Reviews by Foreign Nationals

Recognizing at the outset that it is quite presumptuous for an American citizen to engage in a critical review of a book that deals with the extremely complex and highly controversial socioeconomic, political, and religious aspects of modern day India, this reviewer has undertaken such an assignment with a keen awareness and true appreciation of the important role that a great nation plays on the international stage. To that extent, we are all fellow citizens in a world that is embroiled in battle, beseiged by terrorism, and continuously torn apart by internecine conflicts dating back many centuries. If our civilization is to advance and flourish - arguably, to simply survive - we must develop a mature and realistic approach that objectively analyzes existing problems, attempts to identify their respective etiologies, and strive to find peaceful ways by which those problems can be resolved or at least ameliorated. Regrettably, too few people are courageous enough to address such matters in a calm, intellectual fashion that is devoid of a secret, self-serving agenda; and who do not hesitate to express opinions that will undoubtedly create much resentment and dismay among various segments of a particular society.

K. C. Agrawal, a respected, experienced electrical engineer and self-made industrialist, has enthusiastically undertaken such an assignment. Crusade India is a bold, innovative literary endeavor that fearlessly identifies, objectively reviews, and intelligently addresses the serious, multi-facetted problems that beset India as this great nation celebrates the 60th Anniversary of its independence from Great Britain and eagerly anticipates its future.

As the author illustrates with an overwhelming amount of indisputable data, that although his beloved country has accomplished a great deal in just six decades, there remains a huge amount of work to be done if India is to fully exploit her vast resources and fulfill the dreams of her courageous founders and early leaders. With the world's second largest population, a large territory, and rich cultural heritage, India's potential is virtually unlimited. Moreover, as the most populous democracy ever to exist on the face of this earth, it is understandable and quite reasonable for other civilized nations to expect major contributions from India toward the attainment of peace and justice in this turbulent world. To the extent that India can recognize and successfully cope with its indigenous problems and significantly improve living conditions for all its different constituencies, the rest of the world will undoubtefdly benefit.

The author realistically appreciates the complexity and highly sensitive nature of the many obstacles that confront his country. He realizes that meaningful change can only occur if vast numbers of his fellow countrymen and women commit themselves in a dedicated, selfless manner to the kinds of dramatic socioeconomic, philosophical, and educational institutional policies he boldly recommends. To this end, he has conceived a new organization "Crusade India". In fact, a membership application form is contained within this bound volume for readers to review and hopefully submit. What could be more genuine and pragmatic than this rather novel approach!

As a foreigner who has long admired the Indian people and the magnificent nation they succeeded in forging in 1947, I heartily recommend Crusade India. A wonderful birthday present for all literate citizens of India - no matter how young or old you may be.

This book explores ways to strengthen India economically, politically and spiritually and make it one of the most powerful and flourishing nations in the world. It analyses the factors responsible for the dismal progress of India and the miserable condition of its people, including misgovernance, corruption, industrial failure and a dwindling economy amongst others. Taking up various areas for focused study, the book examines the mistakes made in the past partly because of ignorance and selfish motives in approach, strategies adopted, execution of plans and their evaluation. Giving vital facts and figures garnered through intensive research, the book points out how and why India lags behind, and presents insightful suggestions on how the situation can be remedied. Including that of north-eastern states and the Kashmir imbroglio.

This socio-political treatise has been crafted by K.C. Agrawal, an Electrical Engineer. In academic circles, this book will be highly rated in the Faculty of Social Sciences as well as in the Faculty of Humanities. The propelling issue for the author has to be a committed sense of patriotism. Patriotism is usually directed to a particular state. However, the essence of Crusade India cannot be lost on the world generally, nor on the underdeveloped world particularly. Incidentally from the backdrop of Africa, India is certainly some notches above the traditional underdeveloped world which euphemistically but erroneously has been classed as developing.

The book is neatly and securely bound. The author has divided the book into four parts. However, there is the beginning portion titled 'Our mission' which deserves to be a part on its own merits, effectively making the book five parts. The parts flow fluently and logically. The chapters numbering 26 run consecutively through the five parts. In the 379 pages of the book, the author set to his task in a holistic and comprehensive manner. The paper is of good quality and the print character is reader-friendly. Bullets and tables are used appropriately. Important highlights are shaded for good effect. All these attributes recommend the book when traveling, for very busy individuals.

It is not all hard stuff such as the Economics. The author sarcastically describes the Indian democracy as government of the ignorant for the ignorant and by the ignorant. In spite of the author's advocacy for leadership by professionals, once this happens, the professionals metamorphose into politicians de facto and de jure.

This book is in the genre of Franz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth and must be taken as yet another clarion call on the oppressed of the earth not only to unite but also to get to work hard. Other charges by the author include careful planning rather than the fire brigade approach to problems as is prevalent in the developing world. The over-riding need for change is the fact that we are all victims of the current state of affairs.

Crusade India, while being concise, is very detailed in its address of its appeal to patriotism. The problems of society, as seen by the author, are well articulated and encompass anti-people governance through corruption, culminating in loss of output as industries a laid to waste. The author has not waited for applause from sermonizing. What need to be done are eruditely marshaled out, from rural development to reverse urban drift through population control, education reform, infrastructural development and environmental management in the face of global warming, a disaster waiting to happen. Societal discipline through law enactment and enforcement has not been left out. According to the author, the perennial Kashmir problem is to be laid to rest through unification.

Finally, the socio-political scientist Engineer advocates a reform of governance, particularly addressing the Centre, the States and the Cities. There is a detailed master plan for attaining the goals set out by the author. However, one is not sure why the rural areas are not specified in the algorithm for action since the author, quite rightly, proposes that there is need to change the roots so that the leaves on the tree adorn the green of health and vibrancy.

For the voracious reader, Further Reading, comprising a whopping 78 sundry texts, is added at the end for good measure.

