The Importance of India

Why India? Why Now?
India is now the fastest growing major economy in the world. It is also home to one-sixth of the world's population. After introducing the course - we explore reasons why it is important to learn more about, from, with, and in India. We then demonstrate the scale of India's population and economy - including considering projections which show India might well become the largest economy in the world at some point in the 21st Century. In our final part we share some reasons why India might be the most "interesting" country in the world because of the simultaneity of the changes it is undergoing and the digital age context in which these are occurring.

Influence
This module has us embarking on a tour of history showing how India has been a much more influential player in the human story than is widely recognized.

Diversity
Across the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayas in the North to the Rainforests in the South, in this module we will explore and see how geology and the Monsoon weather system have shaped the most diverse country in the world.

Complexity
In this module, we demonstrate the complexity of India by considering the interplay of politics, socio-economics and belief using the vast range of secular and religious events, festivals and nationally observed holidays as our starting point.

Creativity
The birthplace of modern mathematics, meditation and yoga is now a hotbed of 21st Century innovation and home to the world’s fastest growing startup ecosystem. Let's explore some of India's monumental creativity before considering if India is innovative today. How is the Government of India using technology to solve the country's challenges

Opportunity
We introduce the fastest growing startup ecosystem in the world and look at a number of opportunities for India. We then consider the U.S.-India relationship and how India is increasingly engaging with the rest of the world. Finally we look at opportunities for young Americans in India - over 4,000 come to study and intern in India each year. We share their experiences and explain ways that you can get involved too.