Interest in India has never been greater. Here Shashi Tharoor, one of the subcontinentâs most respected writers and diplomats, offers precious insights into this complex, multifaceted land, which despite its dazzling diversity of languages, customs, and cultures remainsâmore than sixty years after its foundingâthe worldâs largest democracy. He describes the vast changes that have transformed this once sleeping giant into a world leader in science and technology, a nation once poverty-stricken that now boasts a middle class of over 300 million peopleâas large as the entire population of the United States. Artfully combining hard facts and statistics with opinion and observation, Tharoor discusses the strengths and weaknesses of his rapidly evolving homeland in five areasâpolitics, economics, culture, society, and sportsâand takes a fresh look at the worldâs oldest civilizations and most populous countries.