By Amitav Ghosh

Rs 699

Over the last two decades, Amitav Ghosh has established himself as a writer of uncommon talent who combines literary flair with a rare seriousness of purpose. His first novel, The Circle of Reason, seemed very much in the Rushdie magical-realist tradition, but he has evolved considerably since then, notably in works like The Shadow Lines and The Glass Palace, which deal movingly and powerfully with post-imperial dislocations in Bengal and Burma.

Shashi Tharoor

What are the prospects for the expansion of liberal space in India over the next two decades? To me this desirable objective requires both growth and equity. It’s happening, but there’s still a lot that needs to be done before we get there.

The benefits of economic growth must reach all Indians — the majority of whom are young, and the majority of whom are poor. Statisticians tell us that the current proportion of the total Indian population under 25 years of age is 51 per cent and the proportion under 35 is about 66 per cent. This predominance of youth in the population is expected to last until 2050, with the average age of an Indian in 2020 expected to be 29 years.