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This reviewer, who has enjoyed the friend¬ship of Colin Legum for the past two decades, can without any fear of contradic¬tion describe him as perhaps the most know¬ledgeable commentator on matters concern¬ing the vast continent of Africa. Having met him several times in India, Africa, London and New York and having participated with him in a couple of international seminars on Africa, it would be fair to call him a leading Africanist. Essentially a journalist, he is highly respected even by academics from Africa, the United States and Britain.

This book gives in brief the planning events of the last 35 years in India. Yet, as the author himself has pointed out, ‘whatever progress achieved has been largely neutralised by sharp rise in popu¬lation’, which has made the so-called ‘self-sufficiency’ in foodgrains a mirage for the very poor. He points out that the development of agriculture has not been as intensive as needed with yields per acre still very poor while at the same time terms of trade have consistently moved against agriculture.

There is a persistent campaign in the corridors of the capital that voluntary social groups working in rural areas are ‘destabilizing’ India. Anil Bhatt provides proof that indeed they are destabilizing India—but the India they are destabilizing is India of the capitalwallahs. Bhatt reports:
For the very poor any increase in production, though not enough to pull them out of subsistence, has been sufficient to give them enough food, a little better clothing and some addi¬tional necessities of life.

For all its traditions of revering its sages and savants, this country is sadly deficient in the gift of honouring those who do it distinguished service. This has, let it be said right away, nothing to do with rewards. The truly great servants of a nation do not give a damn about re¬wards for services rendered. But surely there is such a thing as recognition. And, it, alas, is in short supply in India today.