Water was once as precious as oil is today and it played a crucial role in the economic fate of the Indian subcontinent, argues Tirthankar Roy, an economic historian at the London School of Economics and the author of Monsoon Economies: India’s History in a Changing Climate.
In a chat with The Hindu, Mr. Roy explores the major geographic challenge that stalled India’s economic growth over many centuries, how it was finally overcome, and the price that is still being paid for government action that was aimed at solving the challenge.
