India which are reshaping the nation:
I. The Urban Revolution
II. The Industrial Revolution
III. The National Revolution
IV. The Democratic Revolution and
V. The social Revolution
• These revolutions were staggered in Europe and North America
while they happened simultaneously in India
• US became independent in 18th century, urbanized and
industrialized in the next century and fully democratic in 20th
h
century

14. • World’s largest thriving democracy
• World’s second most populous country having 1, 210 billion people
• World's 2nd fastest growing economy (CII-KPMG Report 2010)
World s
• World’s 4th largest economy by PPP and 11th largest by nominal GDP
• Ranks 49th out of 133 economies in terms of Global Competitiveness
Index, GCI (2009-2010) (World Economic Forum: The India Competitiveness
R i
Review 2009)
Pictures Courtesy Google Images

15. • Abject poverty coexists with rising affluence – over 50 Indians figure
in 2011 Forbes list but 1/3 or 33% of the world’s poor also reside in
p
India
• Ranks pretty low on Human Development Index – 119th out of 169
countries, way behind China which ranks 89th (UNDP 2010 Report)
• 37.2% Indian population is BPL (Tendulkar Committee Report 2009) 41.6%
Indians earn below $1.25/day and 75.6% below $2/ day (World Bank
Im
Pi
mages
ictures Courtesy Google
2008 Report based on 2005 data)
y

16. • A largely agrarian society getting urbanized at the rate of 29%
• 234.1 million people engaged in agriculture in 2001 (GOI, Ministry
of Agriculture, 2010)
• Agriculture contribution to India’s GDP - Rs 6519.01/ billion in
India s Rs. 6519 01/
2009-10 (GOI, Ministry of Agriculture, 2010)
• Industry contribution to India’s GDP Rs. 12708 97/ billion in 2009
India s Rs 12708.97/ 2009-
10 (GOI, Ministry of Agriculture, 2010)
• By
B 2025 th rate of urbanization estimated t i
the t f b i ti ti t d to increase t 38%
to
• Home to 3 megacities of the world out of 19
• 2/3 of India’s GDP and 90% of government revenue generated by
less than 1/3 of India’s urban population living in big and
megacities

17. India as per the Indian Constitution
India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. (2) The States and the territories thereof
shall be as specified in the First Schedule. (3) The territory of India shall comprise—(a) the
territories of the States; (b) the Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and (c)
such other territories as may be acquired. (Article 1 of the Indian Constitution)

18. India: Geography and Demography
• L
Location: S th
ti Southern A i b d i th A bi S and
Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea d
the Bay of Bengal, between Myanmar (Burma) and
Pakistan
• Geographic Coordinates: 20 00 North, 70 00 East
Area
Land:
L d 2,973,190
2 973 190 sq kkm
Water: 314,400 sq km
Total: 3,287,590
3 287 590 sq km (Slightly more than one-
third the size of the US)
Coastline: 7000 km

19. Demography of India
As Per Census 2011:
• Total Population: 1, 210 billion
• Male: 623.7
623 7 million
• Female: 586.5 million
• Density of Population: 325 persons/sq km
• State with Highest Density
of Population: West Bengal–
903 persons/sq km
• State with Lowest Density
p
of Population: Arunachal Pradesh–
13 persons/sq km
• State with Highest Population: Uttar Pradesh-
166,197,921
166 197 921
• State with Lowest Population: Sikkim-
540,851

20. Ethnic Diversity in India
• There are many diverse ethnic groups among the people of India.
The 6 main ethnic groups are as follows:
• Negrito, Proto - Australoids or Austrics, Mongoloids, Mediterranean
or Dravidian Western Brachycephals Nordic Aryans
Dravidian, Brachycephals,
Pictures Courtesy Google Images

21. Linguistic Diversity in India
• I di l
Indian languages b l
belong t f
to four l
language f ili - I d
families Indo-
European, Dravidian, Austroasiatic (Austric) and Sino-Tibetan
• Austric languages are spoken by the tribal community in India.
Some of the languages are: Santali, Mundari, Ho, Korku,
Kharia, Savara, Bhumij, Nocobarese among others
• Tribes of the NE - Naga, Mizo, Khasi and Lushai speak dialects
close to the Tib
l h Tibeto-Burman or Si Tib
B Sino-Tibetan family
f il
• The 8th schedule of Indian Constitution recognizes 22
languages. There’re eighteen official scripts and over hundred
of regional languages. Most of the Indian scripts have
originated from Brahmi and Kharoshti script

