Uncover the dynamic intellectual landscape of postcolonial India and Asia. This essential study traces the cosmopolitan life trajectories and profound influence of intellectuals who navigated transformative eras in India and Vietnam. Through deep ethnographic fieldwork, Susan Bayly illuminates their crucial role in shaping societies and cultures during post-independence transitions. Gain critical insights into the mobility of the intelligentsia and their impact on economic and social change. A must-read for scholars of Asian history, postcolonial studies, and Indian intellectual traditions seeking a nuanced understanding of change.