Book excerpt: This is Tamil Nadu's first Human Development Report. Tamil Nadu has fared very well in human development among the States in India. It needs to be noted, however, that there are vast variations in the indicators of Human development within the State itself. Factors contributing to human development are disaggregated in this Report, and analysed at the district level. This will enable readers to understand the regional disparities in Tamil Nadu and the reasons behind them. The Report not only puts within one cover all the various aspects of human development in Tamil Nadu but also seeks to explain why the State has fared well in certain areas and not in others. It also highlights the policy interventions that will be required to correct the imbalances.