The application form for membership of the crusade to awaken India to a new dawn is of interest to internationalists because the world, thanks to the computer and internet, has become a global village. Can we all of the world apply?
Crusade India is a worthy eloquence of scholarship and is accordingly recommended to patriots the world over.

K. C. Agrawal's Crusade India is more that just a book; it is indeed a treaty that provides both a thorough diagnosis of his country's ailments, and a political proposal to cope with them so that India could become a truly developed country. Although primarily written for the Indian public, Mr. Agrawal's opus should be very useful to anyone interested in this great country's and, or from a global perspective, to anyone interested in fighting under-development and poverty anywhere.

Content
The first two parts of the book present India's background to understand its gloomy present. Accordingly, there is a reference to the country's history, statistics, and a crude description of the misfortune of India in the hands of its rulers, either native or not. Mr. Agrawal makes it clear that independence from Britain did not benefit the masses. In fact, all private initiative, which normally fuels up economical growth in other societies, gets stalled due to a nightmarish Kafkian* bureaucracy. In this section, there is a set of poignant testimonies by the author being formally unattended at several official instances, so that his own industry, unfortunately, collapsed.

Among the many elements of the book, the ones that caught my attention the most were term kleptocracy and the critique to Mahatma Gandhi. The first one is, sadly enough, easy to conceive for most people living in poverty around the world; the second is understandable from the point of view of the lack of commitment to fight poverty or its deep end causes - Agrawal's ultimate leitmotif.

The last two parts of the book present a set of guidelines in order to solve specific problems. Being an engineer, Mr. Agrawal sets up some rules-of-the-thumb which seem both logical and overall pragmatic, but which could, understandably, stir some controversy particularly in his country. Nevertheless, a constructive exchange of ideas should provide the seeds for a future plentiful harvest, and that is what this book expects.

While some of the issues' management guidelines are easy to grasp, there are at least two that could be more troublesome: representative democracy and compulsory population control.

One of the ideas suggested is the need for selecting the best persons to work for the development of India, rather than electing them. Therefore, according to the author, the ultimate solution of all the nation's problems requires, at least, a revision of the very concept of democracy, as it is practiced today. Considering the solid framework defined by the book, the discussion of this concept is a valid one.

Another controversial point is coping with India's overpopulation. Mr. Agrawal estimates that India has to decrease its population in around 400.000.000; this of course could only happen through intensive policies based on education and voluntary commitment. For example, young couples could be given cash prizes after 10 years of living together without having children. Although, once more, the author provides clear-cut evidence to support his point, experience from other countries is not very supportive.
Style
Although the content of the book is powerful per se (numerical data, diagrams, and acronyms show the work of a meticulous engineer), Mr. Agrawal's style makes it even more so. Such stylistic features include the use of grandiloquent expressions, metaphors, religious expressions, repetition, and directness; all of them applied with different intensity along the text, so as to get the desired effect. Although some of these characteristics are bound to Indian rhetoric -- Sometimes you feel the forces of Evil and Good fighting as in an Indian epic--, the author has made a sound use of them to emphasize the prescriptive nature of his thesis.

As mentioned before, as a non-Indian reader, there were three aspects that caught my attention. The first was the criticism to the former leaders of independent India. The second was the gender bias in addressing the general public. The last one was the proposal to give up the Indian Kashmir so that it could be unified, for its own sake, with the Pakistani part of that ill-split nation. The appeal to the readers' feelings is well achieved, and shows the profound love Mr. Agrawal has for peace and human development above anything.

All in all, Crusade India is a book of change; the promised change for the great Indian nation, and a change for each of us readers who will not be the same at the end of its reading. I truly recommend there reader of this review to read Crusade India, at the same time that I expect to witness the triumph of Good in this 21st century Mahabharata.

* Franz Kafka (1883-1924) - An Austrian writer.

Crusade India Towards a New Dawn is a utopian book published by Knowledge Books located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was written by K.C. Aggrawal, an engineer by training, and a senior member of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

My use of the descriptor Utopian describing this book is not a pejorative expression but one based upon the original meaning o the term as used by Roger Moore when he coined the word in the early 16th century. The book was written to indentify the problems in modern day India and proposes solutions to the problems.

The author was home schooled by his mother through the age of six as his family lacked the funds to provide for a formal elemenary education. When he did attend high school, he was expelled; this required him to attend the same classes for three year. His self directed education allowed him to take the entry exams for Engineering College a t Banaras Hindu University at whichhe excelled and was admitted. Following graduation he went to work for the Uttar Pradesh power company, staying one year, taught at the Utter Pradesh Polytechnic for one year and then went to work for an NGEF. (You might wonder what an NGEF is, I certainly did, it turns out the it stands for New Government Electrical Factory) He left that enterprise and went into the private business of running a factory.
From this background Mr. Aggrawal has many negative opinions as to all aspects of Indian life, and suggestions for correcting the problems which he perceives.

As a citizen of the United States who has not yet visited India, it is difficult for me to comment upon the observations of the problems which Mr. Aggrawal details. He lambasts the efforts of Jawaharlal Nehru (the first prime minister of India 1947-1964) as a person who "propounded a philosophy of half socialism and half capitalism but (who) failed in both." This negativism concerning all aspects of life in India, while I cannot judge the accuracy, certainly pervades the book.

Mr. Aggrawal's first language fairly clearly was not English. While the title of the book is perhaps accurate in that the definition is: crusade - a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; "he supported populist campaigns"; "they worked in the cause of world peace"; "the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant"; "the movement to end slavery"; "contributed to the war effort" This is an odd use of the word considering its early meaning. Crusade comes from Latin and means war for the cross and comes directly from the French croisade, meaning "Marked by the Cross. The term was coined during the effort to wrest control of the Holy Lands in the 10th to the 13th centuries. Obviously, Mr. Aggrawal meant the modern definition, but he like the 2nd president Bush, seems to not know the derivation of the word. Many words in English from Utopia to Crusade and Electrocution have all been modified to a different meaning over time. Electrocution is a term coined by Thomas Edison in the 1880's as a contraction of electros from the Greek for Amber (which when rubbed produced static electricity) and execution from the English meaning to kill judicially. Today the meaning has expanded to include any incidence of electrical injury whether intentional or accidental and whether fatal or non-fatal.

