In The Burning of India, G B Reddy, based on cumulative knowledge gathered from national security domain experts of the past and the present and wide ranging world-wide personal exposures and experiences over the past 60-years on the, has made a bold attempt to present "Hawk-Eye" view of the seize of Modern India by "Multiple Crises Ad Infinitum" with intent to provide "A Holistic Strategic Perspective" through synthesize of "Internal and External Security Challenges". He attributes the present crises proliferation to the absence of "National Security Strategy" document even after 73-years of attaining Independence and laying claims to repository of intellect par excellence. The author has reviewed the failure to address "Internal Security Strategic Challenges" to include "Societal Vicious Churning particularly Demographic Transitions", distorted Course of Domestic Politics in the name of Democracy, Crisis in National Values, 24x365 Elections, Corruption as National Security Threat, Crisis in Leadership, Judiciary, Media and J & K as the root cause for paving the inevitable course for self-destruction - "Collapse of the Constitution - The First Republic". G B Reddy then maps the "External Security Challenges" from China, Pakistan and Islamist Radicalism. Finally, G B Reddy posits that modern India might repent for failure to exploit opportunities available for forging and reinforcing strategic partnerships and alliances with USA, Russia and other friendly nations besides reviewing broad outline "Economic and Technology Security" and imperatives of "Modernization of Security Forces." By synthesizing thoughts and reflections extending over 6-decades - from undergrad student of political science and history to national security strategy research scholar - G B Reddy has presented a "Perspective" for the readers to understand the present political travails tormenting the nation and find means and ways to find appropriate solutions - Need for the "Second Republic" to meet the growing aspirations of 1350 millions of literate people vis a vis 340 million people of 1950s with 85% illiterate masses.
