I've always been fascinated by India and appreciate that a country with such a painful history of colonization is now emerging as a superpower in Asia. People are changing, the country is evolving, and it's challenging the modern world. But even though I know India well, despite never having visited it, I still wonder: how can a country with such a deeply traditional identity face the challenges of modernity? We're not talking about Japan, a country that, despite its old traditions, embraced the path of technology and modernity. We're talking about India—a country that, in some ways, neither wants nor can completely change. It's the India of Gurus, where people endure hardship to follow a sacred path, the India of majestic temples, and of religions older than much of the world itself.

What I mean is, in India, there are such deeply rooted traditions, from food to daily life, that set its people apart. So, how is it possible to blend this with modernity? Can Shiva continue to exist while we use social media? Can a guru teach the path of yoga while the country lands on the moon?

I’m British-Italian, and in both of my countries, the few remaining traditional ways of life seem to be rapidly disappearing as they struggle to coexist with modernity. Will the same happen to India?