The present work proceeds to examine the entirety of Indian life and categorizes this into What We Are, Why We Are, What Can Be Done, and How It Can Be Done. Other than being rather negative, again something which I cannot evaluate, this organization provides an ample scheme for presenting the arguments of the author.

Having traced the problems with the education, judicial and government systems he offers solutions to the problems.

His suggestion for rural areas is the creation of City Centers each having a population of 10.0 lac (Lac is an interesting word, used primarily in India signifying 105 or 100,000. Thus 10.0 lac is 106 or 1 million or 1 mega people. I t would have been helpful if the author has explained this for the International audience.) His idea is to return to a manageable population with controlled education and employment. His plan would raise the GDP from 51.08 Rs to 282.51 Rs in 5-7 years. This is certainly an ambitious project.
The author, as part of the program, insists that the birth rate must be controlled. His program for this is a payment of Rs 10,000 per year per couple payable after 10 years of not having a child. He projects that this will cost 1.02% of GDP.

He likewise proposes changes to all areas of Indian life, although the above are the most important and far reaching. He suggests the creation of a Presidential system similar to the United States, but not identical. He hints that while democracy is great, voting should be left to the educated. This process was tried in the United States and ended up disenfranchising the black people. I fear, if implemented such a process would do the same in India. This may or may not be a bad idea, but it certainly is not democratic.

In summary, this is uplifting book which suggest solutions to the problems of India. Whether the plans are feasible, given the current state of affairs, only time will tell. However, the importance of this work is that it is Utopian. It suggests Eu for good and topia place. Hopefully this will be accomplished.

This is a very interesting resourceful book, easy to read and passionately written. Aggrawal's objective is to alleviate the miserable conditions of the impoverished masses of India and to "build a nation of our dreams".

India's poverty and assets are described in detail and the need for education of the poor underscored. Like the handicapped he urges the poverty stricken masses must not remain dependent on handouts. He describes the filth and degradation of the country, the people and the failure to deal with garbage. The author describes the problem that have to be faced such as the need to deal with the plethora of communities, caste and recurrent natural disasters..

The failed political tactics and strategies are described in considerable detail and it is pointed out that while Gandi. had vision he did not have a solution for self development. He acknowledges the British built schools and provided the basic widespread education but they were arrogant visitors rather than international participants and points out Nehru was the architect of the Indian bureaucracy and the failure of the still unsolved Kashmir problem can be traced to his inept bureaucracy.

The short coming in this book is the absence of any index.

Finally Aggrawal suggests the solution to India's problems is Public Interest Litigation (PIL). PIL is an innovative procedure wherein a person or a civil society group can approach the Supreme Court seeking legal remedies in cases where public interest is at stake. Filing a PIL is not cumbersome and even letters or telegrams addressed to the court can be taken up as PIL's and heard by the court. PIL has been successful in the sense of making official authorities accountable to civil society. Given the dire situation of large sections of the Indian population this book is worthwhile reading and is a call for action to address the rampant inequalities of poverty and caste.

Honorable Author!
I had the honor to read your book and felt sure that India has great future because this country has the citizens like you who love their motherland. I read your book chapter-by-chapter. Every chapter of the book touches upon perfect issues, at the same time, provides their substantial explanations as well as the useful and harmful sides for the Indian people.

I would like to touch on a few questions. You elaborated on the history of India and mentioned that this country was in bondage for years. What was the reason for this? Why did the Indian people, who are greater in number and culture than other nations, fall into such circumstances? Naturally, you won't encounter such a situation if you explore the reasons. The world and the entire society are currently being run on religious discrimination and a third force is taking advantage of this. Naturally, this is not carried out openly but different attitudes towards many nations are manifesting it in quite an open form.

First of all, I read about you in the book: Your childhood, the current plight of your motherland and your thoughts about your state. This is already development because if national ideology is formed in one nation, this is the perfect indication of substantial and true development. India is the world's second country for its population. So, you should think about development in the quite other direction, i.e., you should learn a lesson from the mistakes made by the countries with a great number of populations such as China, the United States, etc.

Don't be fodder for others!
What does it mean? I would like to draw your attention to Iran and Iraq. Both countries were armed rapidly by two other super powers. As a consequence, one of them was completely destroyed, while the other will be destroyed. The reason is that there is no need for these countries. The game on them is over and yielded good results for imperialists. Both were Muslim countries and this paves the way for other larger arms markets. A number of such examples can be set. India is being armed rapidly and Pakistan doesn't lag behind either. I would like to notify that the same future is in store for you.

Who arms you and why? See it and learn a lesson!
You spoke about development of industry and engineering in other chapters. In my opinion, the Indian people should think about the development of science and progress and build their future on the basis of this. Today, the Chinese have spread everywhere and are integrating into the world, while the Indian people simply live in their motherland and expect everything to be good.

Who do you expect from?
Don't expect but move and spread across the world, be in close contact with the world nations and try, by all means, to show them that you are the people of culture. According to statistical data, there are a great number of poor people in your country. You mentioned this correctly. Why do you think India, which possesses a sufficient number of natural resources and human potential, is in such a situation? Almost half the population of the world lives in India-China. So, you are the half of the world. If you set up a confederation and establish friendship and cooperation, I believe that India and China will be the most developed countries in the world.

