3 Review(s)

A penetrating and detailed account of the hunger and starvation rampant in India, Ash In The Belly: India's Unfinished Battle Against Hunger is based on factual information gathered from the case studies of nine Indian states, conducted over a span of ten years. Summary Of The Book Ash In The Belly: India's Unfinished Battle Against Hunger is a stark reminder of the fact that starvation in India is not a result of the food deficit in the country, but rather the inequitable distribution of food, rendering almost 200 million Indians hungry and starving. This bold book investigates the political economy of hunger, and highlights the indifference of the general public to this situation. The book alternates between a factual narrative and real life stories, as the author artfully weaves tale after tale of Indians who have learned how to survive without food. The irony remains in the fact that despite numerous years of economic growth and being hailed as the world's largest producer of edible oils and milk, and the second-largest grower of sugar and wheat, India’s hunger problem is not only dominant, but is also intergenerational. The author advocates the universal right to food law, which states that the right to food is a legal entitlement, not a state benevolence. He asserts his belief that hunger is not limited to an empty stomach. It is closely associated with social and psychological destitution which stems from low self-esteem, shame, and the inability to conform to a society that you are an integral part of. In addition to providing a stark reminder of the complexities of poverty that are prevalent in India, the author provides statistical data that is bound to make every person reading this book reassess their evaluation of the country’s hunger problems. Governance failure and indifference, corruption, and ignorance are themes that are highlighted in this authoritative and poignant book. Ash In The Belly: India's Unfinished Battle Against Hunger was first published in 2012, and was written because the author wanted to share the stark reality of starvation deaths and poverty in India with the rest of the country and the world. About Harsh Mander Harsh Mander, born in 1955, is a renowned Indian author, teacher, ex-IAS officer and social worker. He has also authored books like Unheard Voices: Stories of Forgotten Lives, Fear and Forgiveness: The Aftermath of Massacre, The Ripped Chest: Public Policy and the Poor in India, Fractured Freedom: Chronicles from India’s Margins, and Untouchability in Rural India. Currently employed as the Director of the Centre for Equity Studies, he is also a co-founder of the National Campaign for the People’s Right to Information and Founder-Chairperson of the State Health Resource Centre in Chhattisgarh. He worked with the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) for almost two decades, and now teaches courses on Indian governance and poverty at St Stephen’s College in Delhi and the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. Mander was the recipient of several prestigious awards for his contributions to society such as the M. A. Thomas National Human Rights Award and the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award.