The empire was an act of extreme sacrifice and extreme generosity.
The former colonies are much worse off without it, India being a possible exception.
The best thing Britain did for India, was to give them a common language that all the Indians could communicate to each other with.
“The former colonies are much worse off without it, India being a possible exception.”
England, unlike other colonial powers, also exported the English culture wherever they landed. They gave India a functional post office, telegraph and telephone services, and the first railroad in 1853. You could go from London to any city in India and easily find the Post Office or telegraph office because they looked the same in both places.
Cricket is by far the most popular sport in India, followed by football (soccer), field hockey and badminton.
Why, except for the weather you might think you were in London!