Try to establish this and then the world will get rid of armament race and terrorism, and most primarily avoid the troubles of "Super Powers". Instead, the rapid armament race will be replaced with a positive competition.

Democracy - the Indian people have been very hospitable, good-natured and cultured since ancient times. I dare say, the world nations have derived the essentials of the ancient culture from the Indian people. I regret just about one thing:

The Indian people must prefer their language to all other languages because the group of Indian-European languages is based on the mentioned concept and the root of the Indian people's language.

Our message - have a single message. Demonstrate your unity, intellect and power of independence to the world. Prove that you are neither weak nor a traitor and that the Indian citizens are very valuable. Compel your state to think and act so!

Nothing is impossible - I absolutely agree with this heading, as if a person, a family, a unity - state act without discrimination, this is a 100% success.

Unfortunately, satanic states will find betrayers and traitors to your country among you, help them to become rich and later group and bring them to power to rule you. This will hamper your development; instead those states will realize what they want. This is terrorism in the plain meaning of the word.

Our history - The entire world knows that your country is rich in natural resources which have caused attacks by occupiers. You have mentioned several occupier countries and nations. But unfortunately, you haven't mentioned the true and very dangerous invaders. As I mentioned above, you misinform the one billion population of India.

Why do you mislead your people?
Who occupied your language, history and gene?
Why haven't you mentioned these invaders?

Our basic resources - You have provided very important information and in particular, mentioned that your territories are under occupation. This is an estimable fact. At the same time, you have mentioned your natural resources. The main thing is that your state must take advantage of this properly. Your trade operations are developing over the past period. I would like to particularly mention that 80-85% of the medicines imported in Azerbaijan are produced by Indian companies.

Our passive attitude - You have mentioned exactly. As far as I know, very few people read books in your country. If one nation reads few books and keeps away from a library, this yields bad results. These mistakes either will be corrected in 50-100 years or won't be corrected. The young people in your country must visit libraries and study the world literature.

Every Indian youth must know that the group of Indian-European languages and the beginning of civilization belong to you!

Religion and brotherhood - I would like to mention that your cultured people won't allow discrimination nor cause religion-related problems. But the 21st century requires much from you and I think that this is right to a certain extent. I believe that if you become monotheistic, this will cause radical changes in your life. The Islamic or Christian religion - this will be the result of your intellect and logic. You must stop worshiping a cow.

To abate extremism or terrorism - Right honorable author! The problem is that it is impossible to tell the truth every time. Sometimes it becomes clear that a person known today as a "terrorist" used to live and be trained in one of the super powers a few years ago. That person is involved in several operations and in the end, is rendered harmless or killed as "an Islamic terrorist". This is the "terror" we have heard about. We can't tell the truth because anti-Zionist forces render a terrorist harmless immediately. The reason is the interference of those forces in the arms and monetary market. These forces are led by those doing the devil a service. But they don't believe that Almighty God will one day "gladden" them with hell in the other world.

Chronology of our Downfall - The author has reflected the activities of many leaders in chronology with his individual approach. Naturally, this is the author's personal approach and it can be discussed by the Indian people alone.

Evolution of bureaucracy - Please, see the first paragraph of this heading. "They were generally of Indian origin and trained in UK…" To my mind, that will do and let's stop our discussion. Don't expect complete independence for your nation and state at a time when you are ruled by those who are of Indian origin and look down on you because they have generated thoughts of bureaucracy and aristocracy.

Evolution of Corruption in our Society - There were very interesting developments and periods in your history. This was also remarkable due to the fact that your people are cultured and your country is the world's second country for the number of its population. Imperialist states will, no doubt, make small states, which have never had independent military forces, semi-dependent and vassal under the pretext of cultural relations. How do they do that (1700-2007):

1. They create sparseness and anarchy inside.
2. Then they get into contact with every force separately, strengthen them and say that "our state supports you, you are great, you are the worthiest candidate, etc.".
3. They create opposition and authorities.
4. They oppress opposition strongly with their people in power. Then opposition asks for help from the world community and "international democratic institutes".
5. By taking advantage of this these institutes put pressures on the authorities and says that "we can substitute you".
6. The authorities, who are already in hostile relations with opposition, never want to loose their positions and … give imperialists and "democratic institutes" what they want. Such cases emerged and unfortunately, will emerge in the history of your statehood.

Effect of black economy - As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the traitorous "authorities" will never show the inside of the budget to their people because they are not allowed to do that. People mustn't know about that (page 125). You mention that 3% of the clack money is put back in circulation. This is because of the fact that imperceptible forces can easily control the cash put in circulation outside the budget and make big money with the local officials whom they "educated" in due time.

Causes of Our Industrial Failure - I am confident that the Indian citizens reading this book will be able to build the future of India in the way they want. The headings in the book show that you love your motherland and statehood very much and want to see it in the honest hands and on the right road. I will have a favor to ask of you: distinguish those who are basing army in your lands and keeping your territories in their hands for a while from those who occupy your genesis and language. The former Soviet Union launched occupation in 1930 under the pretext of cultural relations. Naturally, this also affected you. The newly established Empire needed easy incomes. The Soviet Empire, which became a super power in the world, launched to a policy of aggression after 1945. As I mentioned above, starting in the 1950s, several Indian young people were brought to the Soviet Union to get education. They were "trained" and sent back to their country.

In result, you encountered the situation that I mentioned in the previous headings. The Soviet Union was getting weaker than the United States starting in the 1980s. You may say that this doesn't concern you. The state growing weaker becomes more brutalized in order to conceal its weakness. The Soviet Union was to show its strength to the states possessing feeble army but not to the United States and Europe. In this period (1980-1990), the Soviet Union withdrew the black money from circulation not only in your country but also other states. Starting in 1990, the struggle between the Super Powers became strained. This time, arms sale and control on territories became more aggravated. The Indian state lost billions of its deposits. The reason was your people's self-esteem, their failure to value themselves, unawareness of their past, etc.

