Society and Culture
Deconstructing Narmada: Large Dams and Economics
For better or worse, the Narmada Dam is now complete. Its various NGO opponents and their star cast must now accept defeat against the economic logic of growth. And where economic logic prevails, can comparisons with China be far behind?
India’s Promise – Prospects for Indian Democracy
India is, in the words of George Soros, ‘the flavor of the month‘. Reflecting that international euphoria, we Indians seem to have developed a proclivity for self-congratulation. An excellent article in the Harvard Magazine by Devesh Kapur (PDF at CGDev), however, is a good reality check. It brings home the real challenge for India – [...]
Inclusive Growth and the 11th Plan
Today’s Hindustan Times has an excellent editorial on the 11th five-year plan, and the economics behind the idea of ‘inclusive growth’. It is a must read for those with even a brief understanding of economics and the link, often inverse, between growth and equity.
India: Challenge and Opportunity of a Lifetime
Last week I had the opportunity to attend three events in Delhi – the 3rd Sat Pal Mittal Memorial Lecture by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chair of the Planning Commission, on the 11th plan; the India-Japan Energy Forum organized by TERI and NEDO; and the London School of Economics (LSE) Asia Forum. The timing of [...]
Meager Expectations & Unmet Potential: India’s Malaise
Not a day goes by without the newspapers hailing some Indian achievement. In the eyes of the media India is already a great power. And nowhere is this self-congratulation more evident than in discussions of Delhi’s infrastructure improvements and promises of an emerging ‘World City’. Yet, Delhi is still very far from being anything world-class [...]
The Land of (Political) Liberty – India
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal So said the US Declaration of Independence. It may well have added… Unless, of course, they are born outside the US. Then they cannot be President.
From Delhi to Chennai – Are There Two Indias?
I was in Chennai this past weekend (made a new friend -see photo) and am convinced that there are two Indias – at least. The story of two Indias is not new and best characterized by the rise of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai as the new centers of economic power. The centers of academic [...]
Should Homosexuals Marry?
I returned today from a weekend in Paris to find this interesting question in my inbox, by way of Desicritics. The ensuing discussion on our mailing list, that consitutes the author’s circle, was both colorful and personal. This question has been posed with increasing urgency in the United States, where socially liberal states and cities [...]
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- Financial Inclusion in India: Trends Beyond Microfinance - 34 emails
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