We are used to seeing members of “think tanks” holding forth on a wide range of topics every day on television news. Some of the experts are conservatives, some liberals, some in-between. What many people may not know is how important think tanks have become in the formation of U.S. Government policy. This issue of SPAN offers two articles about think tanks. The first, by seasoned analyst and former diplomat Richard N. Haass, gives a brief history of how think tanks developed in America and how they are used as resources. The second shows think tanks in action, as Ashish Kumar Sen reports on a panel discussion among a few well-known experts hosted by the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University. The subject under scrutiny was economic diplomacy in South Asia. Another angle on economics is explored in “The New Economy Was a Myth, Right? Wrong,” by James Surowiecki, a positive take on the fallout of the boom-and-bust of the 1990s. He predicts that fundamentals of the New Economy will endure and grow.

Our cover story, “An American Gharana?” strikes a lighter chord as Fulbright scholar and dance student Reena Shah writes about American students of Indian dance. Indian classical dance has long attracted American disciples. Now that many authentic Indian dance gurus have established themselves in the U.S. to cater to the swelling Diaspora, interest has grown appreciably. But how will the traditional disciplines be translated across the seas?

Transportation is an issue everywhere, whether it concerns goods or people. “Digital Railroad,” by Don Phillips, tells of new advances in technology that are being introduced into U.S. railways. A high tech transformation is also on the rails in Delhi. American management expertise is part of the global team developing the New Delhi Metro. See “Riding High in Delhi” by A. Venkata Narayana. And in “Strides Toward a Cleaner City,” Dipesh Satapathy relates how a switch to CNG-fueled vehicles helped India’s capital city win a U.S. clean air award.

Two kinds of flyers are showcased in this issue: man and bird. The upcoming 100th anniversary of the first motorized, manned flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, makes excerpts from James Tobin’s new book about the Wright brothers timely reading. “To Fly!” tracks events on the days leading up to that historic flight in December 1903. “Muscle & Magic: Snowy Owls,” by Lynne Warren, featuring images by wildlife photographer Daniel J. Cox, zooms in on the Wright brothers’ chief source of inspiration: birds. The snowy owl is seen in its habitat in remote Alaska.

“Stars & Stripes for Indian Americans,” by Ashish Sen, profiles a few more fliers-along with some sailors and marines. All are Indian Americans in active service in the U.S. armed forces. One such son of India, turned U.S. naval officer, just visited India in his capacity as commander of the navy frigate, the USS Gary. Commander Tito P. Dua made a three-day port stop in Kochi in June as part of the growing military cooperation between India and the United States.

Harris Wofford-Gandhian, co-organizer of the Peace Corps, civil rights activist who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., former U.S. senator-is still going strong. He is now co-chair of America’s Promise: Alliance for Youth, an organization that promotes citizen service. He spoke to Lea Terhune about his long relationship with India, his eventful life in public service and his current work. Nature’s worth is something that is often not appreciated until species and habitat are lost. In the two-part “What Is Nature Worth?” Edward O. Wilson makes a powerful case for preserving the biosphere, our living natural environment. An example of nature’s boon is the subject of “The Ancients Among Us,” by Charles W. Petit. Ancient trees in the U.S.-some of which are as many as 4,600 years old-are studied to learn about the history of climate change and along the way solve some mysteries.

These stories and more are offered for your reading pleasure. We hope you enjoy the monsoon and our monsoon issue.