22. Social Stratification
• Caste is the basis of social stratification A unique socio religious
stratification. socio-religious
system , determines status of an individual in the society on the
basis of birth
• Traditionally divided into Forward, Backward and Untouchable
castes – pyramidal form, Forward at top, Backward in middle and
Untouchable at the Bottom
• Responsible for socio-economic and political discrimination and
marginalization of a large section of society for a long time causing
violent and ideological caste conflicts
• National policy of Reservation in govt. jobs and education for the
discriminated caste groups after independence

23. The History of Indian Civilization
• Broad timeline of Indian history – Pre-historic- 3300 BC-1700 BC,
Ancient- 500 BC – 550 AD, Medieval – 550 AD – 1857 AD and Modern –
1857 onwards
• Known histor
Kno n history of Indian ci ili ation begins with Ind s valley
civilization ith Indus alle
civilization in the north-western part of India during 3300 BC–1300 BC
• It’s followed by Vedic Age - Period: 1500 BC to 500 BC
• The Vedic Period or the Vedic Age refers to the period when the Vedic
h d d h d f h d h h d
Sanskrit texts were composed in India

24. Confluence of Cultures
• Vedic age flourished during 1500 BC and 500 BC on the Indo-Gangetic Plain
g g g
• India became a melting pot of different ethnic groups – Greeks, Scythians,
Huans,
Huans Turks among others
• The Aryan invaded India around 1500 BC - 2000 BC from central Asia.
Drove the original D idi i h bit t d
D th i i l Dravidian inhabitants down south
th
• Indian civilization later got divided into Dravidian and Aryan civilization. In
the Indian context Dravidian was the pre-Aryan civilization
• Christianity came to Kerala in India in 52 AD with St. Thomas
• Islam came to India in circa 11th century and manifested as an empire
(Mogul) in 16th century ruled till mid 19th century, defeated by the British

25. • Aryans were pastoral people. Had a flair for poetry, philosophical
contemplation and elaborate rituals
• Introduced a set of philosophical treaties in the form of four Vedas
- the basis for Hindu religion
• Hindu religion also accommodated the pre-Aryan Gods and
Goddesses alongside the Aryan nature Gods and Goddesses
• Shiva, Kali not mentioned in Vedas co-existed with Indra, Surya,
Varun and the rest
• Hindu religion is not a contribution of any one God, one preacher
or one sacred book
• Has multiplicity of all the three; thus a way of life both in terms of
its
i creed and cult
d d l

26. Religion and Philosophy
• Philosophy in India is essentially spiritual Religion in India is not dogmatic A
spiritual. dogmatic.
rational synthesis which goes on gathering itself new conceptions as
philosophy progresses. Experimental and provisional in nature attempting to
keep pace with the progress of thought. (Radhakrishnan in Indian Philosophy,
Vol. 1, Pg. 25)
• Indian philosophy may be divided into two schools of thought – Orthodox and
Heterodox (Aastik and Nastik) one which believed and the other which didn’t
believe in God
• Six schools of orthodox philosophy: Nyaya, Samkhya, Viaseshika, Yoga, Purva
Mimamsa and Upnishad
• Nyaya: Attributed to Gautama, deals with the concepts of reasoning and
logic
• Samkhya: The school of enumeration is the philosophy of manifestation,
includes manifestation of all entities – from subtle to grossest

27. • Viaseshika: Propounded by Prashastapada, deals with the
p y p ,
physical sciences. Explores five elements, interprets mind and
soul of living beings
• Yoga: Propounded by Patanjali, explores all the states of
human existence underscores unification of body and soul
existence,
• Purva Mimamsa: Propounded by Jamini, focuses on
emancipation of the h
i i f h human soul with action
l ih i
• Upnishad: Vedas are considered the source of all knowledge
and Upnishads the interpretation of the Vedas, thus called
Vedanta. The Vedantic philosophy focuses on the concept of
self-realization enabling man to find his true nature beyond
death and decay

28. Hindu Religion: the Salient Features
• The trinity God – Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh gives a
Brahma,
philosophical explanation to the process of creation, existence
and destruction
d d t ti
• Believes in Gods and Gods incarnated – Vishnu has several
avtars
• Avtars may be historical fact or myth but enjoy status of God
itself
• The belief in the concept of avatar thus makes it easier to
accept other great souls f
t th t l from diff
different b li f system and
t belief t d
accord them the status of God

29. • Vedanta, underscores only one Ultimate Reality, the
, y y,
Brahman, which is true and real
• Rest is all illusion or appearance (maya) with no enduring
significance
• There’s no one God, one messenger or one book to lead the
There s God
path
• There’s no one cult or creed
• The acceptance to the multiplicity of views and rituals
makes it more a way of life than a religion

30. The Heterodox Nastik School
• The Heterodox or the Nastik school of Indian philosophy
includes the philosophical tenets of Carvaka, Buddhism and
Jainism
• Carvaka Believed in atheism and materialism. Also known as
Lokayata or materialist school.
• According to the Carvaka philosophy matter is the only real
and knowable entity. Asserted that pratyaksa (perception)
alone is the pramana (source of truthful knowledge) –
pramanam tvaksajam eva hi.

