The Light and the Lotus
What the return of the Piprahwa relics asks of us—about restraint, remembrance, and how we practice attention today
Big Ideas Articles
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Trade Is the New Geopolitics—and India Must Learn to Play It
Why India’s future power will be shaped less by diplomacy and more by trade architecture
Iran at the Brink: Five Scenarios That Could Reshape the Region
Economic collapse, political revolt and great-power rivalry converge in Iran’s most dangerous moment in decades.
When We Stopped Taking Things Apart
How abstraction, AI, and frictionless systems may be reshaping confidence, cognition, and first-principles thinking
A World Without Endgames
What prolonged global conflicts mean for Europe, China—and India’s narrowing strategic space.
Test cricket’s second innings
With the right positioning, Test cricket can become a premium cultural product — and a powerful tourism engine. The BCCI is uniquely placed to lead that shift.
Understanding the Living Will—Clarity, Autonomy, and Care at the End of Life
Why talking about death early may be the most humane act of care we offer our families—and ourselves
The Best of FF Life 2025
11 stories that asked us to slow down, look closer, and feel more deeply
The Best Stories of 2025
Ten of our best work through the year—on business, leadership, and geopolitical trends
When Numbers Lie
Why measurement is never neutral—and why AI forces us to rethink what we trust
The Year the World Learned to Live Without America
How Trump’s tariffs, Europe’s capitulation, China’s counter-moves and India’s narrowing room for manoeuvre reshaped the global order.
The Best Business Books of 2025
Ten essential reads on money, leadership, and navigating a changing world
2025 in Review | Episode 5: India’s Strategic Tightrope in a Fragmenting World
Ambassador Shyam Saran on a post-American order, a slowing China, and how India must balance room for manoeuvre with hard-headed realism on Russia, the US and China.
2025 in Review | Episode 4: Europe’s Year of Hard Choices
Europe entered 2025 already strained by war, fractured politics, and economic anxiety. As Philippe Le Corre explains, this was the year when three pressures collided—an unending war in Ukraine, a drastically altered transatlantic dynamic under Trump 2.0, and a more openly competitive China
Who Gets to Decide What Happens at the End of Your Life?
Living wills remain on the fringes, but they are forcing India to confront family power, cultural taboo, and the realities of end-of-life care—signalling a profound shift in how the country thinks about dignity and medical decision-making
2025 in Review | Episode 3: America’s Year of Disruption
Justin Logan of the Cato Institute on how Trump’s second term reshaped global trade, defense alignments, and America’s domestic equilibrium—and why the turbulence may be far from over
2025 in Review | Episode 2: The Erosion of Global Norms & Accelerating AI
Sundeep Waslekar, president of Strategic Foresight Group, on a West in turmoil, an international order in free fall, and an AI race racing ahead of rules.
2025 in Review | Episode 1: China and the Trumpian Reset
How does China see the Trumpian reset of the global order? What's really happening inside its domestic economy? And are we seeing signs of a thaw with India? A conversation with Chinese economist Prof. Yao Yang
The Age of Individualism—and Its Unseen Costs
John Kay—one of the world’s leading thinkers on economics, corporate purpose, and capitalism—explores why individualism remains so deeply entrenched, even as it fuels inequality, populism, and institutional decay. Part 1 of a two-part conversation
How Community, Not Competition, Can Renew Capitalism
The real job of management is managing the not always compatible expectations of stakeholders, says John Kay. The organizations that have been successful in the long run are the ones that managed these balances. Part 2 of a two-part conversation
The Government Works—Just Not How You Think
The government is not as a machine to fix, but a living system to serve: a conversation with Subroto Bagchi, entrepreneur, author, and public servant
US Shutdown Theater: Starring US Congress, Directed by US Constitution?
