In defiance of the stereotypes trotted out by yesterday’s pundits, modern India’s rise is both unusual and unexpected. It is unusual because some of the sharpest economic improvements are being observed in those sections of India society which were thought to be the most disadvantaged e.g. women from the oppressed castes. It is unexpected because the widespread view until a couple of years ago was that India’s democratic construct was inferior to China’s single party state.
In ‘Behold the Leviathan: The Unusual Rise of Modern India’, Saurabh Mukherjea & Nandita Rajhansa provide a gripping picture of how 1.5 billion Indians are combining to spectacular effect to create a range of social and economic outcomes which have no precedent in any emerging economy. For example, India today has as many chess Grandmasters today as the United States and the virtuosity of its scientists have guided India’s space modules to the dark side of the moon, a feat no other country has achieved.
Furthermore, the book explains how peninsular India has become the fastest growing region in the world thanks to knowledge-intensive manufacturing (the latest iPhone’s launch version was ‘Made in India’) combined with 1600 Global Capability Centres which provided not just IT Services but pretty much everything else that giant Western multinationals need such as sales, marketing, HR, finance, audit and accounting.
In this zeitgeist-defining book, the authors have also explored through pathbreaking research, why the vast majority of India’s companies are struggling to grow their profits even as a small minority of Indian companies go on to build globe-girdling franchises worth tens of billions of dollars.
Written across two years in which the authors criss-crossed India hundreds of times and interviewed over fifty of India’s leading minds in business, policymaking, media and academia, ‘Behold the Leviathan’ has been hailed by the cognoscenti as ‘a firecracker of a read’ which will ‘will challenge decision-makers, policymakers, and opinion leaders to reevaluate their long-standing perceptions of India’s development.’
Advance Praise for ‘Behold the Leviathan’
“Neither standard economic metrics nor stockmarket valuations can do justice to the remarkable dynamics underpinning India’s revival as a country that matters in the global scheme of things. ‘Behold the Leviathan’ captures succinctly the multi-dimensional nature of, both, India’s progress and its challenges. If you are invested in India, financially or emotionally, you should read this book.” – Ashish Dhawan, Founder-chairperson of the Central Square Foundation, and a Founder-trustee of Ashoka University
“To successfully invest in India, it is important to understand the nature of economic and social change in this vast country. ‘Behold the Leviathan’ is therefore an essential read for anyone who is putting money to work in this rapidly growing economy.” – Harsh Mariwala, Chairman, Marico Ltd
“‘Behold the Leviathan’ sheds light on hitherto unexplored aspects of India’s remarkable ascent. To get a thorough understanding of modern India, with all its twists and turns, you must read this book!” – Nandan Nilekani, Chairman and Co-founder Infosys and Founding Chairman UIDAI (Aadhaar)
“The economic transformation of a complex country such as India can never be told as a linear narrative. ‘Behold the Leviathan’ does a wonderful job of analysing the different dimensions along which India is changing. I found the book to be a riveting read.” – Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, Executive director, Artha Global
‘“Behold the Leviathan’ is that rare compelling read on the Indian economy which you can read for pleasure or for profit. It explains in clear terms the economic success underway in India today and highlights several fascinating sub-plots within the master narrative.” – Pirojsha Adi Godrej, Executive Chairman, Godrej Properties
“‘Behold the Leviathan’ skilfully maps out just how dramatically conditions in India have changed over the past two decades in favour of enterprising small business owners.”- Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder and executive vice-chairman, Info Edge (India) Ltd
“‘Behold the Leviathan: The Unusual Rise of Modern India’ is a groundbreaking exploration of India’s rapid economic and social transformation over the past decade. This compelling book will challenge decision-makers, policymakers, and opinion leaders to reevaluate their long-standing perceptions of India’s development. It provides a profound understanding of the country’s unexpected ascendancy and social progress, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to grasp the true dynamics of modern India.” – TV Mohandas Pai, Chairman, 3one4 Capital
“Going beyond the quotidian matters which tend to characterise daily economic discourse in India, ‘Behold the Leviathan’ explores India’s evolution through the lens of social AND commercial change. The result is a firecracker of a book packed with interesting analysis and striking conclusions.” –Vellayan Subbiah, Executive Vice-Chairman of Tube Investments of India (TII) and Chairman of Cholamandalam (Chola) Investment and Finance Co. Ltd.
