Gold in India : Commodity, Culture, and Economic Circuits

This book delves into the socio-economic significance of gold in India and studies its enormous cultural currency. Based on extensive research, the book will be of interest to not only academics but also to anyone interested in understanding more about gold in India.

India is developing as a global gold powerhouse, yet this intricate web of trade remains largely overlooked by scholars. This book delves into the socio-economic significance of gold in India and studies its enormous cultural currency. Drawing on insights from economic sociology, political economy, and history, it combines comprehensive fieldwork with archival research to explore gold economy- covering imports, refining, trade, craft and mechanized production, retail and re-export. Through a multidisciplinary study, it connects a reconnaissance of the roles of gold in familial and gendered wealth with a range of key issues in political economy. It shows how exploring the quiddity of gold offers a perfect plot to deepen our understanding of the socially regulated Indian economy.