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.

Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, Deputy Editor, Frontline magazine, The Hindu group of publications.

M.P. Dube, Director, Institute of Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies, University of Allahabad.

Gyanesh Kudaisya, Associate Professor, South Asian Studies Programme, National University, Singapore.

Santosh Mehrotra, Senior Adviser, Rural Development Division, Planning Commission, Government of India.

Salil Misra, Faculty of History, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.

Yogendra Narain (IAS), Former Chief Secretary Uttar Pradesh and Former Secretary-General Rajya Sabha.

Sudha Pai, Professor, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi.

Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, Deputy Editor, Frontline, New Delhi.

Anand Sarup, Former Secretary, Planning & Chairman, State Planning Institute, UP.

V.J. Ravi Shankar, Lead Economist, South Asia Economic Management, The World Bank.

R.R. Shah (IAS), Former Member-Secretary, Planning Commission.

Ajit Kumar Singh, Director, Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow.

Jagpal Singh, Reader, Faculty of Political Science, School of Social Sciences, New Delhi.

Prakash Singh (IPS), Former Director-General Police, Uttar Pradesh and Former Director-General, Border Security Force.

Ravi Srivastava, Member, National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector, Government of India.

S.C. Tripathi (IAS), Former Secretary, Ministry of Petroluem.

Hariraj Singh Tyagi, Ex-MLC, UP, Meerut.