Britain and India survive budget battles. The US turns them into a national pastime
From Gaza to Doha:How Israel’s Strike on Qatar Shook the Middle East
Israel’s strike on Qatar has triggered a dangerous new phase in the Middle East — exposing Washington’s conflicting roles as ally and broker
The Power of Like
Insights from Martin Reeves and Bob Goodson’s new book, ‘Like’
Digital Nomads and the Future of Work
Towns and even countries are offering incentives to attract remote workers—and their tax dollars and local spending. For managers this adds yet another level of flexibility for their remote talent. An extract from Prithwiraj Choudhury’s new book, ‘The World Is Your Office’
Trump's Tariff Gambit and the Global Trade Dilemma
In the Indo-Pacific, America’s transactionalism collides with its strategic incoherence—posing hard choices for its partners
Trump’s hardball tactics to extract minerals & peace in Ukraine
Ukraine’s critical minerals deal with the US hangs on the edge of a precipice. Will it be a harbinger of peace with Russia? Or a deal too complex for even Trump to swing?
Masterclass: The World in 2025 - Part 2
15 takeaways from Part 2 of the two-part Masterclass series with former foreign secretary Shyam Saran
Masterclass: The World in 2025 - Part 1
17 takeaways on the new dynamics in geopolitics and geoeconomics, especially after Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president, the shifting sands in the Middle East with conflict and informal fragile truce, and the big decadal shifts
Briefing #4 | The view from New Delhi: Choices and dilemmas
The defining challenges for India as it tries to balance demands from the US administration, and its own Asian backyard, which is increasingly coming under the dragon’s shadow
We, the People of India
Stories of the making of our Constitution
Briefing #3 | The US-China tech rivalry: More than tech
Six industries to watch as the complicated relationship between the two countries in geopolitics extends to technology too
Briefing #2: The risks from war still raise the spectre of uncertainty
The ghosts of the past will continue to haunt long into the future
Briefing #1 | US-China relationship: It’s complicated
Even as Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, the tensely awaited tariff orders were conspicuous by their absence
The global trends to watch in 2025
Insights from The Economist’s report ‘The World Ahead 2025’
Founding Fuel Live | The Best Business Books of 2024
A Founding Fuel Live conversation between D Shivakumar and Ramesh Srinivasan, co-author, ‘The Journey of Leadership’
My top ten business books of 2024
The best books of the year on how the past informs the future, tackling tough situations, and technology
What happens to our data after we die?
What part of our digital history is worth preserving? And who should have access and control over our social media accounts, passwords and other data?
The new business theme: Love the product, hate the producer
Insights from economist John Kay’s new book ‘The Corporation in the 21st Century’
Masterclass: Geopolitics and Global Trade - How It Impacts India
What are the implications of the US-China rivalry for companies, global trade and India in particular? The Masterclass is a culmination of a weeklong curated learning experience
Briefing 3: The US - Europe - Russia - China - India dynamic
Security and economic realism determine much of today’s trade. The third and final in a three-part series to set context for the Masterclass on Geopolitics and Global Trade
Briefing 2: India and the Indo-Pacific
Geopolitics, geo-economics and India’s positioning in the region. The second in a three-part series to set context for the Masterclass on Geopolitics and Global Trade
Briefing 1: How a fragmented world will impact trade & corporate strategy
The first in a three-part series to set context for the Masterclass on Geopolitics and Global Trade
Fire in the ’hood
With Bangladesh wobbly, India is now surrounded by unstable states with restive populations and fidgety militaries
23 Takeaways from Founding Fuel Live: The Best Business Books of Summer 2024
A conversation with Dr D Subbarao, Dr Dana Sinclair and Harit Nagpal, and D Shivakumar
Heatwave, Flood & Water Stress: India Inc’s Tryst with Extreme Weather Patterns
Why businesses need a holistic climate action plan. Now!
Not the government’s cheerleader
An extract from former RBI governor Dr D Subbarao’s book, ‘Just a Mercenary?’
