I didn't say I based my words on only those opinions of my colleagues - as I mentioned, I've spent a lot of time in India, and travelled through a fair bit of it. I also volunteered at various charity projects in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi, so I've seen first hand how desperate things can get.

Yes, India is a huge and diverse country, yet in every area I went to there was a significant segment of the population living in truely horrifying conditions.