When the novel coronavirus made it to India in early 2020, contagion forecasts were high, given the country's dense urban areas, localized government units, and unequal health-care systems. Like many countries, India saw a daily increase in cases throughout the year, peaking at just under 100,000 cases per day before steadily dropping. This year it experienced a second wave, with infections reaching a high of just over 400,000 new cases per day. Many hospitals were overwhelmed, and there were shortages of oxygen. Even so, overall, India has bucked the trend, registering lower rates of infection and death than countries with much smaller populations and more advanced economies. Why have the infection and mortality rates in India been relatively low? What role did community groups and local institutions play in stemming infection and maintaining livelihoods? What lessons from India's example can be applied to countries facing new infection waves?