The importance of Uttar Pradesh in India's socio-political firmament is never overstated. That evolves naturally on account of a variety factors, which includes its position as the most populous State in the country and the consequent influence wielded by its people and their leadership in the nation's polity. This unique status has been the subject of consistent debate among the political class as well as the academia. The studies and reflections in this volume, Uttar Pradesh: The Road Ahead, advances this debate addressing a number of specific issues from historical, contemporary and futuristic perspectives. The components of the volume were first presented in a two-day national seminar conducted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in 2008.

Central to this volume is the churning that manifold manifestations of identity politics brought to Uttar Pradesh since the mid-1980s, the seemingly never-ending political instability that it imposed as well as the possibilities and problems that the stability verdict of 2007 offers to the State. These issues are addressed by experts in the fields of politics, economics, sociology, governance and public administration.