Rural Development - Villages are the reflection of our country. This is a positive case, as the population living in villages needs a small state medical aid. Instead, they provide cities and settlements with sufficient agricultural products. But unfortunately, agriculture makes up 25% of your income (page 153). To my mind, the state bodies should pay attention to this properly and special service bodies should hold this in hand. You have provided important statistics in this heading. This is an estimable case. I believe that your people will represent the interest in this book, like we read it because the book contains valuable statistical figures you need. I am closely interested in your history and there are many things that I still can understand. It is already the 21st century. Why must the people, who have billions of natural resources and sufficient human potential, live in such a plight?

Why population control - As we mentioned, 45-50% of the population relocate, in particular move to cities due to the problem of the Indian government. If necessary conditions are created in rural areas and villagers' products are sold at a desired price, no doubt, there can be lower percentage of movement process. You must set up necessary markets for their products which must be purchased by the state with guarantee as well as sufficient amount of funds must be allocated from the state budget. Naturally, security bodies must carry out full control on these funds.

Methods of population control - I think that your government's decision on few children in families adopted in 1960 was incorrect. Instead, you must integrate into the world, demonstrate your culture to the world community and move to Europe. Your population must make up majority among immigrants in Europe and America. You must move to the most developed countries but not to a third or fourth country. This is, indeed, a very tragic case. In general, the world is being run by Almighty God in a very unusual manner. Russia is pursuing a state policy to increase the number of its population, while the United States is taking measures to prevent fattening among population. But such countries with more population as India and China are facing adverse problems.

Reforming education - Our education - Exact statistical figures were provided in the book. If we go into details, it turns out that they are very tragic indicators. These figures will lead to people's downfall or at best, they will remain in this tragic situation. I am disappointed with the fact that the overwhelming majority of newborns receive education until the fifth form, considering that newborns make up about 65% of the population.
Your statistical figures are of great importance. They are especially unparalleled for the world philosophers and historians. By the way, I will present with great pleasure these statistical figures to the individuals who conduct scientific researches on India in our country. I have already presented your book in my office and in particular, provided comprehensive information about Prof. Anil Aggrawal.

Taking into account the number of your population, we should think that you should win at least 30% of important places in the sport area, including in world champions and Olympic Games. Why isn't this so? How will you introduce yourselves to the world? With the arms race? I don't think so. That will lead to your downfall.

Meanwhile, I would like to make some additions to the author's opinions on weather conditions. Indeed, you have an unusual and rainy climate. I think you should take advantage of this instead of complaining. This, naturally, causes infectious diseases and puts your health sector into a more difficult situation.

Improving tourism - Everything becomes clear when reading your first comparative figures. This is again an unsatisfactory case. What is the reason and how can this be corrected? It is necessary to discuss them and ask the world institutions for help in this regard.

I would like to bring another point into your notice that India's resources allow local pharmaceutical systems to introduce their products to the entire world with the world certificates. And what are you doing? (page 269). Some large companies purchase raw materials from you at a cheaper price, pack them nicely and unfortunately, introduce them to the world under the trade mark of their countries. And what is your profit? Some of your people are acting as a worker in order not to die of hunger. I believe that you will get perfect results if you consider the fact I mentioned above.

Globalization - This is the most principal heading you need. As I mentioned, you won't be able today to maintain your population in a normal condition with your poor economy and "elite" society. Only integration into the world will help you get rid of betrayers, the imperialist interests of other states and other influences of this kind. Integrate, increase your welfare standards and return to render a service to your wonderful motherland.

Comparative analysis of China and India - I looked at the table on page 285 and just made a comparison. I think there was no need for comments. In 2000-2006, China developed about five times, while India - approximately 1,5 times. I emphasized in the previous headings that presently, the best way for your development is an economic and political unity with China. If you have an opportunity to form this political unity, I dare say the mechanism and direction of running of the world will completely change. The way must be paved for this, as well as infrastructure must be developed, problematic issues covered up and the cases hampering this unity eliminated.

Resolving Kashmir Through Unification - Dear Indian people, this is such a problem that can't be solved fully, as its solution is to give impetus to development of India and Pakistan. However, the states that are interested in arms sale and in particular, the small imperceptible states inside the other states won't allow this. This problem must be individually intended for arms sale. Nobody except you will be seriously concerned over this issue. Therefore, you will be able to solve the issue by waiting due time with patience and restraint. As an example, I would like to bring Azerbaijan's problems into your notice. 20% of Azerbaijan's territory was occupied by Armenia in 1990-1993 with the close support of Russia. Over one million Azerbaijani citizens became refugees. The war between Armenia and Azerbaijan was staged by Russia that sold arms to both countries and created a buffer state close to the border with Turkey. As you see, imperialist states are not interested in others' fate. They just think of financial interests. Even if you can't show resistance to them, simply…

Don't sell dirty-cheap the blood and gene of your nation and all nations! This case might bring their interest in business to nothing.

I am a Turk, who loves the entire mankind and those who trust in God, as well as who suffers the same troubles as yours and is closely familiar with your problems, who is the citizen of Azerbaijan and at the same time, loves your nation.

"Crusade India" is an excellent effort by a victim of the system, K.C. Agrawal, a true lover of the motherland and a successful industrialist. The two qualities never co-existed, one is repugnant to the other. This unimaginable co-existence is unique and highly appreciable.

The set up of Beurocracy was jointly inherited by India & Pakistan. The related odds narrated in the book can exactly be superimposed on the pillars of Beurocracy in Pakistan too.

A man who has enjoyed living in Ghetto's, observed and experienced realities of life and callousness of the system, can only analyze the governance, economy, human values, environment, effects of globalization and what not, to the greatest depth.

