Former union minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor launched this book, 'Pax Indica: India and the World of the Twenty-first Century' at the Taj West End recently. The book offers a clear-eyed vision of an India that is ready to assume new global responsibility in the contemporary world.
It explores in detail Indian diplomacy and the relations of India with countries like USA, European Union, Africa and the Far-East. "Each of these countries is important to us in our pursuit of national interest. It is about using foreign policy to promote the domestic transformation of India, ensuring the security, well-being and prosperity of our people, and to create an environment around ourselves that is conducive to our growth and development.
We need that in the kind of world I have described in the book," says Tharoor. The book also tries to pinpoint why India's international politics must go hand-in-hand with its domestic transformation. As is common with his other 12 books as well, Tharoor's trademark wit can be seen in the pages of this one as well.
"I started writing the book after my resignation from the government. My wife Sunanda inspired me to write it and I made sure I had sent Penguin the manuscript just in time for it to be published by the time of her birthday (June 27)," says Tharoor.
The book was officially launched by Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj. "I admire very few leaders but I do admire Shashi because he has got glory wherever he worked — in UN or even in India. He is one person who is underutilised in our country and that is the tragedy of our democracy," the Governor said. "If it was in my hands, you should have been the national affairs minister," he adds, receiving a loud applause from the audience.
After the Governor's speech, the focus shifted to a panel discussion led by Udayan Mitra, publishing director, Penguin Books India. The panel comprised ASEAN Indian ambassador N Ravi, Professor Narendra Pani of National Institute of Advanced Studies among others and Tharoor himself.
While N Ravi spoke on how India's role in the international era has changed in the last 60 years, Narendra Pani extensively covered the difference between "the Indian idea and the idea of India" as he called it. "We're concerned about the recognition we get, not about the fundamental Indian thought itself. We're probably the only country in the world where if you go for a tennis match, the double point of the opponent is highly cheered," shared Pani.
The 456-pages book covers a variety of topics related to Indian diplomacy — our soft power, our culture's role in the UN, multilateralism, domestic underpinnings of foreign policy and most importantly, the reforms that Tharoor believes are overdue.
At the end of the evening, an excerpt from the book was read out to the audience and the gist of the book stated in one line by Tharoor himself — "You need a policy that has to please two third of the world while not severely impacting the remaining third, whose power will be diluted."
It explores in detail Indian diplomacy and the relations of India with countries like USA, European Union, Africa and the Far-East. "Each of these countries is important to us in our pursuit of national interest. It is about using foreign policy to promote the domestic transformation of India, ensuring the security, well-being and prosperity of our people, and to create an environment around ourselves that is conducive to our growth and development.
We need that in the kind of world I have described in the book," says Tharoor. The book also tries to pinpoint why India's international politics must go hand-in-hand with its domestic transformation. As is common with his other 12 books as well, Tharoor's trademark wit can be seen in the pages of this one as well.
"I started writing the book after my resignation from the government. My wife Sunanda inspired me to write it and I made sure I had sent Penguin the manuscript just in time for it to be published by the time of her birthday (June 27)," says Tharoor.
The book was officially launched by Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj. "I admire very few leaders but I do admire Shashi because he has got glory wherever he worked — in UN or even in India. He is one person who is underutilised in our country and that is the tragedy of our democracy," the Governor said. "If it was in my hands, you should have been the national affairs minister," he adds, receiving a loud applause from the audience.
After the Governor's speech, the focus shifted to a panel discussion led by Udayan Mitra, publishing director, Penguin Books India. The panel comprised ASEAN Indian ambassador N Ravi, Professor Narendra Pani of National Institute of Advanced Studies among others and Tharoor himself.
While N Ravi spoke on how India's role in the international era has changed in the last 60 years, Narendra Pani extensively covered the difference between "the Indian idea and the idea of India" as he called it. "We're concerned about the recognition we get, not about the fundamental Indian thought itself. We're probably the only country in the world where if you go for a tennis match, the double point of the opponent is highly cheered," shared Pani.
The 456-pages book covers a variety of topics related to Indian diplomacy — our soft power, our culture's role in the UN, multilateralism, domestic underpinnings of foreign policy and most importantly, the reforms that Tharoor believes are overdue.
At the end of the evening, an excerpt from the book was read out to the audience and the gist of the book stated in one line by Tharoor himself — "You need a policy that has to please two third of the world while not severely impacting the remaining third, whose power will be diluted."