In 1998, a book was published that was surprisingly ahead of its times. It was
called India 2020 and proposed that India could soon be one of the top five
economies of the world. The nation had set off a series of nuclear tests and
was facing worldwide sanctions. A new government had taken charge, and
the economy was facing a tough time. It was not the best of times to predict
that India had it in her to get on the fast track to development. The vision
presented in the book would go on to inspire, directly or indirectly, many
sectors of the economy to work for and achieve high growth. The book has since
sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
In A Manifesto for Change, its author A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, writing with
co-author V. Ponraj, offers a sequel. As focused then as now on his dream of a
developed India by 2020, the eleventh President of India examines what we
need to get right to accomplish that essential goal: harnessing the stupendous
energy of our youth to contribute to growth, a united Parliament that makes
full use of its time for constructive debate and rises above petty party politics to
achieve the larger national vision, and a plan of action that looks at
development from the grassroots to giant strides in infrastructure and
bridging the urban-rural disparity. It is time to leave behind the politics of
antagonism and disruption behind, he suggests. As reward: a developed India
as befits this beautiful land.