The author has expressed in detail about unification of Kashmir and rationalization in a democratic set up. A critic may label it as subjective approach with a personal bias overshadowing some of the writings. In my opinion historical role of third and deciding pillar
of the power triangle (Britishers), has largely been omitted. However after independence, the role of rulers of the soil should have ideally been different than the foreign rulers. The book is an excellent research thesis, impressive effort and thought provoking document for Researchers of tomorrow.

                              Reviews by Indian Nationals

This is with a view to honestly put on record our appreciation for you and the excellent research work done by you on every aspect of Development.

Your analytical approach is indeed praiseworthy and commendable. The way you have gone in to the root cause of the failure of almost all aspects of the Governance is an eloquent testimony to your concern for the common man. The language used is very effective; the words are powerful. The ideas projected undoubtedly confirm that you do not belong to the clan of those who start to yearn before they learn to earn. You easily single out even in a crowd of elite Thinkers and Individuals. We value you, we admire you and we are proud of you.

Sir, when we make a proposal, we always give its approximate estimate or at best a Guesstimate. How much a City Center will cost? This question can be answered, if we take on the ground a real situation covering about 500 Villages say a District of the Size of Aligarh or Bulandsahr.

I look forward to meet you the earliest opportunity I can lay hands on. With regards, deference, esteems and affection.

In many words and books, it is as a land of plenty, of endless possibility and immense potential which has been the vision that visionaries, dreamers, poets and patriots alike saw this land of the ages. Every book saw a new age, every writing visualised a new dawn, every poem waxed eloquent of a movement that crusades ahead, romantic enough, poetic enough, towards an idealistic ideal where reality unfortunately is not in sync. To is genre comes yet another vision, yet another dream, "Crusade India: Towards a New Dawn" by K.C. Agrawal.

This book presents a carefully documented pen picture of India's history as a performer in the last 60 years. It is a critique, unbiased, succinct, sharp and clear, a critique of India's economy, polity and potential. It also presents in the same breath a blueprint for the country's rejuvenation, growth and sustenance. Crusade India has been designed as a vehicle for growth, a paradigm for change and a vehicle for the thrust that this transformation impels, requires. The prescription given needed not necessarily be the most appropriate for the ills perceived but is a definitive approximation for the panacea that is required.

While there is much truth in the assessment in most part, the underlying swagger of a patron need not be missed. K.C. Agrawal leaves nothing to discretion or guile, as the case may be, to call a spade a spade and in places even a trowel a spade, if the purpose is served and there is much truth, little to criticise and much to ruminate upon, on many of his postulates. The opprobrium speeds home still further with the highlighted 'boxed items', phrases, sentences and whole paragraphs in bold type peppering every page which while makes for an easy, quick read at once makes it also the book's main point of distraction. To a serious reader, it is as much a hindrance, a stumbling block as it is a useful guide.

The issues are topical, the observations commendable, the criticisms justified. The facts are in context, the exhaustive tables and charts, statistics and data all bear testimony to the painstaking detail that the making of this book has gone into. However, where it falters is in the pedantic litany and paradoxical rhetoric that takes away the potency of the sting. After a point, there is a pattern, a predictable pattern which makes the reading redundant and regresses from being a nascent blueprint for action to a reference handbook with suggestions for change thrown in. The holistic sweep and the diverse perspectives call attention to India's resurgence as a need, as a reality.

The author visualizes the evolution through a series of public interest litigations (PIL) and thereafter execute the plan of prosperity as delineated in the book. What is more diverse is the question that, in a system entrenched in an iron-frame bureaucracy, a well defined political construct, a pro-active judiciary, a vibrant democracy and loquacious Press, how far will the stance of a PIL go as a viable weapon of change is a point to ponder about.

Ideas and Vision are two different things when it comes to the creativity of minds. Ideas flow faster, often indiscriminately to create a thrust for a person to think even more. Vision, on the other hand, is more serious, methodical, and based on proper ideas.

Crusade India, is a vision encompassing various ideas, that are carefully thought out to make this vision a real success. Many a times when we think about our own state of affairs we tend to blame a handful of people who 'run' this country. However, we often forget that we are also equally responsible for their being doing the wrong, which they should not be doing.

This great book tells you what is wrong, when it all started, and what the reason for this wrong was. It also visualizes ways in which we can improve and create a better India. When I started exploring this book, I realized that the goal behind its creation is much more noble and important than merely writing a popular book. I am highly impressed by the writer's feelings and more so with the ideas and vision that he has incorporated.

The book consists of 26 chapters in a span of 393 pages. This unique piece of work is divided into four major parts-What we are, Why we are, What can be done, and finally How it can be done. A comprehensive research was done to write this book, which is obviously evident in the text. The book started with exploring the reason why we were ruled for such a long period in history that makes us a meek civilization. It is quite strange that a book about positivity actually starts with a negative search! Chapter-3 is the first chapter under part one of the book; it evaluates our cowardice that enabled our intruders to rule upon us. The later chapter makes us feel good about the knowledge of our resources. Then we think over to our economic condition and the effects. A separate chapter has been specially designed on the topic of urban expenses, specially emphasizing the costly governance.

The book embarks further upon more serious content including the callous system of governance, reasons for corruption, and the failure of industrial system.

The best part of the book comes up with several down to earth and impressively realistic solutions that the author has given. Part three describes 'what can be done' in this country to get back to track of growth in real meaning of the word. This section of the book forms a core and consists of solutions of wide range of problems like rural development, population control, educational reforms, water management, disaster management, power management, environmental issues, tourism, IT & R&D, Police and defense services, globalization, and many other things. Even the solution offered to the biggest problems like militancy in India is offered and is appreciable. The last part of the book is somewhat more normal than the rest of the book-reason? The place of this chapter itself is not seem justified, probably because, after reading the previous section and the vision & enthusiasm that a person builds suddenly fades away in this chapter. After understanding so much and reasoning so much, we cannot simply look towards and clamor for our government. WE MUST UNITE AND DO THE BEST WHAT WE CAN.

