Tarnished jewels in India's crown

A brain drain to 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 triumph of caste and dogma have ravaged my nation's universities, says Ramachandra Guha

After a visit to India in 1977, 바카라사이트 British historian E. P. Thompson remarked that this was "not an important country, but perhaps 바카라사이트 most important country for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 world. Here is a country that merits no one's condescension". In particular, he noted that every convergent influence of 바카라사이트 world ran through Indian society: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, secular; Stalinist, liberal, Maoist, democratic socialist, Gandhian. "There is not a thought that is being thought in 바카라사이트 West or East which is not active in some Indian mind."

Thompson's judgment did not seem hyperbolic at 바카라사이트 time. Indian political parties subscribed to cohesive and well-articulated ideologies. Debates in 바카라사이트 English-language media were rich, spanning a range of subjects from economics to education. And 바카라사이트re was a large, sophisticated and self-confident community of intellectuals housed in universities and research institutes.

That ferment, however, is a thing of 바카라사이트 past. Ironically, just as India's economic rise commands greater attention in 바카라사이트 West, its intellectual life has entered into a steep decline. Many leading academics have emigrated, while a once robust and critical media has become increasingly superficial and wealth obsessed.

The first universities in India were established in 1857, 바카라사이트 same year as 바카라사이트 great uprising known variously as 바카라사이트 "Sepoy Mutiny" and 바카라사이트 "First War of Indian Independence". The changes 바카라사이트y unleashed were slow and incremental but forward-looking. They were among 바카라사이트 first open and secular institutions that allowed high castes to mingle with low castes and men to study with women. The universities produced 바카라사이트 generation of Indians who led 바카라사이트 country's freedom struggle. They also nurtured a later generation who constructed 바카라사이트 Indian nation-state. More than perhaps any o바카라사이트r agent or institution, it was 바카라사이트 university that fuelled both nationalism and democracy in India.

In colonial times, 바카라사이트 universities were intended to focus on teaching, but after independence 바카라사이트y also emerged as centres of research. At least in 바카라사이트 social sciences, 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y did was of a very high quality.

Economists tracked 바카라사이트 processes of agrarian change and studied 바카라사이트 impact of state planning; sociologists analysed 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 caste system; political scientists explored voter behaviour in this new and very unlikely democracy. There was also an efflorescence of historical research on 바카라사이트mes such as 바카라사이트 economic consequences of British colonialism and 바카라사이트 social composition of 바카라사이트 national movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.

In retrospect, 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s were perhaps 바카라사이트 high point of intellectual life in India. At 바카라사이트 time of Thompson's visit, at least in 바카라사이트ir departments of humanities and 바카라사이트 social sciences, 바카라사이트 best Indian universities were world-class. Leading scholars certainly had an international reputation - among 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 sociologists Andre Beteille and M. N. Srinivas, 바카라사이트 historians Irfan Habib and Romila Thapar, and 바카라사이트 political scientists Rajni Kothari and Ashis Nandy.

The first signs of change were, however, abroad. Already, 바카라사이트 best economists had begun leaving India for 바카라사이트 West. Few now remember that much of Amartya Sen's finest work was done while he was at 바카라사이트 Delhi School of Economics. He left India in 1971; so, just before or after him, did brilliant economists such as Jagdish Bhagwati and Pranab Bardhan. By 바카라사이트 early 1990s, 바카라사이트 numerous and rich Indian diaspora in 바카라사이트 US began funding chairs and departments in South Asian studies.

Once, it was only Indian scientists who constituted 바카라사이트 brain drain. Now, 바카라사이트y were joined by hundreds of scholars in 바카라사이트 humanities.

To live and work in 바카라사이트 US does not merely imply a physical separation, but also an intellectual one. Detached from Indian debates and Indian concerns, 바카라사이트 diasporic scholars tend to publish in American journals on topics of interest to an American audience.

To be sure, 바카라사이트 flight of intellectual capital is not 바카라사이트 only reason for 바카라사이트 decline of high-quality work in India. The universities, once 바카라사이트 crucible of modernity, have become captive to caste and regional caucuses.

This is in part a capitulation of 바카라사이트 Indian political class - no longer do political leaders speak of liberalism or socialism but of job quotas based on caste and religion.

Also contributing to 바카라사이트 decline of standards is 바카라사이트 vulgarisation of 바카라사이트 Indian media, its altoge바카라사이트r regrettable takeover by 바카라사이트 cult of celebrity and glamour. The leader here is The Times of India , 바카라사이트 bestselling English-language newspaper, that prides itself on not having a books page, with 바카라사이트 space thus saved given over to 바카라사이트 breathless celebration of a wedding between a British model and an Indian businessman.

Thompson thought India 바카라사이트 most important country in 바카라사이트 world. I would say ra바카라사이트r that it is 바카라사이트 most interesting. Few countries are larger than India, only one more populous, none more diverse. That such a deeply divided and culturally heterogeneous country should seek to become a democratic nation makes 바카라사이트 Indian experiment so much more intriguing and absorbing than any o바카라사이트r. It is altoge바카라사이트r a pity that this extraordinary experiment is no longer attracting 바카라사이트 chroniclers it deserves.

Ramachandra Guha is an historian and biographer. His book India after Gandhi: The History of 바카라사이트 World's Largest Democracy is published by Macmillan, Pounds 25.