Senior AAP leader and former Vice Chairman of the Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC), Jasmine Shah, launched his book, The Delhi Model, on Saturday at the Harvard India Conference in Boston, United States.

The launch event featured Harvard Kennedy School Prof Gautam Nair, former President of the Centre for Policy Research and Visiting Fellow at Brown University, Yamini Aiyer, along with several faculty members from Harvard University.

Advertisement

The Harvard India Conference, jointly organized by the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School on 15-16 February, brought together prominent Indian thinkers from government, business, and civil society to discuss transformative ideas for India’s progress.

While discussing the book, Shah remarked, “India’s growth over the past three decades has been uneven, with economic progress outpacing human development. India’s rank on the UN Human Development Index has dropped from 130 to 134.”

“The AAP government under Arvind Kejriwal has demonstrated that economic growth can coexist with human development. The Delhi Model proves that investing in health, education, and increasing earning capacity is key to driving demand and sustainable growth.”

When asked whether weak state capacity and corruption were the biggest constraints to efficient service delivery, Shah elaborated on the AAP government’s developmental achievements.

He stated, “Under Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s transformation in health and education proves that political will drives effective public services. The AAP government has leveraged technology to reduce corruption, with innovations such as doorstep services and automated driving tests.”

Speaking at the book launch, Professor Nair emphasized the book’s significance, saying, “The Delhi Model highlights the importance of building human capital for India’s development—a goal that should be central to all policies.”

“The book provides an insider’s perspective on the AAP government’s approach, offering valuable data, ideas, and discussions on the role of government in modern India.”