Rahul Das - The Blue Elephant : Why India Must Boost its Soft Power

Notion Press

No.8, 3 rd Cross Street
CIT Colony, Mylapore
Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004

First Published by Notion Press 2020
Copyright Rahul Das 2020
All Rights Reserved.

eISBN 978-1-64983-773-8

This book has been published with all efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. However, the author and the publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

While every effort has been made to avoid any mistake or omission, this publication is being sold on the condition and understanding that neither the author nor the publishers or printers would be liable in any manner to any person by reason of any mistake or omission in this publication or for any action taken or omitted to be taken or advice rendered or accepted on the basis of this work. For any defect in printing or binding the publishers will be liable only to replace the defective copy by another copy of this work then available.

The Blue Elephant is a timely, thoughtful and trenchant examination of the attributes of Indias Soft Power. It provides a clear-headed explanation and understanding of the context, concept, content and consequence of the term. It shows how civil society abets and shapes a sense of the collective self a national alter ego that brands for the world at large, the meaning and mission of a country.

There are two things that The Blue Elephant does for the reader: a comprehensive introduction to the why, what and how of Soft Power; and a cogent comparative assessment of where India stands on this amorphous but critical metric in the exercise and projection of national authority in global society.

Often used liberally in the discourse of international relations but rarely examined as to its limits and potential in leveraging hard power, Rahul Das methodically probes the non-formal beyond military and economic power capacities and capabilities of a rising nation-state to influence global opinion and optimise its national interest.

Kishore Mandhyan

Co-convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Maharashtra, India and Former Political Director for Peacekeeping, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs in the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Since ancient times, India has been seen as a country that has spread its knowledge, faith, trade, customs and diaspora worldwide. These in turn have added to and benefitted from the goodwill that Indias Soft Power has reaped. At a time when hard power is increasingly being used and diplomacy is taking a back seat to harsh rhetoric and populism worldwide, Rahul Das puts a much-needed spotlight on the need for India to reprioritise its Soft Power.

Suhasini Haidar

Diplomatic Editor, The Hindu

In The Blue Elephant , Rahul outlines his progressive strategic vision for India through the augmentation of the countrys Soft Power. A quirky mix of hard research and personal narrative makes this book a lucid read.

Tejasvi Surya

Honble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Bengaluru South

The striking feature of Rahul Dass writing is his effortless style that blends academic and diplomatic subjects like Soft Power with his personal experiences. Readers never find themselves going through topics that appear uninteresting or idealistic. Rather, they feel an emotional connect with the changes that reflect India positioning herself at the top of the global order.

Soft Power, a theory conceived by Joseph Nye and made popular by Dr Shashi Tharoor in the Indian mindscape, finds great harmony in Rahul Dass writing. What impressed and inspired me is the ease with which this youngster elaborates upon various historical, political and cultural narratives in an objective manner, especially in the current hyper-partisan digital era.

I must point out and commend the vast knowledge this youngster has. This is among the best books I have read on Soft Power in recent times. The insights and personal experiences shared in the work must be noted and discussed by national leaders and the mainstream media. The book has a soul, a positive intent and is firmly supported by strong intellectual understanding.

Rahul Easwar

Philosophy Author and Orator

Through its emphasis on Soft Power, The Blue Elephant charts out a dynamic path to embolden India in times to come. The dire need to capitalize on intangible and untapped resources to warrant Indias position in the global arena is the focus of Rahuls work. Intertwined with his personal journey and written in an accessible narrative , The Blue Elephant is a delightful read.

Mira Misra Kaushik, Order of the British Empire

Creative Consultant, UK

As India becomes more visible on the world stage, our vibrant youth (who are our greatest asset) must be aware of our Soft Power potential. Rahul writes about an interesting concept in International Relations and distils it in a unique and relatable manner.

Dr Ritesh Malik

Founder, INNOV8 Coworking Entrepreneur, Investor and Speaker

India has a pressing responsibility to present its case globally and must redefine a new soft path for the world. Rahul has chosen a fascinating topic and expressed his thoughts breezily, with flair.

Shashank Mani Tripathi

Founder, Jagriti Yatra

A well-researched book that delves deep into Indias vast potential to influence the world through its Soft Power. An easy read as it shares Rahuls personal experiences across his travels. A must for every Indian aficionado!

Dato Ong Eng Bin

CEO, OCBC Bank Malaysia

Soft Power presents a huge opportunity for India, the country that aims to be the next great power. Rahul Das hammers home this idea comfortably in The Blue Elephant .

Subramani Mancombu

Executive Editor, SwarajyaMag

For decades, India remained an elephant that neither preyed on others nor was preyed upon. Like its cricket team that won at home but never threatened abroad, India remained powerless far from its neighbourhood. However, as a new world race begins, India must think strategically and assert itself like it never has. Rahul Das has provided a great view of some of the steps we must do to get there. We cannot be content with winning the SAARC games and winning in spinning tracks but go beyond and assert ourselves on the global stage.

Balaji Viswanathan

CEO, Invento Robotics and Worlds Most Followed Writer on Quora

The Author

Rahul Dass grandfather was among the thousands who migrated to Malaysia (then Malaya) by boat during the first half of the 20 th century. Even so, circumstances led to Rahul reverse migrating and spending his formative years in India, the country his grandfather had chosen to leave. Growing up across India, first as a reluctant outsider to now someone who considers himself as Indian as anyone can be, Rahul has had unique perspectives of the country.

A Computer Engineer by training, Rahul began his career working in Cambodia and Malaysia, before moving to Bangalore, India where he currently resides to work as a Consultant. Rahul has a variety of interests. He enjoys music and swimming and was (before COVID-19 struck!) a regular at the Latin dancing scene. He is a triathlete and intends to participate in the first post-COVID Half Iron Man he has access to. Rahul loves interspersing hectic periods at work with exciting backpacking trips. Several of the ideas for this book have been inspired by observations he has made during his travels.