The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone by Shashi Tharoor (Hardcover)

The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone: India, the Emerging 21st-Century Power by Shashi Tharoor is a book that explores the challenges and opportunities facing India as it enters the 21st century.

Tharoor begins by comparing India to an elephant, a majestic and powerful creature, but also one that is slow and ponderous. He argues that India needs to transform itself into a tiger, a creature that is agile, quick-thinking, and adaptable.

The cellphone represents the new technologies and globalized economy that are transforming India. Tharoor argues that India needs to embrace these changes in order to reach its full potential.

The book is divided into five parts: politics, economics, culture, society, and sports. In each section, Tharoor discusses India’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the challenges it faces.

One of the key themes of the book is the need for India to reconcile its traditional values with the demands of the modern world. Tharoor argues that India can be both modern and traditional, and that it does not have to choose one over the other.

Another key theme is the importance of education. Tharoor argues that education is essential for India to achieve its full potential. He also discusses the need for India to invest in its infrastructure and to improve its healthcare system.

The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone is a thought-provoking and optimistic book about India’s future. Tharoor believes that India is poised to become a major global power in the 21st century, but only if it can overcome the challenges it faces.