Yogi:
I have studied the history of a number of nations/countries/people. However, None of these histories comes within light years of the complexity of India's history. Consider that India is home to mankind's first civilization (you might start by reading about Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa) and that most of the elementary and crucial scientific advances we enjoy today come from India, such as mathematics, anatomy, and chemistry. (Here, you may recall that we were taught that Western culture obtained these advances from Arabic culture during the Crusades and from trade. This is true, however the part that was left out was that the Arabs derived this knowledge and learning from India.)
So, in keeping with:
I'd love to learn all I can about your country, good as well as bad.
People, politics, everything.
I would suggest that your quest would best be served with healthy doses of intellectual curiosity, an open mind, a willingness to quickly discard any preconceived notions, and a strong expectation that you are going to fall in love with what you are learning.
There are so many books you can read, because India is so complex -- a nation that includes many unique and distinctive cultures with their own language and literary traditions, as well as history. So you can profitably start in thousands of places on your quest for learning. However, I would humbly suggest three books that might give you a good start, and which I've found and still find helpful:
1.
The Timeline History of India, by Dilip Hiro, Barnes & Noble, 2002. I believe that history is best understood as hanging on a skeleton of dates, and this is a good place to start. I do wish the author would have been a bit more attentive to South India, but this is a book I refer to constantly.
2.
India by Stanley Wolpert, University of California, 1991. Wolpert is widely recognized as a Western expert on India. I have read some of his other stuff that was somewhat underwhelming, but this book is short, succinct, and well written. It will serve to give you an interesting overview of Culture, including Religion, Philosophy, Science, and the Arts, along with smidgens of geography and a useful overview of history.
3.
Cultural Atlas of India, by Gordon Johnson, Andromeda, 1996. I love large books like this that are full of maps, pictures, diagrams, and timelines. Johnson covers the regions of India and includes tidbits about Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. You get a notion of how the monsoon works and what it does, as well as a lay of the land and the people in different regions, and also interesting historical perspectives.
There are other books, but these, or others like them, will give you a good start. My suggestion would be to find somewhat bland books with a wide historical view, as you don't want your views shaped too narrowly by recent political discussions.
One thing I have found of immense value is watching Bollywood (and even some Kollywood -- Tamil) movies. Cinema is a great way to see how people view themselves and what they value. I personally find Bollywood to be as much fun to watch as Hollywood, and actually, perhaps a bit more so.
Another thing: Find an Indian association where you live. I will bet that there is one or more that you can find, if you look hard enough. Then, take in some of the cultural offerings that are available. For instance, I saw this woman at one such offering:
http://www.alarmelvalli.org/thedancer.html
I have personally seen the art treasures of the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum, among others, and have seen a number of musical performances, including one by Itzhak Perlman. I do believe that Alarmel Valli's Bharatanatyam is the single most beautiful art work I've ever seen. Breathtaking is far to banal a word to apply to her performance.
I have personally found that most Indians in the USA are reticent in discussing India with non-Indians. To put it bluntly, I believe that they have found too many jerks who dismiss India and Indian culture, history, and science as unworthy of attention, and this makes them reluctant to share. If you learn a little and open the conversation with what you know, I expect that the response will be amazement, smiles, and a willingness to discuss these things. As I work with the public, I find Indian folks coming into my place of business, and I am almost 100% successful in opening up a conversation with them.
For example, awhile back, a man came in with his wife, mother (or mother-in-law), and little daughter about 9 years old. Upon asking my advice about something, I told the man what I knew and said, "I can't tell you any more, or you'd think I was one of the 3 Idiots." Knowing this is never enough, I added, "Of course, you'd never mistake me for Aamir Khan." Then I began asking the little girl who her favorite actor and actress were, and shared mine. She asked me, "Do you ask everyone these questions?" Her dad and I laughed and said no together. Such encounters are always a real highlight of an otherwise very drab day.
India is just like learning anything else, only more so: a mind works best when open. You will be inundated by many concepts that you're not familiar with, so take your time and give them some thought. They aren't all that unfamiliar when you take them in their own context.
Have fun!
(Brothers, please forgive me for writing this: You know I am totally unworthy to offer opinions on this subject about which I know so little. So please forgive me for being like the first grader and wanting to blurt out what little I know with joy and eagerness.)
It still survives as far as electronic/ cheque/ card transactions are concerned and even then most people will simply round off the figure to the nearest rupee when issuing a cheque.