The novel White Tiger is a dark story about India, written by Aravind Adiga, is about the letter written over a period of seven nights by Ashok alias Balaram, an entrepreneur in Bangalore to Wen Jiabao, premier of China, to tell him about the true India, while Wen Jiabao is planning to come to India and meet few successful entrepreneurs.
There are two types of India - India in Light and India in Darkness and this novel focuses on the later. The letter is about Balaram’s life, son of a rickshaw puller, born in Bodhgaya, drops out from school and works in a Tea stall. Balaram later finds a job as a driver cum servant in Ashok’s house in Dhanbad. Ashok is an NRI, returned to India along with his wife to look after his family business. In desperation to come out of his poverty and selfishness, Balaram kills his master and runs away with the money. He goes to Bangalore and starts his own business and becomes successful. So finally a murderer becomes entrepreneur.
The writing style is excellent and except in one or two places this is gripping overall, can be finished in two days. The Author focuses on known-to-everyone problems in India like the slave mentality of Indians, the caste discrimination, the corruption, the lack of minimum facilities in villages, the political system, the difference between haves n haves not, etc… by describing Balaram’s living conditions, his village, how Ashok’s family treated him, etc. Except few exaggerations whatever author said about India is quite true. Don’t read this book if you hate or get bored by the stuff the shows Indian poverty/problems. I dint understand why the protagonist wants to tell all this to someone in China and how this will benefit that guy.
Title " the white tiger " here means a rare type. This novel is a winner of The Man Booker Prize 2008.
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