In all this is a remarkable piece of work, which should be read by everyone. In principle, many solutions given in this book are good and seem realistic. I am also highly impressed by the passion the author has in creating a book like this. Many of us think quite a lot about our country and our living conditions, but rarely people think this deep with that much vision which can result in a complex text based on facts and realities. I congratulate Er. Agarwal, for his outstanding contribution to Indian society through this book.

As a researcher, I can guarantee that this book was extremely hard to compile, since it encompasses several aspects and demands careful research.
Though the author himself is a visionary and need no impetus to carry his work forward, I still have some suggestions, which he might like to think about.

Firstly, the book should also be released in Hindi. The reason is that we have large number of people in rural India, who do not know English, and since this is about their country, this has to be conveyed in their language.

Secondly, the young urban generation like me, use a lot of Internet, I suggest the author that he should make the website, shapingindia.org more attractive. I visited the site and found an online free version of the book, which is great! Some more new tools/modules may also be added. There is also a need for a blog on shapingindia. The blog can be maintained by a responsible person and it should include a discussion board where people can just go and discuss, ask questions, state their areas problems, etc. The scope I think is huge on the internet. I would also like to request the author to publish an online version of the text in the form of slogans, simple sentences, banners, etc, so that those who have little time, can also have a look and feel of the topic.

The web administrator should also generate some attractive 'banners' so that people like me can post them on our blogs. This way the mission will get popularity, and advertisement.

Google offers a free emailing service for organizations and groups for their domain name. This service may also be used to attract visitors to open an account on shapingindia.org.

In the end, I recommend this book to everyone who is literate. It may be an essential book for administration aspirants, engineers, politicians, bureaucrats, and all policymakers. I am sure, our country will really be benefitted if people read and follow this text.

As an engineer by profession, Mr. K. C. Agarwal, is a real visionary. I consider him in a class of personalities like, Homi Bhaba, Sardar Patel, and others who really looked into the root of the problem and defined the path thereon for completely eradicating the problem. If it were possible for me, I would have given Er. Agarwal, an honorary doctoral degree, which would be equal to an earned degree. I consider this thesis an eligible candidate for that!

So read, read more, enjoy and distribute the knowledge!

Crusade basically means a campaign or a struggle to develop. The author attempts to materialize the dream of creating a new nation where there will be no room for corruption, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, destitute. CRUSADE INDIA visualizes a new dawn, is a wake up call for stepping towards progress and prosperity. The author wants the people to wake up from the deep sleep of slavery. He attempts to encourage a feeling of belongingness and a sense of responsibility among the people for the welfare and uplifting of the underprivileged. The author points that we have gifted ourselves a democracy that empowers ignorant to elect the ignorant to run the country ignorantly.

In the first part (What we are) the author gives a brief account of 'Our Cowardice' describing the historical backgrounds, factors responsible for our cowardice. Basic issues like our basic resources, dwindling economy and its dreadful effects, unbound unprotected expenses explaining the cost of governance, and degeneration of human values have been prominently projected. The second part (Why are we) describes our callous system of governance, evolution of corruption in our society and causes of our industrial failure while the third part (What can be done) stresses on the significance of rural development, population control, reforming education etc taking a stock of water management, disaster management and optimizing power generation and improving environment tourism etc. Part four (How it can be done), suggests the ways and calls for reforms.

The book is very enlightening, the topics covered are very relevant, the research carried out is of great intensity and the observations are supported by the reports of surveys conducted by reputed organizations. I wish that the underlying idea of 'Crusade India' works like the 'guru mantra' to wake up each and every Indian to achieve the goal of making our country one of the mightiest and the most prosperous nations.

Book Review - I came across a book called, Crusade India, Towards a New Dawn' by K.C. Agrawal when one my friends suggested me to read it. To begin with it was not on the subject I read and teach. It was even not a book on medical science. But on a recommendation of a friend, I just thought to give a try. I read the book as a layman. In the end I can say that recommendations of friend were true. The book was an eye opener on more than one count and a pleasant experience to go through.

The book deals with almost everything related to nation and its citizens. Therefore it covers many topics vis governance, failure of governance; natural resources, uses and misuses of them; mindset of public, bureaucracy, politicians, etc; intelligence, caste and creed; attitude or lack of it or quality of it; reservation policy, the education, the judiciary, the police; Kashmir, article 370, the North East and so on. You think of thing and it is there. The book deals with many aspects of our country as a nation where are we, why are we, where? Where could we have been had the progress could have been in right direction? Had we used our resources and intelligence and man power etc properly and so on. The author traces the history, the invasion, the corruption, the ruler and the ruled and so on.

The book reflects meticulousness, sincerity, diligence and intelligence of the author in dealing with the topics he has picked up. The whole writing is emotionally charged up, yet it does not loose the footing on the earth, fact and figures. It also reflects the personal experiences, sufferings, hardships and trauma of his (some of them he has narrated on quite a few occasions in the book). Probably, it is this experience of his, which may have prompted to come up with such a book.

The book is full of facts and figures which requires first of all great reading, then putting the information jargon in correct perspective when it comes to its interpretation and use. The lucid and fluent description is decorated with quotations and relevant lines have been marked bold for easy picking. Such book can not come out of thin air. I envy his commitment to his county and to himself and of his creativity. I congratulate him for writing on such a topic which could be a landmark writing for marching ahead of the nation.

The book shall be useful to all those who want to take county ahead Vis the leaders, the bureaucrats, the policy makers, industrialists, environmentalists, labourers, farmers, riches and poor.

The book has a good get up and good pleasant cover. I could not find any print mistake while going through page to page word to word. The book is very reasonably priced and it should be an asset to any reference library.

