India’s Techade: Digital Revolution and Change in the World’s Largest Democracy

by Nalin Mehta

About the BookThis is a small book about big disruptions.Over two decades, and across two different political regimes, the world’s largest democracy combined the rise of cheap mobile phones, cheap data and a unique digital ID system to create an unprecedented revolution in digital public goods. This included the rise of path-breaking fintech systems like Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the creation of a new kind of welfare state based on digital direct benefit transfers and interlinked e-governance systems that brought almost half a billion people who never had bank accounts into the financial system.India’s Techade pieces together the story of how this digital revolution came to be. It is a crisp, yet comprehensive account of the systems, the innovators, the processes and the political will that drove the digital enterprise across India.A must-read for anyone who wishes to understand the transformative nature of technology and its deep impact on Indian society, politics and culture.About the AuthorNalin Mehta is Dean, School of Modern Media, UPES; President, EDGE Metaversity and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. He has taught and held research positions at universities and institutions in Australia (ANU, La Trobe University), Singapore (NUS), Switzerland (International Olympic Museum) and India (IIM Bangalore, Shiv Nadar University).He was previously Executive Editor, The Times of India-Online, where he led a number of AI-led tech innovations to redefine digital media. He has also served as Managing Editor, India Today (English TV channel) and Consulting Editor, The Times of India. He is the author of five bestselling and critically acclaimed books, including India on Television (winner of the Asian Publishing Award for Best Book on Asian Media, 2009), Behind a Billion Screens (longlisted as Business Book of the Year, Tata Literature Live, 2015), Dreams of a Billion (winner of the Ekamra Sports Book of the Year, 2021, co-authored) and, most recently, The New Modi and the Remaking of the World’s Largest Political Party.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2023

Reviews

[Amit Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone who has been living away from India for exactly 10 years now, this book was helpful to understand deeply the digital transformation that occurred in India which some of us followed without understanding its implications. However, I would have liked the author to discuss some shortcomings of AADHAR such as - unreliable demographics or data leak issues a little more.

[Jay Mehta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling chronicle of how India's digital landscape has been transformed, particularly under PM Modi’s leadership. The book highlights the pivotal role of Aadhar, the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhar, Mobile), and the Common Service Centers (CSCs) in bringing governance and welfare schemes to the last mile. Mehta captures how small, strategic tweaks—not just in monetary delivery, but also in psychological framing—have had a far-reaching impact on public service delivery.
The book acknowledges continuity from the Manmohan Singh era but credits the Modi government for addressing design flaws, plugging corruption loopholes, and scaling up implementation. Success stories from rural India bring these changes to life.
However, the narrative occasionally suffers from repetition, particularly in the early chapters, with statistics being recycled across different sections. Still, the book is a timely and informative read on India’s evolving digital revolution and the policy shifts driving it.
Overall, it's a good and concise read.

[Aurodeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable and engaging account of tech in India.