13 Most Memorable Moments: Lok Sabha Elections 2024
The key turning points that defined a truly tumultuous general election
The shape of the world in the next five years
Fires of war are burning in several parts of the world. And the US-China hegemonic rivalry is now real. But even amidst the uncertainty there are clear signals about how geo-economics and geopolitics could shape up. Part 1 in this 3-part series dives into the paradoxes that will shape supply chains and geo-economics
The multi-layered alliances shaping geopolitics
Two clear blocs are emerging, one led by the US, the other by China. However, it’s not another Cold War. Part 2 in a 3-part series on the shape of the world in the next 5 years
The future of hegemony: Asymmetric cooperation
In a complexly layered world, neither the US nor China will be an absolute hegemon. The final in a 3-part series on the shape of the world in the next 5 years
NPAs: A problem that refuses to go away
An extract from Rajrishi Singhal’s book, 'Slip, Stitch and Stumble: The Untold Story of India's Financial Sector Reforms'
A dangerous tit-for-tat game is afoot in the Middle East
The US, China and Russia are entangled in a complex way. And the rising tensions in the region are already disrupting shipping and the oil trade
Masterclass: The World in 2024
A stellar panel unpacks the primary drivers of complex change facing the world: The implications of elections in more than half the democratic world; the US-China rivalry and the economic disruptions of their mutual de-risking; assessing Global South as a tangible international entity; and more
Is India too late to the Global South party?
China may have already stolen a march with its massive financing, infra investments and deals to access natural resources and stranglehold on markets across the developing world. Yet India may still have some aces up its sleeve. The sixth and final column in our Year End Special series on making sense of the biggest economic and geopolitical shifts and what they signal
Is Africa swapping out Europe for China?
The political economy calculus in Africa is changing. Any China-EU rivalry in Africa will only benefit the continent. The fifth column in our Year End Special series on making sense of the biggest economic and geopolitical shifts and what they signal
Is the US in strategic retreat in the Indian Ocean region?
And does China have the capability to increasingly dominate this space? The fourth column in our Year End Special series on making sense of the biggest economic and geopolitical shifts and what they signal
Eight best business books of 2023
An annual round up of the most memorable books of the year
Does the current US-China detente signal a thawing of relations?
Neither of them wants an economic MAD (mutually assured destruction), and this is a tactical pause. This is the third column in our Year End Special series on making sense of the biggest economic and geopolitical shifts and what they signal
Caught in existential dilemmas, how is Europe’s political thinking shaping up?
Europe is caught between the left and right, antisemitism and Islamophobia, accepting asylum seekers and pushing back boats. The time for a delicate balancing act may be over. This is the second column in our Year End Special series on making sense of the biggest economic and geopolitical shifts and what they signal
Is the world increasingly becoming a dangerous place to live?
The existential threat to human civilization is not from wars, but from nuclear disaster and climate change. This is the first in our Year End Special series on making sense of the biggest economic and geopolitical shifts and what they signal
Masterclass: Making Sense of the Hamas-Israel War
What does the war mean for the world? A discussion with Sundeep Waslekar
China's economic shift: Politics trumps growth
Despite the slowdown in its economy, Xi Jinping has not intervened with a stimulus package. The reason is a big shift in his policy, which is focused on building self-reliance. And this China Dream calls for patience and collective sacrifice by the Chinese nation
Perspectives on democracy, progress & changemakers
Book discussion: A conversation between D Shivakumar and Arun Maira on Maira’s book, ‘Listening for Well-being’
The practice of Chinese foreign policy
