Tarkapriya Bharatiya by Amartya Sen [Hardcover]

India is a land of vast diversity, shaped by a wealth of explorations, various beliefs, customs, and rituals, and an array of different perspectives. This compilation of selected writings by the Nobel-winning economist Amartya Sen, titled Argumentative Indian, highlights the necessity of understanding the country and its progressively developing democracy through the lens of its long-standing argumentative tradition. This tradition has not only influenced India's history in terms of its literary, cultural, political, scientific, and mathematical developments, but has also had a profound impact on the foundation of its religious diversity and the intellectual pluralism upon which it rests. In order to deeply understand the political, social, cultural, and economic challenges that contemporary India faces, we must duly value its pluralistic, dialogical, and dynamic traditions. The Western world often perceives India as a land of endless spirituality and irrational mysticism. Yet, India also has a long-standing tradition of skepticism and logical reasoning. Beyond its secular contributions to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and political economy, like all great civilizations, India also possesses a rich repository of agnostic and atheistic literature. The author's discussion brings to light India’s rich intellectual legacy, including the philosophies of Chanakya and Ashoka from the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, respectively, and Akbar's vision of statecraft in the 1590s CE. It also touches upon the close historical relationship between India and China in the first millennium, the ancient and well-organized Indian calendar, the films of Satyajit Ray, and the debates between Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi regarding India's past, present, and future. Through Amartya Sen's compelling argument, the success of India’s democracy is emphasized, as well as the importance of upholding secular politics, eradicating class, caste, gender, and communal inequalities, and recognizing the infinite importance of understanding and practicing India’s argumentative tradition for establishing peace in the subcontinent.