Amul to Manipal, expat Goan documents Indian success

India's growing potential is the subject of admiration for Eugenio Monteiro, a Goan-based in Portugal, who has just authored a book focusing on India's rise as an economic power.

The book, which was released recently, is called "The Rise of India". It was earlier published in Spanish as "El despertar de la India".

Monteiro sees India as "a country vast and diverse like its challenges", and goes about seeking to explain its many facets in the book. He sees a "miracle" in the recent economic changes in India, and the entrepreneurial energies unleashed owing to them.

His overview is meant to introduce an understanding of India, from the 1600s to the East India Company's stay, right down to the economic changes India has seen in recent times.

With the skill of an engineer, Monteiro describes how, despite lack of resources and a large population, initiatives are being offered in fields like healthcare and education in India.

Besides pointing to some prominent industrial groups, the book looks at successful initiatives like India's first private university, the Manipal University.

Monteiro also dwells on the milk cooperative Amul, telephony solutions, philanthropy-based private hospitals, Bangalore-based Devi Shetty's revolution in healthcare, the "Jaipur Foot", an artificial limb, the Madurai-based Aravind Eye Care System, which has made eye care affordable to poor and the like.

Monteiro also publishes an online newsletter, reporting on positive developments in India.

Monteiro was born in Nagoa Salcete village in Goa. His initial studies were in the state, and he went on to do his engineering in Lisbon, his PhD from Navarra (Spain) and post-graduation studies in Boston.

Monteiro is the co-founder of the leading Portuguese Business School, AESE in Lisbon, which develops a variety of management programmes for executives.

He is a visiting professor at Seville and the Canary Islands, Spain, and has authored several articles published in leading Lisbon-based newspapers and magazines.

Publishing house Goa, 1556, has published the English language edition of the book. - IANS