The Indian subcontinent is a vast land mass inhabited by over one billion people. Its rich and varied history is reflected by its numerous racial and ethnic groups and its distinct religious, cultural and social characteristics. Like many developing countries in Asia, it is passing through both demographic and epidemiological transitions whereby, at least in some parts, the diseases of severe poverty are being replaced by those of Westemisation; obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, for example. Indeed, as we move into the new millennium India has become a land of opposites; on the one hand there is still extensive poverty yet, on the other hand, some of the most remarkable developments in commerce and technology in Asia are taking place, notably in the fields of information technology and biotechnology. India has always fascinated human geneticists and a considerable amount of work has been done towards tracing the origins of its different ethnic groups. In the current excitement generated by the human genome project and the molecular and genetic approach to the study of human disease, there is little doubt that this field will develop and flourish in India in the future. Although so far there are limited data about genetic diseases in India, enough is known already to suggest that this will be an extremely fruitful area of research.
From the reviews of the first edition:
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the only book written and compiled to focus on human genetics and genetic disorders in relation to people of the Indian subcontinent. It is hoped that the reader will have a good overview and background information on the key subjects ranging from social and cultural aspects to the application of the science of human genetics in the practice of modern clinical medicine."
(Dhavendra Kumar)
"This is excellent and long overdue"
(Professor Bhuki Parekh, London School of Economics, UK)
"Genetic disorders of the Indian subcontinent is a comprehensive and timely book that addresses the burden of genetic disorders in the people of the Indian subcontinent. ... There is an admirable attempt to explain the complex interaction of age-old beliefs, social practices, cultural influences ... . This book is an invaluable resource to all clinicians dealing with genetic disorders among this population not only in the subcontinent but even in other countries such as UK where there is a sizeable population from this region." (Charulata Deshpande, Human Genetics, Vol. 120, 2006)