Book Review: ‘After Tiananmen: The Rise of China’ by Vijay Gokhale
Masterclass: The World in 2023
A top-class panel of experts decodes the world of opportunity and risk on multiple fronts
Wabi Sabi, life is long, and other reflections
On noticing, living meaningfully, fulfilment, antifragility, womanising in India, wellness, birding, and a lot more
The World in 2022: Events that shaped our world
Eight experts from various fields list the defining events of the year and their impact
The Top 10 business and leadership books of 2022
Books about a fearless industrialist, building a great culture, regret and fulfilment, building careers, world strategy, reinventing work, and becoming a strategist
US-China Tech war: The US is weaponizing its global influence
What the US CHIPS and Science Act means for China, the world and India. A podcast with Prof G Venkat Raman
Close calls and broken arrows
Fears of nuclear Armageddon aren’t exaggerated. The world has come to the brink of a nuclear war many times. An extract from Sundeep Walsekar’s book, ‘A World Without War’
Nuclear War: A 100 seconds to midnight
We need to revisit our ideas of nation, humanity, and war. For nuclear annihilation is just a spark away
Masterclass: Making Sense of Xi Jinping’s China
Why the crucial Communist Party congress starting October 16 could mark a major inflexion point in the country's political and economic journey
India’s negotiations with China: The boundary question
An excerpt from former foreign secretary and former ambassador to China, Vijay Gokhale's book 'After Tiananmen: The Rise of China'
Xi Jinping and the rise of a new party elite
The crucial Chinese Communist Party congress next month will likely usher in a new breed of technocrats in its highest decision making bodies. In that there are clues to shifts in the country’s domestic and foreign policy
India@75: A nation of fireflies
A grandfather shares what he's learnt from his grandson on the realities of India—and his insights on how the youth can and are leading the change
The soul in the machine: Thinking about thinking
Modern science is incomplete and even an imprecise tool to understand the world and the complicated problems that need solving. Instead of scientific thinking, we need systems thinking
The rule of law, for a healthy democracy and a strong economy
Whose rights is the law designed to protect? And what are the values on which institutions are founded? There’s a contest between what sort of economy and what sort of democracy India will be in 2047, a 100 years after its independence on August 15 1947 when Jawaharlal Nehru declared that India had a tryst with destiny
Why we need a new framework for India@100
Arun Maira, Ravi Venkatesan and Naushad Forbes discuss why the shape of economics, governance and business must change to fulfil our tryst with destiny
India@100: A vision for transformative change
Why we need a new framework for economics, governance and business. An essay that sets context to an upcoming conversation hosted by Founding Fuel.
Making Sense of the Climate Crisis with Simon Mundy
A conversation with the author of ‘Race for Tomorrow’ on how the crisis and the experiments to avert it are reshaping our world
How Nandan Nilekani learnt to use tech mindfully
#Beacon2022 Festival Special: Nandan Nilekani and Tanuj Bhojwani talk about digital hygiene, making tech choices, holding your own in the attention economy, enabling serendipity, cryptocurrency and more
What money can’t buy
The purpose of a good economy must be to improve human well-being. Redesigning economies to serve societies is urgent now as we grapple with the confusing challenges of getting more women into the workforce, providing care for increasing numbers of old people, and also creating more employment for young people
Making Sense of the Russia-Ukraine war: What it means for the world
What might be the fallouts—economic, social, humanitarian, geopolitical? Sundeep Waslekar and Vivek Kelkar discuss
Economy and Electorate: The Road to 2024
A long view on what the next two years might signal for the Indian economy and politics—and how the electorate will be groomed for 2024
Day of the starmakers
Unlimited energy from nuclear fusion is coming within humanity’s grasp
Another year of Zoom meetings: Have they helped or harmed?
