well and well.
let the press do their slander, at the end of the day, india today is richer than the UK.
the press can moan and groan.

50 years ago, india was a part of the british empire
another 50 years down the line, england shall be a part of the global indian empire.

shripad sathe, normanton,

I can smell something burning in Britain, I guess thats people here burnning with envy about India becoming prosperous. Thats probably the reason why Indians are still despised here to some extent, fearful of the Indians becoming victorious whereever they are.
Great for India. Needless to say, I wish I could quote at least one philanthropist in India, I cant think of any.
SP, U.K

Padmini Yeleswarapu, Warrington, U.K

India is a dump, no matter how many Billionaires there are, sort out your poverty and hunger, then sort out your corruption, and then maybe you may a country to be proud of.

Oh and btw, while you still have fanatical religion and bolloywood films your country ain't going no-where, far too much time consumed in these two factors.

Hardev SINGH Gill, London, GREAT BRITAIN

I visit India on business every 8 weeks. The infrastructure there is a complete mess. The quality of life is miserable except for the fact that for 50 pounds monthly you can hire a wonderful chef all for yourself. Maids are even less expensive. Still you, me, the maid and Lakshmi Mittal all have to breathe air so totally polluted that one can sense the instant impact of the germs entering one's body. We are all stuck in the same traffic jams on the way into town and we can all see the residents using the streets as open toilets. The Brioni suits, Rolls and Stella McCartney frocks are only crutches against a society which while honouring capitalism refuses to tackle its infrastructure and quality of life in a meaningful way. Almost Victorian times there!

H. Peter Turner, Montreal, Canada

Nick,
some comments on your points like "Rajan Shah, that while you are gloating, you will consider the amount of aid and charity your country has received since independence;"

The amount of aid received is only of two decimal points importance if you consider the present value of the wealth England robbed from India over the 200 years it reigned India. You may take any relatively neutral written history book to verify this.

And, in the age of global village and mutual understanding where even Europeans, who fought with each over centuries, are putting emphasis on cultural interaction, forming study programs like Socrates scholarship etc. within EU, the view "sending its children to the other ends of the earth to get an education" sounds seriously backdated!!

Shubho Ghosh
London

Shubho Ghosh, London,

NIck,
dont forget that Uk has maximum students coming to study from india.each of them paying atleast £15,000 as fees .So you are not doing any favours to anyone.If they dont come to UK you will nevr be able to get free /concession college fees .Just to let you know

Girish, leeds, UK

I am in the water/sewer field. India still is a nightmare when it comes to clean drinking water and wasterwater treatment. Everyone opens a plastic bottle for drinking water which is what they offer to refugees in most places.

Point is it is all fine and dandy for billionaires and crorepathis to brag about the money etc. There has to be a sense of direction, at what point Bharatmata will have good infrastructure for water, sewer, power and roads? When you build a nice highway or aiport by all means brag about it. In the scheme of things the rich guy won't ackowledge you; but a highway can take you to trauma center quickly enought to save your life. We know how important that is! Don't we, especially after a Mumbai car crash. Who is beating the drum for that? Ambani can't go any faster on a highway than you can - thats called creating great middle class. Me and Donald Trumph goto work at the same time and I cut him off and give him the finger sometimes! Oh The Joy.

Navin, New York, NY

And I hope, Rajan Shah, that while you are gloating, you will consider the amount of aid and charity your country has received since independence; then consider the institutions that you inherited but for which you would still be living a fuedal existence.

None of us begrudges your success but it ill becomes a country that has and is still sending its children to the other ends of the earth to get an education.

Nick Jackson, St. Albans, UK

I could not agree more with Ragan.

A Stewart, Wellington, New Zealand

well RB why the hell not talk about the slums & potholes? They exist and noting the disparity between the haves & the have-nots is good reporting in my opinion. anyone who has been to India will have seen the poverty and filth for themselves and it doesn't get cancelled out or magicked away just because there are a few billionaires. Stop being so defensive guys...so no-one can say anything about the reality of life in India for the masses without being imperialist? Lets face it many people live in appalling circumstances, not to mention child labour and I for one am not impressed by people amassing ridiculous amounts of money at the expense of others. Not envy ... just pity.

Molly, In the mountains,

Typically, no article about India written by a brit is ever complete without a mention of slums and potholes in India. It doesnt matter that the title reads "Indias Billionaires" , . I havent yet heard a bbc report or read an article about prosperity in India that fails to mention the poverty.
No matter what altruistic justification the writer claims, the driving force for this is envy. Only human, after all.

RB, Philadelphia, USA

Rajan,

Wise old Indian women say "pride will kill you".

Even if the Indian economy takes over the UK, we should all be sick that the majority of Indian families live without proper healthcare; about half of Indian households do not have running water.

It would be good if we heard that the India elite 54 billionaires planned to act like Warren Buffet or Bill Gates giving 90% of their wealth to foundations planning sustainable development.

In hope for a better Bharat/India. Thank god the British made the trains.

Alpesh Patel, Nice/Nadiad, France/India

John i have no idea how you got the idea that the majority of people call it Bombay. I have lived in Mumbai all my life and when they name changed offically, many people started calling it mumbai. The raj is over, long long dead; there is nothing wrong with calling it Mumbai. Anyway it does not really matter whether we call it Bombay or Mumbai what actually matters is the UK our old imperial master recognises that the Indian economy will soon swallow the old master and leave old merry UK far far behind.

Rajan Shah, MUMBAI NOT BOMBAY, India

The majority of people in Bombay call it 'Bombay' and not 'Mumbai'. The fashion for unnecessay post-imperial names is not popular, particularly in the Soth of India.

john hall, Hyderabad, India

The article states that Ferrari sent two cars to "tour the sub-continent's potholed highways". Please note that the South Asian sub-continent (frequently and wrongly called the Indian sub-continent) consists of three countries, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Ferrari sent the cars on a tour of India only, not of the subcontinent.

Abid Shaikh
Karachi, Pakistan.

Abid Shaikh, Karachi, Pakistan

Rhys, by Bombay do you mean Mumbai? The British left India many years ago now.

HH, London, UK