There is a certain image about India - mystics and snake charmers, poverty, palanquin bearers, slums, child labourers, corruption, hot weather, religious fanaticism, tradition bound women, etc.

Are these myths or realities about India?

These myths about India may make great conversational topics but just how poverty and illiteracy are realities so are a thriving democracy and economic opportunities for the young.

According to the recent eBook on the Myths About India, several of these myths have been shattered and change and optimism are in the air.

Given below are some common socio-economic and cultural myths about India and the real picture of these myths.

The myth about modern India being all about call-centers and BPOs because of the availability of cheap India labour has been proved wrong by many technologies and IT majors setting up R&D centers in India due to the intellectual strength of India.

The Indian Economy is not about the IT and BPO boom and prior to this boom itself, India had an established and well-developed manufacturing and industrial sector. India has a strong economy with clearly laid out 5-year developmental plans, a thriving agricultural sector and of late the fastest growing retail sector in the world.

The US is just another economic partner of India, with the biggest investor in India being Japan.

The growth and economic boom has been pan-India and not restricted to select pockets and the myth about the poor having got poorer has been invalidated as there has been a huge growth in the number of the Indian middle class due to entrants from the poorer class.

On the religious front, the myth about all Indians being Hindus is just not true. Hinduism is not a religion but a philosophy and a way of life needing no pundits or priests to guide it. While only 82% of Indians are Hindus, 12% Muslims and the others comprising of religions like Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and others.

Indians do not live in wooden shanty houses, with the construction industry being one of the major growth industries. Nor do they ride elephants or camels, which are available only in select tourist destinations. India has a huge and growing automobile sector with most of the latest international car models, being available in the country. Indians do not eat rats or snakes and the Indian cuisine is as rich as it is varied.

Though arranged marriages are the norm, things are changing due to the higher exposure levels and the increasing number of women in the workforce. An arranged marriage is usually the building of a very strong bond between two families and forms a good social support system.

India is one big country with 28 states boasting of different ethnicity. It has many different languages and dialects and different religions, co-existing in peaceful harmony.

Just some of the myths and misconceptions have been discussed above. More such myths and the reality of these myths about India can be found here: http://www.india-reports.com