From Nation-Building to Freebie Politics: The Changing Political Order in India
When India woke up to freedom in 1947, the leadership faced a monumental task—rebuilding a nation scarred by partition, poverty, and illiteracy. The vision was not just about governing a new country but about creating institutions that could anchor its future. Out of this vision came the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), and later, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). These were not mere organizations; they were the symbols of a young republic’s aspiration to stand tall in science, engineering, medicine, and industrial self-reliance. The Era of Institution Building In the early decades, politics in India revolved around institution-building. Leaders spoke the language of sacrifice, hard work, and long-term growth. The first IIT opened in 1951, a bold move to create world-class engi...