Future of the World......INDIA.

Mira Kamdar, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute, has recently released her book, "Planet India, How the Fastest-Growing Democracy is Transforming America and the World".

The book talks about the way India is transforming itself rapidly and becoming a force within the world market. The transformation of India at the current pace is unprecedented, and surpassing the way China became a world economic power. India's impact on the global economy especially America's, has not only been in the IT sector, but also medical records management, animated graphics generation for Hollywood movie houses, and call centers. Even Indian businessmen and firms have been buying up controlling interests in many American and European based companies.

But Kamdar's book doesn't laud about the "boom" only, but rather mentions other factors which she feels need to improve in order to make India a viable democracy, and possibly an example for other countries. Things such as reducing poverty, HIV/AIDS cases, social inequalities, and protecting the environment are also key to India's progress. The one I would add to that is population control and corruption.

Even though these negatives dominate Indian society, there are certain parallels to the USA. Kamdar believes that since the gap between the rich and poor seems to be growing in the USA, India itself can tackle its own issue and use it to demonstrate the ability to bridge these gaps.

If India succeeds Kamdar feels that it will challenge everyone, especially multiethnic and multireligious countries to be genuine democracies. It will prove then democracy is not a luxury just for rich societies.

"The increasingly fractious and polar world then will learn from India valuable lessons," she asserts. "That is why I argue that India's gambit is truly the venture of this century."

I think I'm going to go pick this book up pretty soon. Should be a nice read.