There was a lot of talk about spreading democracy throughout the world for the better part of the last decade.  Efforts met with mixed success, but inspiration can be taken from India's "experiment" with democracy.  The results are in and after more than 50 years of smooth transitions of power, we can say the "experiment" has been largely a success.  India's massive democracy has matured with: 

1.  A significant reduction in political violence
2. The evolution of a vibrant multi-party system with competitive options at the local, state, and national levels
3. The integration of 1.2 billion people into a functioning political order
4. The assimilation of 8 major religions
5. The accomodation of 28 major languages and hundreds of dialects
6. The dampening of hundreds of sectarian divisions
7. The ability to overcome all of the above in the face of a transitioning population with barely 65% literacy rates moving away from subsistence farming scattered across over 1 million small villages 

  

1.  1.2 Billion people
2. 714 million eligible voters (more than twice the entire population of the US) 
3. Low literacy rates of 65% (many vote by selecting pictures)
4. Voting machines distributed to remote jungle locations on the backs of elephants
5. 1.3 million voting machines
6. Nearly 850,000 voting locations
7. Multiple phases to accomodate the massive logistics

Despite the seemingly overwhelming process and the many miles countless voters have to trek to polling stations, Indian's turn out in high rates for elections - nearly 60% versus roughly 50% for the US.  It's a truly inspiring process as one of the world's largest emerging economies goes through this ritual.  It likely deserves a bit more attention that it is getting given the triumph of democracy in the face of so many obstacles.