Still, I feel the book could have included few positive notes. After all, everything is not bleak in the country, it is not that nation has not progressed the nation has progressed in all fronts of life. The democracy, though with limitations, has survived sixty years while that is not so in our neighbourhood. There has been a green revolution, a white revolution and many other things to quote a few.
Though the book refers to

Shri T. N. Seshan the then chief election commissioner, but forgets his electoral reforms. The author also misses out on the R.T.I. Act, 2005; which is another landmark thing which has happened to citizens of nation. We shall see its effects in coming decade, I hope. I hope, and suggest such things shall be included in next edition. I recommend all concerned citizens to read the book and digest.

This book analysis the reasons for the failure of India to thrive economically, politically and socially. The author has rightly analyzed the reasons for the miserable condition of its people. Giving detailed statistics and facts obtained through extensive research, the book is able to identify the factors as to why India lags behind and also suggests suitable remedial measures. The reasons for India's backwardness and miserable condition of its people have been discussed fairly and correctly.

Some of the points made in this book may not be agreeable to some people but I feel that they are true and unbiased. However some of the solutions like 'city centres' may not be feasible.

This book will be very useful for the generation being brought up, as they are not fully aware of the conditions existing in India in the 1950's and 1960's. I hope that it ignites in the mind of the young readers the zeal and passion to improve our country. Even if the young people imbibe a fraction of the zeal and passion felt by the author, the book will have served its purpose. On the whole the book is useful, informative and thought provoking. It is a must for every library.

I thank the author for providing me this opportunity to comment on his book. Indeed this book is an emotional attempt to explore and explain various components of staggering system of India. Aim and object of this book is rational and human. Method of situation analysis of Indian problem is personal and innovative and able to convince the causes of rise and fall of Indian strength. It is a good attempt to review the situation of resources the country has and the manner they are used. Issues such as rural development, population control, reform of education, water management, disaster management, power generation, tourism, environmental problems, Kashmir and North east problem, and police and judiciary reform are taken up diligently and attempts are made to provide personal and emotional approach to solve them. There is still scope to provide solution on the basis of evidence and rational understanding. This book is good for all those who are interested to know about India, to those who are taking extra pain to develop India and to those who are emotionally attached with India. I wish the best and share with Author for his endeavor to make India strong.

The book "Crusade India" written by K.C. Agrawal is nothing but reflection of true picture of India at present, 60 years after so called independence, rather than showing false hope of Shining India to large ignorant masses. This book shows in-depth, hard, sincere and thorough search and critical analysis into the problems, facing by the nation and its own people due to poor governance at all spheres. The author has also shown the way to overcome the present worsening situation within very short prescribed time limit if timely, sincere and dedicated effort is made in this regard. The courage and effort shown by the author is no way less than patriotic soldier fighting for his country. I recommend this book to each and every Indians. For larger interest, the book may be translated to all major Indian languages so that the message through this book can reach everyone irrespective of caste, religion, status and region to take the revolution forward. With best wishes……….

The goal of this book as stated in the preface & opening page and further reinforced at the end, is to uplift the downtrodden peoples of India by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) through a society(NGO) "Crusade India". Well in my personal opinion recently the Hon'ble Supreme Court has taken stern view regarding admission of various PILs by different courts & even advised them to refrain from adopting such practice in future. In the present situation, whether the ultimate mission of author is tenable in eyes of law, itself is a big question. Yet for an intellectual, the book definitely is an eye-opener who happens to rummage through it & therefore an essential reading material for every responsible citizen of India.

The book which is divided into 4 main parts; analyses present scenario of the country, the causative factors responsible for it, suggestions to improve & also throws a light on developing a system of prudent Governance in detail. The first part covers the historical perspective of evolution of Indian society albeit in a denigratory way yet the author can not be blamed as he had tried to evoke the sentiments of reader & ultimately succeeding in his attempt .The chapters on demographic, topographic & economic data are indeed work of research-par- excellence. The author must be applauded for giving deep insight into human behaviour covering socio-politico-religious aspects of present Indian society & system as well as phenomenon of terrorism/extremism prevalent in entire world.

Part II of the book comprehensively covers the prevalent system of governance as well as their evolution, the red-tapism, the fight between bureaucrats & technocrats, their fall-out, the inbreeding of corruption from 'Baburaj to Panchayatiraj'. He further explores the factors for failures of various industries chiefly PSUs, the war between democracy & autocracy, the public sector vs. private sector.

In part III, the author has dwelled upon the guidelines for urbanization of rural areas, the effect of formation of special economic zones (SEZ) & the real beneficiaries of it. He has given an insight into concept of 'Development of City Centers' for general up-liftment of masses. The issue of formation of SEZs definitely becomes all the more important in present scenario especially in wake of Nandigram & Singur Violence as happened in West Bengal. The author has commented upon various population control strategies, educational system overhauling, better management of water resources & their optimal use & ultimately balancing whole ecosystem by various ways whether Disaster Management, power regeneration, environmental pollution in-depth. He has suggested various measures for reforming the judicial system, emphasized on development of Information technology & research developing & studied the effect of globalization & liberalization on India vis-vis other countries specially China in subsequent chapters. The book comments on various contentious issues like resolving Kashmir problem, developing north-eastern states & state of affairs in defense services as well as defense-related policies like signing CTBT, Grant of permanent seat in UN Security Council to name a few.

Lastly the author has envisaged a system of governance basically a presidential system at Centre & Chief Executive Officers (CEO) at various states, which he thinks will go a long way in building the nation (just like which is being followed in France or USA).

The author must be congratulated for providing a deep insight into various aspects of governance. It also shows that being a technocrat; he must have gone through all its rigors & probably the victim of circumstances which is reflected in the rebellious attitude during writing the book at places.

Overall the book is definitely thought-provoking, must-read for every intellectual who is genuinely concerned with building of nation & definitely deserves all my critical acclaim.