India has a well-established reputation for violating social science generalizations" -India After Gandhi, by Ramachandra Guha. Starting with its origins as an independent country and over the following seven decades, there has been speculation about whether India would stay united or would sustain its democratic institutions. Yet, in a relatively short period of time of seventy-five years, India s political system has become an example of a consolidated democracy in Asia. This course provides an introduction to the politics of India, with an emphasis on the key actors, institutions, and ideas that have shaped the evolution of Indian democracy and society.