COVID‐19 management in India: What worked and what didn't?

Abstract With a population of 1.4 billion and 269.3 million people below the poverty line, the biggest challenge for the Indian government was to contain the spread of the COVID‐19 virus and save lives. In a geographically, linguistically, and economically diverse country like India, a federal governance system presents unique challenges and opportunities for public administration at the federal, state, and local levels, which became particularly pronounced during the pandemic. The present study highlights some of the significant problems and lessons thereof, from the management of the pandemic in the Indian context. The study can be of significance for public administrators in dealing with wicked problem and crises in large and complex societies.