Chapter 1: Destination: India's New Golden Age
New Delhi, 2047: Gautama Raju just won the prestigious National Impact Award from the Prime Minister. Gautama was the first person from his coastal village in Andhra Pradesh to get a college degree. Based on his high school results, science projects, glowing recommendations from teachers, and thirst for learning, he was given a full scholarship for his undergraduate studies at one of the premier research universities in the world – the National University of India (NUI), Gandhinagar, Gujarat. His subsequent research work while earning his PhD broke new grounds in solar chemistry. His discoveries and inventions spawned a new home grown solar cell and storage industry. Gautama Raju, 40, has a bright future. It bodes well for the over 20 million students who are graduating from colleges and universities in India in 2047.
In Chapter 1, I address three questions:
What could India in 2047 look like?
What are the realities of present day India?
How do we build a brighter future for all the 1.8 billion people (c. 2047)?
In Chapter 1, I have painted a picture of a nation that is building a golden future for all. I have also grounded the vision with the realities of our current times and recent history. While India has come a long way since independence in 1947, we are facing many mega challenges – challenges that affect over a hundred million people in the country irrespective of their demographics or caste, creed, language, or religious affiliations. These mega challenges include poverty, economy and global competitiveness, urban migration, interrelated issues of energy–water–food–health–environment, climate change, gender inequality and women’s security, law and order, corruption, and education.
I end the chapter with a solution that could transform the entire education system, spur the economy, and address India’s mega challenges. What is the key that opens all doors? Find out in my book.
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(Shail Kumar is the author of Building Golden India: How to unleash India's vast potential and transform its higher education system. Now. To find out more about the author and the book, visit: www.shailkumar.com)