First Boy der Desh by Amartya Sen [Hardcover]

"How are the various deprivations interconnected with class, caste, and gender identity? How are our political leaders adept at delivering grand speeches about what needs to be done, but just as ineffective at turning those words into action? How can we think about Sanskrit and ancient India without imposing a religious color? Why is it necessary to revive Nalanda, the world's oldest university? The Country of First Boys is Amartya Sen’s journey through understanding India's history and its claims for the future, addressing both past and present intellectual pursuits. The main idea of the essays in this collection revolves around the entrenched extreme inequalities in India and the search for liberation from them. One significant benefit of quality school education is fostering the understanding that India is an integral part of world civilization, yet many people do not even get the opportunity for schooling. India has always responded eagerly to global communication and exchange. Its contributions in various fields have been immense—from various calendars based on the logic of astronomy to the invention of chess and the foundations of various branches of modern mathematics. In this collection, Amartya Sen analyzes topics such as justice, identity, deprivation, diverse inequalities, gender relations, politics, education, the media, and the determination of priorities. While being within the reach of the general reader, these pioneering essays highlight the essence of Amartya Sen's various guiding contributions."