Prasenjit K. Basu’s recent book Asia Reborn: A Continent Rises from the Ravages of Colonialism and War to a New Dynamism has been causing ripples in academic circles for its razor-sharp analysis. The book is being heralded as the first Asian economic and political history narrated by an Asian and has bagged The First Book of the year (non-fiction segment) recognition from prestigious Tata Lit Fest. BE’s Kingshuk Banerjee spoke to Prasenjit K. Basu regarding his recent literary work.
Q. How did the idea of writing this book come about?
A. I have been fascinated by history since I was a boy. As a graduate scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, I began to grapple with why East Asia had done so much better economically as compared to the Indian subcontinent. When I moved to Singapore, I began to examine why there was such a vast difference between the economic success of Japan’s former colonies (Taiwan, Korea, and north-eastern China) and the rampant poverty in the Indian subcontinent. That was how the idea of this book occurred to me.
Q. We know you did extensive research for collecting the information. Could you please tell us regarding the work?
A. Over the past two decades, I read voraciously, travelled across the region and built up a large collection of books during my travels (including for both business and leisure/ tourism). I first started writing in 2005, and completed writing a long introduction — but I suffered a setback when my laptop was burgled in KL the next year. I began writing again in 2013 and the lost introduction metamorphosed into a shorter prologue and a long first chapter. I sent the prologue to David Davidar in September 2013 and he offered me a contract six hours later — and the book took over my life for the next three years. I wrote at my desk, during the evenings after work, and especially on business trips. The solitude of a hotel room or of a flight seat proved particularly conducive to writing.
Q. How was the process of writing of this book?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 1 - 15, 2018 من BUSINESS ECONOMICS.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 1 - 15, 2018 من BUSINESS ECONOMICS.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Deposit shortage: challenges facing India's banking ecosystem
In any macroeconomic framework, the household sector plays a critical role as a driver consumption, savings, and overall economic activity.
India's future dreams in Semiconductors & AI
A midst the gloom of the RG Kar affair or the Tirupati laddu scam or even the continued terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir, even after the completion of the first general election in the state, we find hope and encouragement when the founder of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, in his recent visit to India says \"India will be a gigantic opportunity for us\".
The Ramayana: Justice and Modern Man
Consisting of Twenty-Four Thousand worthy Sanskrit verses, the Ramayana is one such epic, which provides a pathway to one committed to justice to establish himself as an ideal human being by following the exemplary life of its hero.
Vallabhbhai Patel: A Sardar of Farmers, A Matchless Social Reformer and the Maker of United India
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in unifying the princely states to form the Union of India.
Understanding Prosperity: NOBEL Prize awarded for groundbreaking research on institutions and economic development
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Memory of Alfred Nobel to three US-based economistsDaron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson\"for their studies on how institutions are formed and affect prosperity.\"
Sinking Resources: Groundwater crisis and sustainable solutions in Kolkata
Kolkata's underground water crisis is becoming a serious issue, driven by rapid urbanization and the construction of high-rise buildings.
Tourism Industry positively impacted by the festive season
Diwali transforms streets into a spectacle of festive lights, Diwali transforms streets into olis, and families gearing up for grand celebrations.
RBI's Shift to a Neutral Stance: Signaling a New Phase in Monetary Policy
For over a year, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a firm stance against inflation, raising interest rates by 250 basis points between May 2022 and February 2023 in response to post-pandemic price pressures.
UK Budget
There _ he latest UK budget represents a departure from previous fiscal documents.
Han Kang's Historic Nobel Prize Win
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to T South Korean writer Han Kang, 53, known for her works including The Vegetarian, The White Book, Human Acts, and Greek Lessons.
