A heartfelt review of India Unbound exploring India’s rise through reforms and how Samskruth can evolve in today’s digital world.

I picked up India Unbound at a time when I’ve been wondering where we’re all heading. Technology is growing fast—AI, digital classrooms, smartphones in every hand. But somewhere deep inside, I keep asking: where is our Samskruthi in all this? Where is the voice of our ancestors, our language, our stories?

Gurcharan Das doesn’t directly answer these questions, but reading his book helped me connect the dots. It’s not just a book about economics or policy—it’s a personal and honest journey through India’s transformation. He writes like someone who has lived through it all—from the hope of independence to the stifling years of state control, and finally to the burst of energy after 1991’s liberalization.

If you’re interested in how traditional Indian knowledge systems are finding space online, check out my article on reviving Samskruth in the digital age.

What touched me most was the way he spoke about India’s invisible strengths. He talks about how India, with its contemplative traditions and abstract thinking, might actually be wired for the digital age. That felt so real to me. It’s like he was saying: don’t be afraid of change, just don’t forget your essence.

“Just as spiritual space is invisible, so is cyberspace… hence our core competence is invisible.”

It hit me: our ancient language—Samskruth—is also invisible to most of us now, buried under English apps and global news feeds. But maybe it still holds keys to how we grow in this digital age—with dignity, balance, and consciousness.

There’s another powerful moment where he writes:

“India will never be a tiger. It is an elephant that has begun to lumber and move ahead… slower, but more likely to preserve its way of life and civilization.”

That line stayed with me. We don’t need to imitate the West. We just need to walk in our own rhythm, with both our traditions and our tech in harmony.

I’ll admit, some parts of the book feel a little too business-focused, maybe even tilted toward metro success stories. But I forgave that, because the larger message was so powerful. It’s not about praising capitalism—it’s about reclaiming our right to dream, to rise, and to do it our way.

If you’d like to read the book yourself, you can get it directly from Penguin India or explore more reader reviews on Goodreads.

If you’re curious about how Indian economic thinking has evolved, you might also like my post on India’s journey from socialism to software.

If you’re someone trying to hold onto your roots while navigating a digital world, India Unbound will speak to you. It reminded me that we don’t have to leave our Samskruth or soul behind to succeed—we just need to carry it with us, wherever we go.

And maybe that’s how we grow—not by forgetting who we are, but by becoming even more of it.

Related Books

The Elephant Paradigm – Gurcharan Das

The Argumentative Indian – Amartya Sen

Being Indian – Pavan K. Varma