We now have a wonderful opportunity to expand thoughtful deliberations on global problems, and accelerate the process of collective learning, using the internet, Zoom, and other platforms. And together find solutions that make the whole system healthy
The road to wisdom…
…and other reflections on another year of the pandemic
Top Ten books of 2021
This year’s list reflects and helps us decode a lot that has changed since the pandemic
Masterclass: The World in 2022
What is the global impact of the US-China tussle? Is Asia rising? What about global economic recovery and sustainability? Kanti Bajpai, Viral Acharya, Nicholas Parker, and Sundeep Waslekar offer a multidisciplinary view on the key drivers of change
From Russia with Love
In the emerging multipolar world, there's already a surprise winner
How the world moved in Q3, 2021
Sundeep Waslekar offers a nuanced view of the push and pull that is shaping the world around us
The games we play with each other
Solutions for problems such as climate change are unlikely to come from experts who rely on numbers, and from economists who rely on self-interest and the invisible hand for progress. This is part of a zero sum, competitive, narrative. But nature is complex and insists on cooperation
The climate crisis: We need cooperation, not competition
The world needs new explanations of how complex systems evolve to save itself from catastrophe. Theories of progress must put cooperation—at all levels—in the foreground, and look beyond national self-interest
The dark side of the China Story
From his perch in The City, a leading strategic analyst who prefers the pen name Samuel Pepys, looks at what’s shifting at the intersection of business, markets, economy and society. In this letter: a global supply crunch; an imploding credit-driven economic model; a new economic playbook
Reinventing girlhood, one block at a time
Three ways that parents can help daughters open their minds to STEM paths
How the world has moved in the second quarter of 2021
The April-June quarter saw Biden making significant diplomatic moves vis-a-vis Europe, Russia and China; the Middle East saw two significant elections in Israel and Iran; China showed ascendancy in space; and there are developments in India’s neighbourhood, especially in Afghanistan. Sundeep Waslekar deciphers the implications
How to make governments smart
A podcast with Jaideep Prabhu, professor at Cambridge Judge Business School and author of ‘How Should A Government Be? The New Levers of State Power’
Power to the people
The vaccine crisis is yet another proof that principles of capitalism are at variance with the needs of humanity. Instead of top-down policies, focus on profits and economies of scale, local on-the-ground solutions and the economies of scope that they bring, can be the founding fuel for transformative change
How the world has moved in the first quarter of 2021
The first quarter of 2021 has been unusually busy, with many key developments playing out in the geopolitical sphere. We caught up with Sundeep Waslekar to decipher the implications
Finding Abdul
Abdul was mentally unwell, lost, and his life condemned to the boondocks. But a programme conceived at Tata Trusts has given him a chance to live again. This narrative is how they did it
Lessons from India’s tortuous path to make tech work for the people
India’s experience with providing a digital identity to a billion-plus people through Aadhaar and with financial inclusion shows why it’s important to take the state, society and markets along. And how it’s tough to anticipate the unintended consequences
Who do economists serve, really?
Mainstream economic theories do not fit reality. Two new books, ‘Measuring What Counts’ and ‘Good Economics for Hard Times’, provide a counterview: Instead of treating people as data, listen to them, and find answers to their real problems for inclusive, sustainable progress
Trendspotting: 2020 can make or break
The pace of change is accelerating. Uncertainty is growing. Businesses are on tenterhooks. And on the cusp of a new decade, India’s digital economy is yet again poised for a reset
The global trends to watch in 2020
Insights from The Economist’s report ‘The World in 2020’
Private profit vs. public good: A case for repurposing capitalist enterprises
Private business corporations, the central tool of capitalism, need reform. We need to rethink the purpose of the corporation, the principle of limited liability, and the idea of who owns the enterprise
‘Exclusion does not come from Aadhaar, but from its uses’
There are multiple India’s—with different levels of prosperity and access to services. And India lives simultaneously in multiple centuries. Ram Sewak Sharma, TN Ninan, Parth Shah and Shakti Sinha discuss how Aadhaar and the policy around it needs to evolve to bridge these differences
Capitalism vs democracy: Consumers vs citizens
Beneath the economic and political rumbles around the world lies a deeper conflict between these sets of ideas
Who will robots and elephants vote for: Donald Trump or Xi Jinping?
Data can tell us much and the capabilities of AI are improving exponentially. But how do you get deep insights and how do you know the right things to do? Five books offer some pointers
Universal basic income, automobiles, and digital identity
There are two schools of thought on how people can be lifted out of poverty. But, can policies be crafted for them when policy makers don’t know who they are?
Learning to learn
What colleges and business schools teach is becoming outdated rapidly in a dynamically changing world. They need to include systems thinking and deep listening as foundational disciplines to prepare students to be life-long learners
The thinking Indian’s guide to Aadhaar
How should you think of Aadhaar? What are the issues at stake?
