Rogue Elephant: Harnessing the Power of Democracy in the New India

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, India stood on the brink of an exciting new era. Yet only a decade later, a series of corruption scandals and acts of violence against women had tarnished the nation’s image and slowed her economic growth. When Narendra Modi became India’s fifteenth prime minister in May 2014, he promised to revitalise a nation which seemed to have lost its way. With a record turnout, the elections were a powerful testament to Indians’ aspirations for a brighter future. Rogue Elephant uncovers the gripping struggle between powerful vested interest groups and those trying to foster change. Simon Denyer exposes the failures that undermined India’s self-confidence and paved the way for Modi’s triumphant victory, but also examines the heroic efforts of those who are fighting for a better future in the world’s largest democracy.

About the Author :
Born in Portsmouth, Simon Denyer studied Economics at Trinity College, Cambridge, and worked as an economist in the City of London before changing to a career in journalism after a long stint of travelling. As a correspondent for Reuters he worked in numerous places, including New York, Latin America Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Washington covering various significant events including the 2004 Indian general election and the Asian tsunami. He is now based in Beijing as the Washington Post’s China Bureau Chief, as well as being President of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia. @simondenyer

Review :
Revealing panorama ... Denyer explores issues through well-told stories of activists, officials, crusading lawyers, and grandstanding television journalists who are fighting to expose and correct abuses, sometimes at considerable peril ... The pervasive misrule that Denyer highlights is outrageous, but he balances it with hopeful signs that India’s democracy can respond to popular pressure. Avoiding clichéd notions of India as either South Asian super-tiger or eternal basketcase, Denyer’s sharp-eyed reportage and analysis convey both the size of India’s problems and the strength of efforts to remedy them If there is one book you should read to understand the new India it is this one. Simon Denyer has explored India with a depth and freshness which captured me as a reader Denyer has doggedly covered many of the stories that have dominated India's headlines in recent years, and his thorough reporting is on display here A rigorous, perceptive and sympathetic account of a fast-changing nation. Refreshingly clear-eyed and balanced … A very welcome addition to the growing stack of literature on the new India A rich and varied portrait of India … Rogue Elephant’s take on Indian democracy is varied, complex and fiercely independent … Original and illuminating Denyer’s in-depth reporting with a forensic eye on contemporary India is an extraordinarily hard-hitting, biting, candid take