Indian journalist P. Sainath explains the disastrous consequences of his country’s extreme income inequality.

The economic optimism and IT boom that created the image of an "India Shining" has dominated international coverage of the country for almost a decade. But as Indian journalist P. Sainath explains, the benefits of India’s newfound financial strength benefited only a select few. As Indian billionaires hoarded more and more money, the vast majority of the country sank deeper and deeper into poverty.

In this Nation Conversation, Sainath describes some of the more disastrous consequences of this extreme income inequality in India.

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—Anna Lekas Miller