31. • It professed maximizing worldly p
p g y pleasure and minimizing
g
pains
• Madhavacharya considered Brhaspati to be the founder of
this school. The earliest complete carvaka treaties is
Jayarasi Bhatta’s Tattvoplava simha
• Buddhist philosophy is non-theist, does not give primacy to
the existence of God. However, it focuses on Karma,
reincarnation and Nirvana
• There is no eternal, unchanging part of us, like the Hindu
idea of Atman; there is no eternal, unchanging aspect of the
universe, like the Hindu idea of Brahman

32. • Teaches four noble truths and eightfold (ashtangik marg)
• There’s suffering “dukkha” in life
There s dukkha
• Attachment “tanha” is the origin of suffering
• Cessation of suffering is possible
• The path to cessation of suffering lies in the eightfold middle
path (samyak marg) which leads to Nirvana
• Buddhist metaphysics talks of Three Marks of Existence-
• Anicca : impermanence: all things are transitory, nothing
lasts
• Anatta: no-self or no-soul: existence is without a soul or
self
• Dukkha: suffering: all existence, even the highest states of
meditation, are forms of suffering, ultimately inadequate
and unsatisfactory

33. • Jainism believes in 24 Tirthankars – the first was Rishabhdev
and the last Bhagwan Mahavir
• Vardhman or Mahavir – a contemporary of Buddha – born c. 599
BC at Vaishali , died 527 BCE at Pavapuri near Rajgir
• Jainism believes world is eternal and endless - not made by
anyone, surely not by God
• World is made of Jiva and Ajiva - spirit and matter. Jain
philosophy laid emphasis on Anekantvad implies liberalism
Anekantvad, liberalism,
allows truth to be assessed from various angles
• Believes reality is constituted by innumerable material and
spiritual substances, each having infinite qualities

34. Sufism
खसरो दिरया प्रेेम का, उ टी वा की धार
ु ो ि ी ी
जो उतरा सो डूब गया, जो डूबा सो पार

35. • The early history of Sufism in India is vague, however, the first Sufi
who travelled I di was the martyr M
h ll d India h Mansur-al-Hallaj
l H ll j
• Sent to gallows for saying “anal-Haqq (I’m the absolute truth, I’m
g y g qq ( ,
God)
• India
I di attracted d i h
d dervishes f
from Samarkand, Bukhara, I
S k d B kh Iran d i 11th
during
century AD
• Sufism is essentially Islamic mysticism which in India imbibed
certain terms and notions prevalent in Hindu philosophy
• Laid stress on tauba (repentance) and tawakkul (Faith in God)

36. • In India it tried to interpret Islam in a more liberal manner and
succeeded in gaining f ll i to I l
d di i i following Islam
• A large part of Indian philosophical influence on Sufism came
through the contact of Islamic mystics with the Buddhists who had
set up monasteries in Balkh
• The concept of fana (annihilation of self) is close to nirvana and
moska
• Habs-i-dam : holding back breath – a yogic process
• Sama : spiritual concert
• Rosaries and counting of beads – practiced by Hindus and Buddhists
• Pir-O-Murid – Guru-Shishya tradition
y

37. • Its history begins with the establishment of chishti and suhrawardi
monasteries or khankas founded by Khawja Moinuddin Chishti of
Ajmer and latter by Shaikh Bahauddin Zaki in Multan
• There’re different different tariqas (orders) of Sufism
• The most prominent tariqas of India include -
Shadhiliyya, Chishtiyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Qadiriyyah,
Shadhiliyya Chishtiyyah Naqshbandiyyah Qadiriyyah
Suhrawardiyya, Ahmadiyya, and Muhammadiya orders
• Amir Khusro (1253-1325), Bulle Shah (1689-1752) are among the
prominent Sufi poets

38. Gandhi: The Modern Messiah
2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948

39. The Man and His Philosophy
• A man whose whole lif was his ‘
h h l life hi ‘experiments with t th’
i t ith truth’,
never shied away to learn from his mistakes
• His Objectives: Swaraj & Sarvodaya– Self Rule & Uplift of all
• His Weapons: Satya & Ahimsa – Truth and Non-violence
• His Method: Satyagrah & Asahyog – Civil Disobedience and
Non- cooperation
• His Credo: Compassion, Self-sacrifice, Unity of Being,
Spirituality, Practice what you Preach

