Subject(s): Economic history -- Social conditions -- Rural Development -- Policies -- Mortality , Fertility -- Radical need and moderate reforms : Regional diversities and contrasts, intrinsic value and instrumental role of human capabilities, reforms, India and China, India's educational backwardness and lessons of Kerala, role of pre-reform China in its post reform success, economic development through social opportunity -- UP- burden of inertia : living conditions, schooling, public policy -- Agrarian politics and rural development in west Bengal : Political economy of reform program, agriculture -- Kerala's development achievements : Health, literacy, aspects of caste and gender relations in Kerala -- Mortality, fertility and gender bias in India