Mira Kamdar is the author of the award-winning memoir Motiba's Tattoos: A Granddaughter's Journey into her Indian Family's Past and Planet India: The Turbulent Rise of the World's Largest Democracy, which has been translated and published in more than a dozen foreign editions. A former Paris-based member of The New York Times Editorial Board writing on international affairs, her work appears in leading publications around the world.

"India in the 21st century is at a crossroads--and the path it decides to take will have an impact far beyond its own borders. With a book as ambitious as the country it covers, Mira Kamdar does us all an important service by writing this excellent volume." -- Ian Bremmer, President of Eurasia group and author of Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism

"A comprehensive detailed and rich account of India's history, society, and politics that is both incisively written and rigorously researched." -- Sagarika Ghose, distinguished Indian journalist and author of Indira: India's Most Powerful Prime Minister

"Mira Kamdar, an astute observer of India, has produced an authoritative yet succinct introduction to a continent-sized country. She draws on India's rich history and its scientific, humane, and religious traditions to provide brisk and clear-eyed assessments of India's current affairs. As India grows, its global influence is rising too. Newcomers and old India hands alike will find this to be a valuable guide to an immense, fast-changing country." -- Adam Roberts, author of India: Superfast Primetime Ultimate Nation

"This deeply researched and beautifully written book is a vital gateway into modern India." -- Sonia Faleiro, author of Beautiful Thing: Inside the Secret World of Bombay's Dance Bars

"This concise book is a most useful primer for those interested in the history, politics, economics and society of contemporary India. It is written in a lucid, cogent style and is laden with pertinent information about this complex and often ill-understood country. Those seeking a quick but reliable understanding of where the country stands and is headed will benefit significantly from this work." -- Sumit Ganguly, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University, Bloomington