40. Economic Ideals of Gandhi
• According to me the economic constitution of India and for the matter of that
of the world, should be such that no one under it should suffer from want of
food d l thi
f d and clothing. I other words everybody should b able t get sufficient
In th d b d h ld be bl to t ffi i t
work to enable him to make the two ends meet. And this ideal can be
universally realized only if the means of production of the elementary
necessaries of life remain in the control of the masses. These should be freely
available to all as God’s air and water are or ought to be; they should not be
made a vehicle of traffic for the exploitation of others. Their monopolization
by any country, nation or group of persons would be unjust. The neglect of this
simple principle is the cause of the destitution that we witness today not only
in this unhappy land but in other parts of the world too.

41. Social Ideals of Gandhi
• I want to bring about an equalization of status. The
working classes have all these centuries been isolated
and relegated to a lower status. They have been
shudras, and the word has been interpreted to mean and
inferior status. I want to allow no differentiation
between the son of a weaver, of an agriculturist and of a
schoolmaster.
schoolmaster

42. Political Ideals of Gandhi
• To me political power is not an end but one of the means of
enabling people to better their condition in every department of
life. Political power means capacity to regulate national life
through national representatives. If national life becomes so
p
perfect as to become self-regulated, no representation becomes
g , p
necessary. There is then a state of enlightened anarchy. In such a
state everyone is his own ruler. He rules himself in such a manner
that he is never a hindrance to his neighbours. In the ideal state
therefore, there is no political power because there is no State.
But the ideal is never fully realized in life. Hence the classical
statement of Thoreau that that government is best which governs
the least.

43. Science & Technology in India
• Development of S&T adopted as a national policy in post-
independence era
• Scientific Policy Resolution 1958 and Technology Policy Statement of
1983 enunciated principles for the g
p p growth of S&T in India
• Nehru emphasized on developing the ‘scientific temper’
• Called dams and industries temples of modern India
• The 2004 S&T policy emphasizes on integrating it with education
and research in view of the economic liberalization and demands in
agriculture, industry, service and social sector

44. • The S&T infrastructure has grown up from about Rs. 10
million at the time of independence in 1947 to Rs. 30 billion
• Significant achievements made in the areas of nuclear and
space science, electronics and defense
• Third largest scientific and technical manpower in the
world; 162 universities award 4,000 doctorates and 35,000
postgraduate degrees and the Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research runs 40 research laboratories
• Atomic Energy, Space Research, Oceanography,
Biotechnology, IT, A
h l Agriculture, Medicine and Medical S
l d d d l Science
are part of the large gamut

45. Major S&T Setup in India
Source: Deptt. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India

46. Indian Economy
• From a mixed economy with a socialist bias, India has moved
on to market economy since 1990
• Public sector dominance is over, the competition between
private and foreign players in all sectors of economy:
telecom, aviation, automobile, IT, media, pharma, steel,
infrastructure, white goods, hospitality, banking and the rest
is order of the day
• Indian companies have become MNCs – Tata, Mittal, Birla,
Airtel, Reliance, Videocon are among a few Indian
multinational operators
• Strong Balance of Payment (
g y (BOP) has helped in considerable
) p
accumulation of foreign reserve

47. • Indian Forex reserve as on July 22, 2011 was US $316,801 mn.
(Source: RBI)
• Exports during March, 2011 were valued at US $ 29134.89 mn.
(Rs. 131081.97 crore)
• Cumulative value of exports for the period April-March 2010 -
11 was US $ 245868.29 mn. (Rs 1118822.85 crore)
• I
Imports during March, 2011 were valued at US $ 34743 08 mn.
t d i M h l d t 34743.08
(Rs.156314.00 crore)
• Cumulative value of imports for the period April-March, 2010-
11 was US $ 350694.97 mn. (Rs. 1596869.37 crore) (Source: Ministry
of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India)

48. • The above characteristics make it a developing economy but
the low per capita income (appx. US $ 1000/) also make it
an underdeveloped economy
• Indian economy is expected to grow at the rate of 8.2% as
per IMF Report
• The rate of unemployment is 9 4% which in absolute numbers
9.4%
is 40 million persons
• 65% of Indian population depends on agriculture but the
sector contributes only 23% of the GDP