The trends to watch in 2018
Insights into the forces that will shape the world, from The Economist report, ‘The World in 2018’
Aadhaar and we the people of India
Much is being said about Aadhaar being a vicious project and one that tramples on Indian citizens. But is that the complete truth? It is a story about India that is being reported abysmally
Aadhaar and the Arnab Monologues
Pointers to contemporary politics, different kinds of critics, media narratives and why writing is a bad idea from a literature festival
Change is possible for public education in India. Azim Premji shows how
In his keynote speech at the 19th Polestar Awards function, an annual award for excellence in journalism, Azim Premji draws on his vast experience in education and philanthropy to talk about what needs to be done to improve public education in India
Performance monkeys on the TED stage
What started out as an intellectually stimulating event has degenerated into a series of shallow performances
Nudge versus Richard Thaler
It looks inevitable technology companies will outrun the theories of the Nobel Prize winner in Economics. And that is a frightening thought
How may Einstein have thought of God and Aadhaar?
Does God exist? Is eating meat ethical? What about systems like Aadhaar? What about questions like these? A century after Einstein thought a hypothesis to explain the nature of space and time, it stands proven, and has been awarded the Nobel Prize. How may he take these questions on?
Aadhaar, Twitter and strong opinions, loosely held
We have to deal with complexity—and for that we need space
Less-than-rational actors: An interview with Daniel Kahneman
Daniel Kahneman, grandfather of behavioural economics, talks about how the field came to be and the impact it has had
The better angels of our nature
We live in polarised times. It leaves no room for middle ground. Either you’re good or bad. There is no room for nuance or discourse. What a pity!
The Aadhaar Briefing Note #2
The question of fake IDs; catching tax evasion; Equifax and the safety of our data in private hands; exciting opportunities in Bharat; Google Tez; and more
The future of privacy: A conversation with Rahul Matthan
What sort of legal framework ought an economically poor, but data rich nation ought to have? When you agree to an entity accessing your data, ought there be a time limit? And what does it mean to have a fundamental right to privacy?
The Aadhaar Briefing Note #1
What’s next for Aadhaar after the Supreme Court’s privacy verdict? Should we worry about the security of the Aadhaar ecosystem, even if we are confident about the security of its core database? Is Facebook becoming a data monopoly? And a digest of recent news on Aadhaar
How do you create space for multiple perspectives? Some ideas from Jaipur
A meeting between the state government and the people in Jaipur demonstrates how a little thought to the format of a meeting can make a significant difference
Consent isn't enough to protect data. We need accountability: Rahul Matthan
The Bengaluru-based lawyer who specialises in technology, says Big Data and machine learning have broken the decades old consent model, and there is a need for a new paradigm
Yes, we need privacy protection. No, it’s not just about Aadhaar
The pro-privacy debate has become an anti-Aadhaar stance. Are we missing the forest for the trees?
A brief history of money, identity and Aadhaar
Is the current debate in India around privacy misplaced? All evidence suggests it is about the evolution of money and the need for a uniform identity
The myth that is the Indian liberal
Apparently, there is a battle raging between Indian liberals and orthodox forces. Unfortunately, much like unicorns and pink fairies, the Indian liberal is a myth
India’s silent march and a couple of big ideas in impact investing
Notes from Milken Institute Global Conference 2017: How IndiaStack and Aadhaar will transform access to capital and other ideas in impact investing
The technology of democracy
Democracy is in peril with innovations in technology running too far ahead of innovations in democracy’s processes
How Uganda fixed leakages with transparency, and why it matters to India
India’s subsidy system needs reform, but the lack of information from the ground undermines the state’s ability to design right policies. Aadhaar promises that information and transparency
Midday meals and Aadhaar: The debate reveals how to make the system robust
Look closer at the debate and you’ll see takeaways to strengthen the system
Three Aadhaar-related budget announcements that you should take note of
The push to BHIM, Aadhaar Pay and formal credit to micro entrepreneurs
Understanding India’s millennials
We need a more nuanced understanding of this generation. If we look beyond the middle class, urban youth, their aspirations and motivations differ greatly
How the media has let down democracy
Journalists need to be heard to be able to convey truths. But social media has dumbed down public discourse and made it difficult for reflective commentators to be heard
Who are our heroes and role models?
