What is the link between Z-category security, Zebra crossings and band-aids*?
Before I tell you the answer, here is a story. A few days back while driving on the Indore bypass, I noticed a strange thing. At the approach to an adjoining village, I noticed not one but two speed-breakers. I also noticed a zebra crossing – and there may well have been a traffic light too. While Indians excel at having multiple speed-breakers at all sorts of unexpected places, the 2 speed-breakers on a not-so-busy stretch of the bypass were …

In the first part of my series on Urbanisation, I mentioned how there is little realisation of the long-term implications of this “problem”. Urbanisation could possibly be India’s biggest challenge in coming decades (although you would find it hard to guess judging by the space & time devoted to this issue in mainstream media).
At the same time,  it offers a great opportunity to fundamentally transform India & put the economy on a dramatic growth curve. But do our leaders really understand “urbanisation”?
Are they able to think beyond flyovers, malls & apartment complexes …

I am beginning to dread Mumbai..
My favourite city when I was growing up has today become a place that I try hard to avoid. The reasons are not hard to find. Lack of an efficient system of public transport tops the list. Add to this, the traffic snarls. To this, add a humid climate and uncontrolled, chaotic crowds that jostle for space with shops, scooters, buses & cars.
Don’t get me wrong. There are still many things that keep me hooked on Mumbai. The spirit of enterprise, the numerous eating joints, …

This is a short, hurried and somewhat angry post. A few hours back, I was alerted by Gopi-ji to a couple of headlines from two well-known newspapers. The first from Mail Today read “Back to Hindu Growth Rate“. The second ironically, was from “The Hindu” and asked the question “On a ‘Hindu’ growth path?”

Neither article cared to explain what exactly was the “Hindu Growth Rate” – or why was a growth rate ever labelled with the name of a faith.
So for my young friends who may be reading this, here is …

Today is the 63rd anniversary of the Republic. On this day 63 years ago, the Constitution of India became the supreme law of the land. On this day, 83 years ago, our political leader resolved that India will fight to attain “Purna Swaraj”. For several years thereafter, 26th January was  observed as Independence Day of India.  But this post is not really about the history of the Republic or its Constitution. This is about the systematic subversion of the Constitution and assaults on our freedoms.
Can you guess the date of …

..of a Young Restive Nation…
A friend asked me last week what was the greatest tragedy in Indian politics? I told him it was the fact that India’s population has a median age of 25 years while the average age of a Cabinet Minister is 65 (pl see graphic below). The two widely discussed contenders for the post of Prime Minister are 62 and 42.  Neither has experienced first-hand the life and times of a modern India –  fuelled by IT services, marked by malls, rising salaries, Hinglish and travel.

And I …

*** CAUTION: Long Post ***
In 2009, even as the governing body of Tirumala Tirupati was facing questions over 300 missing gold coins, a priest was arrested after confessing to stealing a deity’s two gold necklaces weighing more than a kilo. Governing body officials “said the priest was only a small fry and that there was a larger scam happening at the Lord Balaji temple – which is in possession of jewellery worth more than Rs 45,000 crore”. No inventory of the temple assets, controlled by the government, has been done since …

As must be obvious to many of you by now, getting people actively involved & thinking about politics is something very close to my heart. So last fortnight when a young professional asked me, “Why don’t “good people” get into politics?” I thought this was worth a post. To avoid a side-argument on who are “good people”, let me hastily clarify that “good people” is just a broad, handy label that includes accomplished, professionally successful women & men of integrity willing to commit a significant part of their life to …

There are times when words simply flow.. Writing in such moments of extreme lucidity is sheer pleasure..This happened to me last evening. The news that triggered this was one of joy but tinged with a great deal of sadness – and lots of anger too.
This is the forgotten story of Kargil’s first hero and a tireless fight for justice. This is the sad tale of Captain Saurabh Kalia. Some of you may be too young to remember the name and it may fail to ring any bells at all. But the story of …

Earlier this week, Pritish Nandy wrote – in a way only he can – about “Time to reclaim India”.  He recalled the “..time when our hearts swelled with pride every time we saw the tricolour wave or heard the national anthem play. That pride has gone out of our lives today.. something has gone wrong with India and the rot begins with you and me.”
In words that were prompted by similar feelings, I had written almost exactly 2 years back, “No wonder some believe, “India is now the world’s largest Banana …