This unit is intended to provide students with an understanding of India in 1997 by drawing on some of the major cultural, political, intellectual, and economic themes of its recent history. This snapshot of India uses the 50th anniversary as the occasion to evaluate the path modern India has taken. The unit examines the country's reactions to internal and external pressures for change. The final project asks students to plan for India's next 50 years. Sections of the unit include: (1) "Intellectual Overview"; (2) "India, 1997"; (3) "Unity and Diversity"; (4) "Traditional Culture"; and (5) "Final Project." (EH)