Having the right role models is critical to nudging us in the right direction. India needs to look beyond film stars, cricketers and politicians
India can lead the world in solving ‘problems without borders’
India has a historical opportunity to assume global leadership in co-creating innovative solutions to tackle socio-economic challenges that affect the whole of humanity
Aadhaar 2.0
In this podcast Nandan Nilekani and the key people behind Aadhaar talk about what it took to create such a massive programme, what comes next, and the insights it can offer on executing a large, complex project
Listening to them—and shaping our future together
For India to progress faster to fulfil the needs of its citizens, Indians must overcome internal differences. They must discover the highest common factors in their multiple perspectives and aspirations; and listen to each other deeply to understand who ‘we’ are, and to shape ‘our’ future together
Aadhaar: A quiet disruption
Having registered one billion Indians, the team behind Aadhaar is now creating a digital infrastructure—the India Stack—that promises to disrupt financial services, make service delivery dramatically cheaper and efficient and boost the startup ecosystem
Solving India’s problem of jobless growth
Jobless growth is a multi-cause, systemic problem. Tackling each cause individually will backfire. A more effective solution is to develop a synergistic policy-matrix
Lessons from fighting a drought
Droughts can be managed to take the sting out of the phenomena. Here are seven learnings from Amit Chandra, managing director of Bain Capital in India, social entrepreneur Nimesh Sumati and Sundeep Waslekar, president of Strategic Foresight Group & Cauvery delta farmer Ravichandran Vanchinathan
With patient capital to fix basic problems, India too can think big
Having bijli-sadak-pani allows entrepreneurs to think big by dreaming up models that are built on platforms and marketplaces. To fix that, the quantum of capital and the timescale of investment are equally important.
India fights a drought
In this podcast, Amit Chandra, managing director of Bain Capital in India, social entrepreneur Nimesh Sumati and Sundeep Waslekar, president of Strategic Foresight Group, talk about how communities and social entrepreneurs are finding long-term systemic solutions and what India can learn from others
Fixing India’s jobs machine
Employment patterns are changing due to technology, emergence of new forms of enterprises, demand for social security, need for new skills, and the way enterprises are regulated
Resurgent women: The times they are a changin’
In this edited extract from his book ‘Half a Billion Rising’, Anirudha Dutta says, the coming decade will see more educated women entering the workforce and this will have far-reaching socio-economic implications. Men will have to respect and adapt to live with these changes.
Want 'Make in India' to succeed? Improve the ease of doing business
In this extract from chapter 3 of his book, 'An Upstart in Government', Arun Maira says, the regulatory environment affects small enterprises the most. Every moment that the owners divert to dealing with government functionaries are moments taken away from the functioning of their enterprises
Will India muddle along, fall apart or will the flotilla advance?
How can one be sure of India's future trajectory? This extract from chapter 7 in Arun Maira's book, 'An Upstart in Government', explains three scenarios that sketch out what the condition of the country will be if the forces that affect it play out
The dragon mellows
Some reflections on a recent trip to China: The Indian growth story is opening some more doors, the impact of the slowdown is showing in wage rates and costs, and there's a concerted move to clean-up
Frustrated freedoms: When aspirations collide with realities
There's increasing tension within Indian society and a growing sense of unfairness. Those with resources - capital, education or political connections - become very wealthy, while others wait for 'ache din'
The 'smart' in smart cities is about measuring, collaborating and improving services
Sumit Chowdhury, founder, Gaia Smart Cities, talks about how the plan to create a 100 smart cities will allow many ideas to be pooled together and drive collaboration
Understanding China: Insights from Henry Paulson's book - Dealing with China
The book offers a comprehensive account of China's economic challenges, political structure and strategic concerns