49. Media, Entertainment & Cinema
• Media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy in India
p y
• Draws strength from “Freedom of Expression” a Fundamental
Right guaranteed under Constitution
• Th t t l number of registered newspapers, M h 2009
The total b f i t d March 2009:
73,146. Hindi Publications: 29,094, English publications:
10,530. Hindi, English, Regional: 25,79,53,373
• 26% FDI is allowed in news publications and 100% in non-
non
news publications
• P i t l owned except f th N ti
Privately d t for the National T l i i –
l Television
Doordarshan and Broadcast Service – Aakashvani (AIR)

50. • Political affiliations and business interest often deviate India
media from its mission
• Gl
Glamour, celebrityhood, sensationalism and bi money h
l b it h d ti li d big have
trivialized the content of India media, particularly the
electronic media
l d
• The distinction between news and entertainment in the
news channels is thinning
• TRP (Television Rating Point) competition has made news
reporting sensational and often incredible
• Nevertheless, the institution of media is growing stronger

51. Entertainment: Indian Cinema Industry
• Production of over 1000 films a year, it s the largest film industry
year it’s
in the world. FICCI-KPMG Report envisages Indian entertainment
industry to touch US $ 28 Billion by 2015 – a 14% growth
• Indian films range from fantasy, melodrama, to social realism. A
mix of aesthetics, drama and action. The popular cinema is guided
by the market forces. Love and romance are central to the theme
• Dance, music, romance and action are hallmark of the genre called
Indian cinema. Has economic and a cultural dimension too
cinema
• Indian cinema has resisted the cultural imperialism of Hollywood
though its form has been inspired by it, But thematically and
structurally it has been quite distinct

52. • Swiss locations are favourite to Indian filmmakers. Shooting on
Swiss locations began in 1960s. Raj Kapur’s Sangam and Shakti
Samanta’s An Evening in Paris were the pioneers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt64ijB9ZRs
http://www youtube com/watch?v Dt64ijB9ZRs
• In 1995 Yash Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge made
Switzerland popular among Indians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alp9YaGWpC0
• Indian film industry becoming globalized - Reliance Big Pictures has
JV with Spielberg US$ 825 million: Warner Brothers has produced
Chandani Chowk to China Town: Slumdog Millionaire directed by
British Director Danny Boyle also received Oscar for best original
score by AR Rahman, best original track by AR Rahman & Gulzar
y , g y
and best sound mixing by Resul Pookutty

53. Concludingly
• Multiplicity and diversity characterize the nation called India and
the Indian society
• Conflict and reconciliation are the two parallel forces which go on
simultaneously
• So the Naxalites, the Maoist, the Secessionists armed struggle
against the state is subdued and subsumed in democratic process
• Liberalism always prevails over authoritarianism
• Indian renaissance which awakened the Indian society in 19th
y
century ensured India gets its rightful place in the world
• That it’s known as a modern nation yet not disjointed from its
civilizational anchorage

54. Select Bibliography
Basham, A.L. The Wonder that was India. London: Picador, 2004.
Bhandarkar, D.R. Lectures on the Ancient History of India. Delhi: Asian Educational Service, 1994.
Geiger, Thierry & Rao, S. P. (Editors) “The India Competitiveness Review 2009” Geneva: World Economic Forum. 2009.
<https://members.weforum.org/pdf/ICR2009.pdf> ON 29 July 2011.
Guha, Ramchandra. Makers of Modern India. Delhi: Penguin, 2010
---------------- India After Gandhi – The History of World’s Largest Democracy. Delhi: Pan Macmillan, Picador India, 2008.
Habib, Irfan. “Kosambi, Marxism and Indian History” Economic & Political Weekly. 26 July 2008
<http://tinyurl.com/452bhlh> ON 14 Aug. 2011.
Husain, Yusuf. Glimpses of Medieval Indian Culture. Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1962.
Kosambi, D. D. Myth and Reality: Studies in the Formation of Indian Culture. Bombay: Popular Prakashan, 2005
Muller, F. Max. The Upnishadas Part II: The Sacred Books of the East Part Fifteen. <http://tinyurl.com/3tauwar> ON 15 Aug.
2011
Naipaul, V. S. India a Wounded Civilization. New York: Vintage Books, 2003.
Nehru, J.L. Discovery of India. Delhi: Oxford University Press. 1985.
Radhakrishnan, S. Indian Philosophy. London: Allen & Unwin, 1996.
------------------- A Hindu View of Life. London: Unwin Books, 1963.
Tendulkar, S. D. “Report of the Expert Group to Review the Methodology for Estimation of Poverty”. New Delhi: Govt. of
India, Planning Commission, 2009.
UNDP 2010 Human Development Index <http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete_reprint.pdf> ON 15 Aug,
2011.
2008 World Development Indicators. Washington D.C. : World Bank, 2008. <http://tinyurl.com/3zh493n> ON 13 Aug. 2011.