The White Tiger

There are 2 distinct worlds in India: the "Darkness" and the "Light". Darkness or the world of the poor and desolate where life is spent in trying to get the basic necessities. While "Light" represents the world of the rich who live in the city and never have less... rather they have too much. The author tries to draw the contrast between these two worlds through the life of Balram Halwai who is trying to move from Darkness to Light.  The book takes us through Balaram's journey from rags to riches.. from a worker at the teashop to a murderer and later a successful entrepreneur in Bangalore.

Balram is a simple guy from the village of Laxmangarh where his father was a rickshaw puller who is pulled out of school soon after his father dies of TB. Right from a young age he is a quick learner and a dreams big. Balaram soon becomes a driver to Ashok, who recently returned from America, is conflicted by the corruption and harshness of life in India. It is from him that Balram learns to behave like the rich. Unlike other drivers he tries to break away from his past to a future that he dreams will be rich.

The book brings out the corrupt politicians of India and how the rich keep becoming richer while the poor remain poor. The contrast between elections in the Light where people can vote and Darkness where people's votes are bought and sold by their masters. Anyone who tries to change this is openly crushed to spread the message clear and wide.

The book is written in the form of  series of letters to to Wen Jiabao, the visiting Chinese Premier of the State Council. Balram listens on the news that the Premier wants to know about the  successful Indian entrepreneur and begins his story on how he rose from the Darkness.

My Rating: 8.5/10

Note: picture courtesy Amazon.com