ABSTRACT
The introduction examines the creation of an anglophone elite class in India under British rule and the development of English language writing in India. In the new millennium, knowledge of the English language has meant significantly higher earnings. India’s ‘growth story’ – partly owing to English being a global language – has also placed English in a powerful position, leading indirectly to a significant quantity of writing in English (fiction and non-fiction), offering large views of India. A scrutiny of the writing therefore reveals much not only about India’s dilemmas but also about the elite class picturing/critiquing them in various ways, and the relationship between that class and the nation also emerges. The introduction, after elaborating on aspects pertaining to English language writing in India, defines the goals of the book and its logic.
