Sam Pitroda’s New Book ‘The Idea of Democracy’

Renowned author Sam Pitroda has written a new book titled ‘The Idea of Democracy’, which explores the current state of democracy and its potential challenges in countries like India and the United States. The book launch event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and other eminent personalities from the literary industry.

Pitroda’s book addresses the paradox of so-called democratic success coupled with its liberal decline. It provides a detailed analysis of the essence of democracy, its workings, the values it needs to encapsulate, and the forces and safeguards that can help preserve liberal democracy. The book aims to stimulate conversations, particularly among the youth, on the meaning of democracy and the role they can play in its survival and thriving in the coming era.

About the Author

Sam Pitroda is an internationally respected telecom inventor, entrepreneur, development thinker, and policymaker who has spent 50 years in information and communications technology (ICT) and related global and national developments.

Credited with laying the foundation for India’s telecommunications and technology revolution in the 1980s, Pitroda has been a leading campaigner to help bridge the global digital divide. During his tenure as Advisor to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he led six technology missions related to telecommunications, water, literacy, immunization, dairy production, and oil seeds.

Pitroda has also served as the founder and first Chairman of India’s Telecom Commission, the Chairman of the National Knowledge Commission, and the Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation. He has been a Founding Chairman of several non-profit organizations, including the India Food Bank, the Global Knowledge Initiative, and the Institute of Transdisciplinary Health.

Pitroda is a serial entrepreneur, having started several companies in the United States. He holds around 20 honorary PhDs, close to 100 worldwide patents, and has published five books and numerous papers. He is known for his contributions to the development of India’s technology revolution and his efforts to bridge the global digital divide.