A Sixth of Humanity: Independent India’s Development Odyssey by Pranab Bardhan | Indian Economy, Development & Growth | Economics Book

Product Overview & Details

A Sixth of Humanity: Independent India’s Development Odyssey | Indian Economy, Development & Growth | Economics Book by Pranab Bardhan

A Sixth of Humanity by Pranab Bardhan offers a thoughtful examination of India’s economic and developmental journey since independence. With India representing roughly a sixth of the world’s population, understanding its economic transformation is essential to understanding some of the major challenges and opportunities shaping the contemporary world.

Drawing on economics, history, and public policy, the book examines the evolution of India’s development model across different periods. It considers the country’s experience with economic planning, industrialisation, agricultural development, liberalisation, globalisation, and structural change, while exploring the social and institutional factors that have influenced these processes.

Pranab Bardhan brings an economist’s perspective to questions surrounding economic growth and development, examining not only aggregate progress but also the challenges that accompany rapid transformation. Issues such as poverty, inequality, employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure, governance, and regional disparities form important parts of the broader development debate.

Rather than presenting India’s economic story as a simple progression, the book explores its complexities and contradictions. Economic expansion can create new opportunities while also generating difficult questions about distribution, inclusion, social mobility, and the sustainability of development. By placing these issues within a wider historical and comparative context, A Sixth of Humanity encourages readers to think critically about the choices that have shaped India’s development trajectory.

The book will be valuable for students and readers interested in Indian economics, development studies, public policy, political economy, and contemporary India. It can also serve as an accessible resource for anyone seeking to understand the forces behind India’s changing economy and society.

With its focus on economic transformation, institutional challenges, and the diverse realities of a vast population, A Sixth of Humanity provides a nuanced exploration of India’s development odyssey and the questions that will continue to influence its economic future.