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THE economic condition of the Indian farmer has shown a marginal improvement since Independence. However, overall it remains pathetic as has been tellingly highlighted by the spate of suicides by farmers in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and other parts of the country. Although the tragedy has attracted some attention from the urban oriented media and intellectuals it has not been taken seriously enough. How bad are the conditions in our rural areas? You would get some idea by going through this slim well-researched volume. Poor literacy rates coupled with lack of awareness of such essentials as bio-fertilizers, minimum support price and WTO make them vulnerable to exploitation. The statistical tables in this book reveal that in terms of consumption levels, landholdings, burden of loans and owned assets the condition of SC and ST farmers is the worst. Let us hope that scholars and policy makers will take note of Bhalla’s book, which is full of tabulated statistics, and come up with genuinely constructive ideas and actions.
THE India Institutes of Technology are famous for being both the repositories and nurseries of modern India’s intellectual wealth – the technology part that is. IITians have earned recognition both in India and abroad for their research and innovations. No wonder the UK based Times Higher Education Supplement ranked the IITs as the world’s third best technology institutes for 2005. But, the author feels, the things are not looking too good due to political interference, curbs on the IITs’ autonomy, lack of infrastructure upgrades, depleted faculty, outdated labs and such other woes. So, what is the solution? Gulhati dissects each problem and suggests solutions. Worth a read. Banda Bahadur HIS birth is shrouded in mystery, his identity attracts controversy and his glory has several self-appointed nominees Banda Bairagi alias Banda Bahadur achieved what was then considered impossible, viz., successfully challenging the might of the Mughals and establishing his own reign over significant parts of the then Punjab. And all this despite opposition from Tat Khalsa, a couple of Hindu Rajas and Mughal appointees. But he was betrayed by the very people he had trusted. Controversies surrounding his genesis and identity, viz., whether he was a Marathi or a Punjabi, a Hindu ascetic or a baptised Sikh, a Khatri, Rajput or Mohyal Brahmin etc have been dealt with in this book. Ultimately, one discovers a tragic hero who visited the region’s firmament and disappeared like a meteor leaving a dent in the Mughals’ image of invincibility. Those interested in Punjab’s history will find Chandla’s tome worth reading.
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Condition of Indian
Peasantry
The IITs: Slumping or
Soaring